Abraham Lincoln
Yosemite Land Grant
On June 30, 1864, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Yosemite Land Grant. This made Yosemite Valley the first piece of land set aside by the US government for preservation and public use.
Birth of Edwin Stanton
Edwin McMasters Stanton was born on December 19, 1814, Steubenville, Ohio.
First National Thanksgiving
On December 18, 1777, the United States celebrated its first national Thanksgiving. The celebration was in reaction to the recent victory at the Battle of Saratoga.
The Revenue Act of 1862
On July 1, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Revenue Act of 1862 into law, to help fund the Civil War.
The Homestead Act
On May 20, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Homestead Act into law.
Statue of Freedom Completed
On December 2, 1863, the Statue of Freedom was placed atop the US Capitol to a 35-gun salute.
Washington & Lincoln’s Thanksgiving Celebrations
On November 26, 1789, the nation celebrated Thanksgiving for the first time under a presidential proclamation. Decades later, President Lincoln issued a similar proclamation that made the holiday permanent.
First U.S. Mourning Stamp
April 14, 1866 was the earliest known usage of the first US mourning stamp, which honored Abraham Lincoln.
China Resistance Stamp
On July 7, 1942, the US issued its first stamp with foreign characters as part of the design. US #906 was issued to commemorate the fifth anniversary of China’s resistance against the Japanese Empire in the early days of World War II. The 5¢ denomination would have paid for a first-class letter to China.