This Day In History

On November 18, 1865, Mark Twain published an early version of “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” in The New York Saturday Press, bringing him his first real taste of national fame. Although he would later become one of America’s most important writers, this humorous frontier tale was the piece that launched his career and revealed his talent for storytelling, satire, and capturing the voices of everyday people.

On November 17, 1820, American sealer Nathaniel Brown Palmer and his small crew made history when they became the first Americans to see the icy continent of Antarctica. Their sighting marked an important moment in early American exploration and opened a new chapter in the world’s understanding of the far southern regions of the globe.

On November 16, 1907, Indian Territory and Oklahoma Territory were merged to create the state of Oklahoma. The new state emerged at a moment of rapid change, blending Native nations, frontier settlements, and booming oil discoveries into one of the most diverse and dynamic regions in early 20th-century America.

On November 15, 1777, the Continental Congress approved the Articles of Confederation after 16 months of debate. America’s first constitution, it created a weak central government, with the states having greater power. It was later replaced with the US Constitution.

On November 9, 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt made history when he visited the Panama Canal Zone—becoming the first sitting US president ever to travel outside the country while in office. His trip symbolized not only his hands-on leadership style but also America’s growing role as a global power in the early 20th century.

On November 7, 1944, Franklin D. Roosevelt made history as the first—and only—US president elected to a fourth term. His remarkable political career reshaped both the country’s government and its role in the world.

On October 15, 1860, 11-year-old Grace Bedell wrote a letter to Republican presidential nominee Abraham Lincoln. She suggested he grow a beard – which he did shortly after!

On October 7, 1963, President John F. Kennedy signed the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty with the Soviet Union and United Kingdom. Though it didn’t ban nuclear weapons entirely, the treaty forbid testing in the atmosphere, in space, and underwater.

On November 19, 1863, Abraham Lincoln delivered his eloquent Gettysburg Address. Delivered at the dedication of the Gettysburg National Cemetery, it went on to become one of the most famous speeches in US history.

On November 19, 1965, the U.S. Post Office issued the first stamp in a new series honoring Prominent Americans. The series included several “firsts” and technological changes.

Roy “Campy” Campanella was born on November 19, 1921, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Considered one of the greatest catchers in baseball history, he was the first catcher to break organized baseball’s color line when he debuted in the Majors in 1948.

On November 19, 1752, George Rogers Clark was born in Albemarle County, Virginia.  A hero of the American Revolution, he’s most famous for his captures of Kaskaskia, Vincennes, and Fort Sackville.