On March 15, 1820, Maine became the 23rd state in the United States. The decision ended nearly two centuries of rule by Massachusetts and recognized the growing population and independence of the northern district.
On March 14, 1794, Eli Whitney received a patent for his cotton gin nearly five months after submitting his application. The machine would dramatically speed up cotton processing and reshape the economy of the American South.
On March 13, 1942, the US Army officially launched its War Dog Program, marking the beginning of organized military service for American dogs. Today, that date is remembered as National K9 Veterans Day, honoring the loyalty, courage, and sacrifice of the dogs that have served beside US troops.
On March 12, 1930, Mahatma Gandhi began a 240-mile march to the sea to protest British control of India’s salt supply. The simple act of picking up a handful of salt would ignite nationwide civil disobedience and draw the world’s attention to India’s struggle for independence.
On March 11, 1977, the United States Postal Service issued its first se-tenant stamps in booklet form. Released at New York City’s INTERPEX stamp show, the unusual booklet combined two postal rates in a single pane and introduced the first multicolor US booklet stamp.
On March 6, 1820, President James Monroe signed the Missouri Compromise into law. The measure aimed to calm rising tensions over slavery, but it also revealed how deeply divided the nation had already become.
On March 4, 1791, Vermont was admitted to the Union. After years of land disputes, frontier battles, and even a period as an independent republic, the small mountain region officially became the 14th state of the United States.
On March 1, 1867, Congress admitted Nebraska to the Union. The decision came after months of political conflict and even a presidential veto, placing the prairie state at the center of national debate during Reconstruction.
On January 9, 1788, Connecticut ratified the US Constitution, making it the fifth state to join the young United States.
On March 15, 1935, the US Post Office reissued 20 stamps known as “Farley’s Special Printings,” which were the result of the biggest stamp scandal of the time – “Farley’s Follies.”
Andrew Jackson was born on March 15, 1767, in the Waxhaws area near the border between North and South Carolina. America’s seventh president, he was a champion of the common man.
On March 15, 1938, the Merchant Marine Cadet Corps was established. Merchant Marines transport cargo and passengers in peacetime and are called upon in times of war to deliver troops and supplies wherever needed.
Hollow Horn Bear died on March 15, 1913. A Brulé Lakota chief, he fought during the Sioux Wars, including the Battle of Little Big Horn, and became a spokesman for his tribe.
Love history?
Subscribe to get This Day in History stories straight to your inbox every day!