North Carolina Enters the Union
On November 21, 1789, North Carolina was admitted as the 12th state of the union. It had been the first state to reject the Constitution, but finally ratified after the Bill of Rights was created.
This Day in History
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Battle of Tarawa Begins
On November 20, 1943, US troops launched the Battle of Tarawa, the first American offensive in the central Pacific region of World War II. A turning point in the Pacific War, it saw effective use of the America’s newly developed island-hopping strategy and provided important lessons for future invasions.
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Birth of President James Garfield
The last of the “log cabin presidents,” James A. Garfield was born November 19, 1831, near Cleveland, Ohio, to impoverished farmers. Rising from those humble beginnings, he forged a remarkable path as a scholar, Civil War general, and eventually the country’s 20th president.
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The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County
On November 18, 1865, Mark Twain published an early version of “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” in The New York Saturday Press, bringing him his first real taste of national fame. Although he would later become one of America’s most important writers, this humorous frontier tale was the piece that launched his career and revealed his talent for storytelling, satire, and capturing the voices of everyday people.
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First Americans Sight Antarctica
On November 17, 1820, American sealer Nathaniel Brown Palmer and his small crew made history when they became the first Americans to see the icy continent of Antarctica. Their sighting marked an important moment in early American exploration and opened a new chapter in the world’s understanding of the far southern regions of the globe.
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Oklahoma Becomes 46th State
On November 16, 1907, Indian Territory and Oklahoma Territory were merged to create the state of Oklahoma. The new state emerged at a moment of rapid change, blending Native nations, frontier settlements, and booming oil discoveries into one of the most diverse and dynamic regions in early 20th-century America.
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Continental Congress Approves Articles of Confederation
On November 15, 1777, the Continental Congress approved the Articles of Confederation after 16 months of debate. America’s first constitution, it created a weak central government, with the states having greater power. It was later replaced with the US Constitution.
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Literary Classic Moby-Dick Published
One of the greatest books in American literature, Moby-Dick, was first published in the United States on November 14, 1851. Its author, Herman Melville, drew deeply from his own adventurous life at sea to craft what would become one of the most profound and symbolic novels ever written.
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Debut of Fantasia
On November 13, 1940, Walt Disney premiered Fantasia—a film unlike anything audiences had ever seen. Combining animation and classical music, Fantasia was a bold experiment in art, sound, and imagination. It pushed the boundaries of animation and transformed film into something that could be felt as much as seen.
