Video: 'Vice President Daniel D. Tompkins: Our Vices #6'
(Tuesday, June 21, 1774) — Daniel D. Tompkins, the sixth vice president of the United States, was born today in Scarsdale, Westchester County, New York, at his home, the estate of Fox Meadow. Continue reading U.S. Vice President Daniel D. Tompkins born in Scarsdale, New York 250 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 21 1774)
Video: 'The story behind the Boston Tea Party - Ben Labaree'
(Thursday, December 16, 1773, 7:00-10:00 p.m. local time; during the American Revolution) — The Boston Tea Party, an American political and mercantile protest, took place tonight as members of the Sons of Liberty disguised as Mohawk Indians boarded a British ship and dumped more than 300 chests of tea into Boston Harbor to protest the Tea Act. Continue reading American colonists dump British tea into Boston Harbor to protest ‘taxation without representation’ 250 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Dec 16 1773)
Video: 'William Henry Harrison: America's briefest President'
(Tuesday, February 9, 1773) — William Henry Harrison, the ninth president of the United States, was born today at Berkeley Plantation, the home of the Harrison family of Virginia on the James River in Charles City County. Continue reading U.S. President William Henry Harrison born in Charles City County, Virginia 250 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 9 1773)
Video: 'Boston Massacre'
(Monday, March 5, 1770, evening local time; during the Boston Massacre) — British soldiers who’d been taunted by a crowd of colonists opened fire tonight in Boston, killing five people in one of the events that led to the American Revolution. Continue reading British soldiers kill five colonists in Boston Massacre 250 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Mar 5 1770)
Video: 'Cherry Valley Massacre'
(Wednesday, November 11, 1778, early morning local time; during the American Revolutionary War, part of the American Revolution) — A mixed force of Loyalists, British soldiers, Seneca and Mohawks descended on Cherry Valley in central New York today and killed more than 40 people in the Cherry Valley Massacre, described as one of the most horrific frontier massacres of the American Revolutionary War. Continue reading 40+ people killed in Cherry Valley Massacre 240 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 11 1778)
Video: '6th February 1778: France and the US sign the first treaties that recognise American independence'
(Friday, February 6, 1778; during the American Revolutionary War, part of the American Revolution) — The United States won official recognition and military support from France today with the signing of a Treaty of Alliance at the hôtel de Coislin in Paris. Continue reading France formally recognizes American independence 240 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Feb 6 1778)
Video: 'On This Day in History: Captain James Cook visits Hawaii'
(Sunday, January 18, 1778) — English explorer Captain James Cook became the first European to discover the present-day Hawaiian Islands, which he named the “Sandwich Islands” (in honor of John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, who was one of his sponsors as the First Lord of the Admiralty) when he sailed past the island of Oahu today. Continue reading First European contact with Hawaiian Islands 240 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 18 1778)
Video: 'Valley Forge: A Winter Encampment'
(Friday, December 19, 1777, 5:00 p.m. local time; during the American Revolutionary War, part of the American Revolution) — American General George Washington led his poorly fed, ill-equipped army of about 11,000 men today to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, 18 miles northwest of Philadelphia, to camp for the winter. Continue reading Washington camps for the winter at Valley Forge 240 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Dec 19 1777)
Video: 'The Articles of Confederation - The Constitution Before the Constitution'
(Saturday, November 15, 1777; during the American Revolutionary War, part of the American Revolution) — After more than a year of debate, the Second Continental Congress today approved the Articles of Confederation, an agreement among the 13 original states of the United States of America that served as its first constitution. Continue reading Second Continental Congress approves Articles of Confederation 240 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 15 1777)
Video: 'Battle of Saratoga'
(Friday, October 17, 1777; following the Battles of Saratoga, part of the American Revolution) — British forces under General John Burgoyne surrendered to American troops today in Saratoga, New York, in a turning point of the American Revolutionary War. Continue reading British forces surrender at Saratoga, New York 240 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 17 1777)
