Birth of Oliver Perry
Oliver Hazard Perry was born on August 23, 1785, in South Kingstown, Rhode Island. Serving with distinction during the War of 1812, he was known as the “Hero of Lake Erie.”
War of 1812
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USS Constitution Earns Much-Needed American Victory At Sea
On August 19, 1812, the USS Constitution dueled with the British HMS Guerriere and reigned victorious. During the fighting, one sailor noted that the British cannonballs simply bounced off the Constitution’s oak hull, proclaiming it was “made of iron.” This earned the ship its famous nickname – “Old Ironsides.”
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Kearny Expedition
On August 18, 1846, Stephen W. Kearny declared himself military governor of the New Mexico Territory. He had captured Santa Fe without firing a shot, as part of the Kearny Expedition.
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Birth of John Quincy Adams
America’s sixth president, John Quincy Adams was born on July 11, 1767, in Braintree (present-day Quincy), Massachusetts. He was the first president’s son to become president.
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Arkansas Becomes 25th State
On June 15, 1836, Arkansas was admitted as the 25th state of the Union. Statehood was hotly debated for 25 hours before being approved and signed into law by President Andrew Jackson.
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Happy Birthday James Buchanan
James Buchanan was born on April 23, 1791, in Cove Gap, Pennsylvania, to Irish immigrants.
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Birth of Matthew C. Perry
The “Father of the Steam Navy” Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry was born on April 10, 1794, in South Kingstown, Rhode Island. Perry is best known for modernizing the US Naval Academy and opening friendly relations with Japan.
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Birth of Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was born on March 15, 1767, in the Waxhaws area near the border between North and South Carolina. America’s seventh president, he was a champion of the common man.
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Birth of Sam Houston
American soldier and politician Sam Houston was born on March 2, 1793, in Rockbridge County, Virginia. He was a hero of the Texas Revolution and the first president of the Republic of Texas.
