Video: 'First Fleet - Behind the News'
(Saturday, January 26, 1788, early morning local time) — The British First Fleet, led by Arthur Phillip, sailed today into Port Jackson, New South Wales, to establish Sydney, the first permanent European settlement on the Australian continent. Continue reading First European settlers land in Australia 230 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 26 1788)
Video: 'The Constitution of the United States of America'
(Friday, December 7, 1787) — Delaware voted 30-0 today to become the first state to ratify the United States Constitution, the supreme law of the United States of America featuring the separation of powers doctrine, whereby the federal government would be divided into three branches (legislative, executive and judicial). Continue reading Delaware first state to ratify U.S. Constitution 230 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Dec 7 1787)
Video: 'HISTORY TALKS: Federalist Papers - New Ideas for a New Nation'
(Saturday, October 27, 1787) — The first of The Federalist Papers, a series of articles and essays written under the pseudonym “Publius” by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay to promote the ratification of the United States Constitution, was published today in the Independent Journal, a New York newspaper. Continue reading The Federalist Papers published in New York 230 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 27 1787)
Video: 'Constitution Convention 11 minutes'
(Monday, September 17, 1787) — The United States Constitution, the supreme law of the United States of America featuring the separation of powers doctrine, whereby the federal government is divided into three branches (legislative, executive and judicial), was completed and signed today by a majority of delegates (39) attending the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. Continue reading United States Constitution completed and signed 230 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 17 1787)
Video: 'Northwest Ordinance of 1787'
(Friday, July 13, 1787) — The Congress of the Confederation today adopted the Northwest Ordinance, which established a government in the Northwest Territory, an area corresponding to the eastern half of the present-day Midwest. Continue reading Congress establishes governing rules for Northwest Territory 230 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jul 13 1787)
Video: 'Kiri Te Kanawa - The Marriage of Figaro Film'
(Monday May 1, 1786) — The Marriage of Figaro, an opera buffa (comic opera) in four acts composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with an Italian libretto written by Lorenzo Da Ponte, premiered today at the Burgtheater in Vienna.
Video: ‘William R. King Top # 5 Facts’
(Friday, April 7, 1786) — William R. King, the 13th Vice President of the United States, was born today in Sampson County, North Carolina.
The future U.S. Senator from Alabama would briefly serve as vice president under President Franklin Pierce, a Democrat, from March 4, 1853 until his death of tuberculosis only 45 days later.
Video: 'Presidential Minute With Zachary Taylor'
(Wednesday, November 24, 1784) — Zachary Taylor, the 12th President of the United States (1849-1850), was born today on a plantation in Barboursville, Virginia.
(Monday, January 26, 1784) — In a letter to his daughter Sarah (also called “Sally”), Benjamin Franklin today expressed unhappiness over the choice of the bald eagle as the symbol of America, and stated his own preference: the turkey, calling it “a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America.”
Video: 'Celebrating Evacuation Day'
(Tuesday, November 25, 1783, noon; following the American Revolutionary War) — The British today evacuated New York, their last military position in the United States during the Revolutionary War.
