On this day in 1918, Daylight Saving Time went into effect throughout the U.S. for the first time. Robert Garland, a Pittsburgh city councilman, led the charge to implement DST, […]

On this day in 1867, U.S. Secretary of State William H. Seward signed a treaty with Russia to acquire Alaska for $7.2 million—or roughly 2¢ an acre. Though Seward passionately […]

On this day in 1973, the last U.S. fighting troops pulled out of South Vietnam, the result of the Paris Peace Accords held in January. Sadly, the war did not […]

On this day in 1969, Dwight D. Eisenhower died in Washington, D.C. at the age of 78. Eisenhower was known by many names and titles in his lifetime. To his […]

On this day in 1794, the U.S. Congress passed the Naval Act, authorizing the construction of six warships, including the U.S.S. Constitution. The  44-gun Constitution was built in Boston from  […]

On this day in 1953, Dr. Jonas Salk announced on radio that he had successfully tested a vaccine for polio. The disease, commonly known as “infantile paralysis” because it affected […]

On this day in 1957, six nations signed a treaty in Rome to form the European Economic Community. The EEC, better known as the Common Market, was the union of […]

On this day in 1603, Queen Elizabeth I died after 44 years of rule. Elizabeth ascended the throne of England in 1559 after the death of her half-sister, Mary I. […]

On this day in 1743, Handel’s Messiah took its first bows in London. Though Handel had premiered his oratorio earlier in Dublin, English audiences would catapult it to everlasting fame. […]

On this day in 1987, a barge named the Mobro began a 6000 mile voyage, searching for a place to dump over 1 ½ tons of garbage. The trash was […]