History Today: First U.S. presidential election On this day in 1789, America’s first presidential election is held. Voters cast ballots to choose state electors; only white men who owned property were allowed to vote. As expected, George Washington won the…
History Today: Joan of Arc born in 1412 Today (supposedly) marks the 609th birthday of the French national heroine and Catholic saint, Joan of Arc (the Maid of Orleans). The peasant girl born in the east of France was said…
Today in History: Construction on the Golden Gate Bridge began in 1933 For a long time, bridging the San Francisco Bay with its dangerous currents and hurricanes was considered an incalculable risk. After all, a strait over 300 feet deep…
Today is National Bird Day Nature lovers, bird lovers, and bird watchers across the country annually recognize National Bird Day on January 5. The day was created to promote avian awareness. According to Born Free USA, nearly 12 percent of…
Today is National Spaghetti Day! Did you know that in the year 2000, 1.3 million pounds of spaghetti were sold in American grocery stores? If all of those packages were lined up, they would circle the Earth nine times! The…
Today in History: Grand Canyon declared National Monument in 1908 On this day in 1908, U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt declares the massive Grand Canyon in northwestern Arizona a national monument. Congress did not officially outlaw private development in the Grand…
History: First Electric Watch available in 1957 On this day in 1957, those crazy guys from Lancaster, PA (otherwise known as Hamilton), unveiled the very first electric watch. The Hamilton Electric 500 used a battery to drive a complex gear…
Today in History: Cigarette Ads banned from U.S. Television in 1971 In 1970, Congress took its anti-smoking initiative one step further and passed the Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act, banning the advertising of cigarettes on television and radio starting on…
Happy Birthday, Christy Turlington! On this day in 1969, Christy Nicole Turlington, American model, charity-founder and campaigner is born in Oakland, California. Turlington represented Calvin Klein's Eternity campaign in 1989 and again in 2014. She modeled for the famous PETA…
Today is Polar Bear Swim Day Since 1920, a group of hardy swimmers has celebrated New Year's Day by plunging into the frigid waters of Vancouver's English Bay. As crazy as it sounds, the custom has spread to the United…