Great Chicago Fire

The Great Chicago Fire burned October 8 to 10, 1871, in Chicago, Illinois. Chicago, with its frequent high winds and countless wooden structures, was prone to fires even before the “Great Fire” tore through the city. However, none was so destructive as this one. It ultimately killed 300 people and destroyed more than 17,000 buildings. …Read More

Battles of Saratoga

The Battles of Saratoga were two Revolutionary War battles, fought on September 19 and October 7, 1777, near Saratoga, New York. Following the battles, British and German troops under British general John Burgoyne surrendered to American general Horatio Gates on October 17, turning the tide of the Revolutionary War in the Americans’ favor. Background In …Read More

Rosa Parks

Rosa Parks (February 4, 1913 – October 24, 2005) was an African American civil rights activist best known for her role in the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Born Rosa Louise McCauley in Tuskegee, Alabama, Rosa Parks grew up living with her mother and grandparents in Pine Level, Alabama. She was forced to quit school at age …Read More

Liberation of Rome

On June 4, 1944, the Allies liberated Rome, Italy, from the Germans, making it the first of the Axis capitals to fall during World War II. Background Following a successful invasion of Sicily, the Allies moved on mainland Italy in September 1943, with landings on both the east and west coasts of the country. As …Read More

Stanley Cup

The Stanley Cup is a sports championship trophy awarded annually to the winning team of the NHL (National Hockey League) playoffs.  History Early hockey fan Sir Frederick Arthur Stanley, Governor General of Canada, donated a punch-bowl style cup to be given to the champion hockey team of Canada. It was first awarded in 1893 as …Read More

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

Teapot Dome Scandal

The Teapot Dome Scandal was a bribery scandal in the 1920s centered around the leasing of federal oil reserves by Albert B. Fall, the U.S. Secretary of the Interior. It is often considered the biggest American political scandal prior to Watergate. Background Before World War I, the U.S. government had set aside two oil reserves …Read More

Great Chicago Fire

The Great Chicago Fire burned October 8 to 10, 1871, in Chicago, Illinois. Chicago, with its frequent high winds and countless wooden structures, was prone to fires even before the “Great Fire” tore through the city. However, none was so destructive as this one. It ultimately killed 300 people and destroyed more than 17,000 buildings. …Read More

Zoot Suit Riots

The Zoot Suit Riots were several days of racial conflict in the Los Angeles area in June 1943, predominantly between white U.S. servicemen and Mexican American youths. “Zoot suit” refers to a suit with a long jacket and tapered pants, popular among young Latinos at the time. Background Leading up to the riots, racial tensions …Read More