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.
On November 19, 1752, George Rogers Clark was born in Albemarle County, Virginia. A hero of the American Revolution, he’s most famous for his captures of Kaskaskia, Vincennes, and Fort Sackville.
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.
On November 16, 1902, a cartoon appeared in a newspaper that inspired the creation of the first teddy bears, named after President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt.
First Lady Mamie Geneva Doud Eisenhower was born on November 14, 1896, in Boone, Iowa. Mrs. Eisenhower was known for her stylish dresses, frugality, and love of entertaining. But she also spoke out in support of important causes, including heart health and the well-being of military widows.
Suffragist and abolitionist Elizabeth Cady Stanton was born on November 12, 1815, in Johnstown, New York. She was a leader of the women’s rights movement and the driving force behind the first women’s rights convention in Seneca Falls in 1848.
On November 11, 1921, President Warren G. Harding dedicated the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. Now the final resting place for three unknown soldiers, it is guarded 24 hours a day by members of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Regiment.
On November 10, 1978, Theodore Roosevelt National Park was established on North Dakota. Roosevelt’s time in the Badlands inspired his conservation efforts as president, establishing over 200 protected areas.
On November 9, 1918, Moina Michael penned her poem, “We Shall Keep the Faith,” and resolved to wear a red poppy every day in remembrance of the fallen. She became known as the “Poppy Lady.”