On March 14, 1794, Eli Whitney received a patent for his cotton gin nearly five months after submitting his application. The machine would dramatically speed up cotton processing and reshape the economy of the American South.
On March 13, 1942, the US Army officially launched its War Dog Program, marking the beginning of organized military service for American dogs. Today, that date is remembered as National K9 Veterans Day, honoring the loyalty, courage, and sacrifice of the dogs that have served beside US troops.
On March 12, 1930, Mahatma Gandhi began a 240-mile march to the sea to protest British control of India’s salt supply. The simple act of picking up a handful of salt would ignite nationwide civil disobedience and draw the world’s attention to India’s struggle for independence.
On March 11, 1977, the United States Postal Service issued its first se-tenant stamps in booklet form. Released at New York City’s INTERPEX stamp show, the unusual booklet combined two postal rates in a single pane and introduced the first multicolor US booklet stamp.
On March 10, 1862, the United States government issued its first widely circulated national paper money. These new notes, soon nicknamed “greenbacks,” were created during the financial strain of the American Civil War and transformed how the federal government financed itself.
Thomas Alva Edison was born on February 11, 1847, in Milan, Ohio. Known later as the “Wizard of Menlo Park,” he earned more than 1,000 patents and helped transform how people lived, worked, and communicated.
John (Johan) Ericsson was born on July 31, 1803, in Värmland, Sweden. He was an inventor and ship designer, most famous for his ironclad ship Monitor, which participated in the Civil War Battle of Hampton Roads.
Nikola Tesla was born on July 10, 1856, in Smiljan, Austrian Empire (present-day Croatia). A brilliant inventor, engineer, and physicist, his experiments and research changed the world.
Inventor and businessman Cyrus McCormick died on May 13, 1884, in Chicago, Illinois. He’s best known for his mechanical reaper, which increased productivity, and advanced the industrialization of agriculture in dozens of nations.
Train engineer Jonathon Luther Jones was born on March 14, 1863, in Missouri. He later became an American folk hero after sacrificing his own life to save his passengers.
One of the greatest scientific minds in human history, Albert Einstein was born on March 14, 1879, in Ulm, Württemberg, Germany. During his lifetime, Einstein wrote more than 300 scientific papers and received a number of awards, honors, and honorary degrees.
On March 14, 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt signed legislation creating Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge, the first such protective area in America. Today, the National Wildlife Refuge System contains more than 560 protected areas, covering over 150 million acres.
American artist Adolph Gottlieb was born on March 14, 1903, in New York City, New York. Gottlieb’s art was displayed in more than 250 exhibitions during his lifetime, and he’s considered to be one of the first American artists to embrace the Abstract Expressionist movement.
Love history?
Subscribe to get This Day in History stories straight to your inbox every day!