Battle of the Somme

The Battle of the Somme, also known as the Somme Offensive, was fought July 1 to November 18, 1916, along a 25-mile front near the Somme River in France. It was the first great offensive of World War I and one of its bloodiest battles. Background As part of an Allied agreement to coordinate simultaneous …Read More

Amelia Earhart

Amelia Mary Earhart (born July 24, 1897) was an American aviator whose record-setting career would make her the most famous female pilot in history. During an attempt to circumnavigate the globe in 1937, she disappeared over the Pacific Ocean and was never seen again. In December 1920, pilot Frank Hawks gave Earhart a plane ride that …Read More

Apollo 11 Moon Landing

On July 20, 1969, American Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin made history when they became the first people to walk on the moon. Background Putting a man on the moon had been a national goal since 1961, when President John F. Kennedy identified it as an objective in a speech to …Read More

19th Amendment

The 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution was adopted on August 26, 1920. The main section states, “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.” 19th-Century Efforts Early national-level efforts for women’s rights were …Read More

Juneteenth

Juneteenth is an annual holiday commemorating the announcement of emancipation in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865. More broadly, it celebrates the effective end of slavery in the United States.  History of Juneteenth Freedom from slavery happened sporadically throughout the Civil War as Union troops claimed outlying Confederate territory or as enslaved people escaped to …Read More

Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday for the purpose of honoring and remembering those who have died while serving in the armed forces. It is celebrated annually on the last Monday in May.  Early Observances The first concept of Memorial Day began in the years following the American Civil War. Where it began …Read More

Dunkirk Evacuation

Code-named Operation Dynamo, the Dunkirk Evacuation took place May 26 to June 4, 1940, during World War II as part of the Battle of France. During the operation, more than 338,000 Allied troops were successfully evacuated from the beach at Dunkirk (Dunkerque) following the German invasion of France.  Background When Germany invaded Belgium and the …Read More

Victory in Europe Day (V-E Day)

Victory in Europe Day (V-E Day, May 8 or May 9, 1945) marked Nazi Germany’s unconditional surrender during World War II and the end of the war in Europe.  War in Europe Ends News of the end of the war in Europe had been expected for some time, and after Hitler’s suicide at the end …Read More

Marie Curie

Marie Curie (7 November 1867 – 4 July 1934) was a Polish-born French physicist and chemist who made landmark discoveries about radioactivity. She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize and the first person to win a Nobel Prize twice. Early Life & Education Curie was born Maria Sklodowska in 1867 in Warsaw, …Read More