This Day In History

On August 16, 1777, American troops won the Battle of Bennington—even though most of the fighting took place across the border near Walloomsac, New York. The victory denied British General John Burgoyne badly needed supplies and cost his army hundreds of men at a critical point in the Saratoga campaign.

After a decade of construction, the Panama Canal opened to traffic on August 15, 1914. Dubbed one of the seven wonders of the modern world, the canal helped to significantly cut down on the travel time between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

On August 14, 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act into law. Created amid the economic insecurity of the Great Depression, the law established retirement insurance while also providing federal support for unemployment compensation and assistance to vulnerable Americans.

Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, later known as Sir Alfred Hitchcock, was born on August 13, 1899, in Leytonstone, Essex, England. Over the next eight decades, the son of a London greengrocer became the “Master of Suspense,” directing films such as Psycho, Rear Window, Vertigo, and The Birds.

Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, later known as Sir Alfred Hitchcock, was born on August 13, 1899, in Leytonstone, Essex, England. Over the next eight decades, the son of a London greengrocer became the “Master of Suspense,” directing films such as Psycho, Rear Window, Vertigo, and The Birds.

On August 8, 1863, General Robert E. Lee wrote to Confederate President Jefferson Davis and asked to be replaced after the defeat at Gettysburg. In the private letter, Lee admitted that his health and strength were failing and questioned whether he could still command the Army of Northern Virginia effectively.

Born on August 1, 1779, in western Maryland, Francis Scott Key became forever linked to the flag he saw above Fort McHenry after a 25-hour British bombardment. That sight inspired the four-stanza poem that became “The Star-Spangled Banner,” though the song did not become the national anthem until 1931.

Lyricist Dorothy Fields was born on July 15, 1904, in Allenhurst, New Jersey. She wrote more than 400 songs for Broadway and film, including “The Way You Look Tonight” and “On the Sunny Side of the Street.”

On August 17, 1923, the US Post Office issued its fifth Airmail stamp, #C5. Picturing the Air Service emblem, it was also the first US…

On August 17, 1859, the first airmail in the United States was carried by balloon in Indiana, from Lafayette to Crawfordsville. Of the 123 letters sent by balloon mail, only about 23 are known to still exist.

On August 17, 1861, the first of several Civil War-era stamps was used for the first time. New stamps were prepared to prevent the South from profiting off the sale of US stamps.

At the behest of his critics, Robert Fulton launched his steamboat from New York harbor on August 17, 1807.  While many had their doubts, Fulton proved the commercial viability of steamboats, which would rule American waterways for the next half-century.