President for a Day?
On March 4, 1849, was David Atchison President of the United States for 24 hours? As President Pro-Tempore of the Senate, he was arguably the highest-ranking US official…
Government
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First U.S. Mail Classification Act
On March 3, 1863, Congress passed an act establishing three classes of mail to simplify a complicated system that included over 300 different rates.
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Birth of Carl Schurz
Carl Christian Schurz was born on March 2, 1829, in Liblar, Prussia, Germany (present-day Erftstadt). Schurz commanded forces during the Civil War, reformed the Civil Service and was a vocal proponent of forest preservation.
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Birth of Hugo Black
Hugo Lafayette Black was born on February 27, 1886, in Harlan, Alabama. He’s the fifth longest-serving US Supreme Court justice and historians state he was second only to John Marshall in his impact on the Constitution.
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Birth of Wendell Willkie
Willkie was born Lewis Wendell Willkie on February 18, 1892, in Elwood, Indiana. He switched political parties to run against Franklin Roosevelt in the 1940 presidential election, but later worked with Roosevelt to promote US interests during World War II.
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Oregon Becomes 33rd State
On February 14, 1859, Oregon was admitted as the 33rd state in the Union.
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Department of Agriculture
On February 9, 1889, the US Department of Agriculture attained cabinet-level status. The change was signed into law by President Grover Cleveland.
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Motor Vehicle Use Tax Stamps
A tax on motor vehicle use went into effect on February 1, 1942, to help fund World War II. These short-lived stamps were meant to be displayed on the inside of the windshield, to easily show the tax had been paid.
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Mahatma Gandhi Assassinated
On January 30, 1948, a Hindu extremist assassinated Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi used civil disobedience and hunger strikes to fight discrimination and push for India’s independence from Great Britain, among many other causes.
