Government

On April 17, 1961, a group of Cuban exiles launched an operation in Cuba known as the Bay of Pigs Invasion. It was an important event in the Cold War and led to major changes between the US, Cuba, and the Soviet Union.

On April 5, 1792, George Washington used the first presidential veto in our country’s history. It was to turn down a bill that he felt unconstitutionally gave some states more members in the House of Representatives than the Constitution would allow.

Dorothea Lynde Dix was born on April 4, 1802, in Hampden, Maine. She spent much of her life improving and establishing new mental asylums. Dix also served as the Superintendent of Army Nurses during the Civil War.

US Chief Justice Earl Warren was born on March 19, 1891, in Los Angeles, California. He’s considered one of the nation’s most influential Supreme Court justices, with his time on the court referred to as a “Constitutional Revolution.”

On March 12, 1930, Gandhi started his 240-mile Salt March as a nonviolent protest against British rule in India. Gandhi’s march helped inspire widespread civil disobedience in India, bringing international attention to their cause.

On March 7, 1850, Massachusetts Senator Daniel Webster delivered one of his most famous speeches, the “Seventh of March” speech. It expressed his support for the Compromise of 1850 that would help avert a Civil War but proved disastrous for his Senate career.

On January 25, 1819, Thomas Jefferson succeeded in securing a charter for his beloved University of Virginia (UVA).

Oveta Culp Hobby was born on January 19, 1905, in Killeen, Texas.

On January 9, 1788, Connecticut ratified the US Constitution, making it the fifth state to join the young United States.