Government

Daniel Webster was born in Salisbury (now Franklin), New Hampshire on January 18, 1782.  A successful lawyer and statesman, he negotiated an important treaty with Canada and served as Secretary of State under three presidents. 

On January 12, 1953, Cape Hatteras became America’s first national seashore. Stretched over 70 miles of barrier islands, this seashore is a fascinating combination of natural and cultural resources.

Alice Paul was born on January 11, 1885, in Mount Laurel, New Jersey.  Paul was a leader in the women’s suffrage movement, staging protests and parades to gain support for the right to vote. 

Samuel Taliaferro Rayburn was born on January 6, 1882, in Kingston, Tennessee. Famous for his integrity, Rayburn served as Speaker of the House of Representatives longer than anyone else and spent 49 consecutive years in Congress.

On December 30, 1853, the Gadsden Purchase was completed, adding over 29,000 square miles of land to the United States.

On December 29, 1890, one of the last major American Indian battles occurred at Wounded Knee Creek, South Dakota. The Wounded Knee Massacre saw the deaths of over 200 Lakota men, women, and children.

On December 27, 1657, a group of 30 people in Vlishing, New Netherland, signed the Flushing Remonstrance, a plea for religious freedom.

Italian physician, merchant, horticulturalist and close friend of President Thomas Jefferson, Philip Mazzei was born on December 25, 1730, in Poggio a Caiano (Prato) in Tuscany.

On December 17, 1925, the seven-week court-martial of World War I aviation pioneer Billy Mitchell came to an end.  He was charged for his public criticism of the military in its rejection of the importance of air power.