President Wilson Sails to Europe
On December 4, 1918, President Woodrow Wilson boarded a boat to Paris, becoming the first siting president to travel to Europe. He spent six months in France for the World War I peace talks in Paris.
Government
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Birth of Sir Rowland Hill
Sir Rowland Hill was born on December 3, 1795, in Kidderminster, England. Hill revolutionized the postal system by establishing a uniform minimum price of one penny, leading to the creation of the first postage stamp.
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Belva Lockwood Argues Before Supreme Court
On November 30, 1880, Belva Ann Lockwood became the first woman to argue a case before the US Supreme Court. She was the first female member of the US Supreme Court Bar and paved the way for future female lawyers.
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Eisenhower Visits Korea
On November 29, 1952, president-elect Dwight D. Eisenhower filled a campaign promise to visit Korea. He had been critical of Harry Truman’s handling of the Korean conflict and promised he would visit and bring an end to the war.
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Birth of John Harvard
Clergyman John Harvard is believed to have been born on November 26, 1607, in Southward, Surrey, England. Though not a founder, Harvard donated half his fortune and his entire library to the school that was then named in his honor.
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Birth of President Franklin Pierce
America’s 14th president, Franklin Pierce, was born in Hillsborough, New Hampshire, on November 23, 1804. Despite his early popularity, Pierce only served one term due to his poor handling of the growing slavery issue.
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Verrazano-Narrows Bridge Opens
On November 21, 1964, the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge first opened to traffic. It was the longest suspension bridge in the world at the time, and remains the longest bridge in America today.
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New Jersey Becomes First State to Ratify the Bill of Rights
On November 20, 1789, New Jersey became the first state in the US to ratify the Bill of Rights. It would be two more years before enough states ratified these amendments to make them part of the US Constitution.
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Congress’s First Session in the U.S. Capitol
On November 17, 1800, Congress convened in the still-under-construction Capitol building in Washington, DC for the first time. The Capitol building would undergo several expansions over the years, eventually growing to 16.5 acres.
