US Purchases Alaska
On March 30, 1867, US Secretary of State William Seward purchased Alaska from Russia in what many at the time called “Seward’s Folly.”
Government
Cherry Trees Planted Along the Potomac
On March 27, 1912, US First Lady Helen Taft and wife of the Japanese ambassador Viscountess Chinda Iwa planted two Yoshina cherry trees on the northern bank of the Potomac River. The plantings were in celebration of the Japanese gift of 3,020 cherry trees to the US government.
Birth of John Barry
Naval officer John Barry was born on March 25, 1745, in Tacumshane, Ireland. A hero of the Revolutionary War, he’s been called the “Father of the American Navy.”
The Carolina Charter
On March 24, 1663, King Charles II approved the Carolina Charter, granting land in America to a group of eight Englishmen. Establishing the first laws in the Carolina province, it guaranteed religious and political freedom.
German Spring Offensive
On March 21, 1918, Germany launched its Spring Offensive in the hopes of tipping the scales of the war before American troops and supplies could reach the front.
Birth of Charles W. Eliot
Educator Charles William Eliot was born on March 20, 1834, in Boston, Massachusetts. A pioneer in higher education reform, he was Harvard’s youngest and longest-serving president, and helped make it the premier university it is today.
Death of President Benjamin Harrison
Benjamin Harrison, America’s 23rd president died on March 13, 1901. His administration was notable for its antitrust, financial, and foreign policy initiatives.
Bureau of Indian Affairs
On March 11, 1824, US Secretary of War John C. Calhoun created the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Today, the federal agency works with Native American and Alaskan Native tribal governments to maintain their quality of life.
Webster’s Seventh of March Speech
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.