She came from a background that wouldn’t have implied greatness. She was very persistent and maybe that was the first clue as to how she would be in her life. Clara Barton was the type of person who just did … Continued
His name conjures up images of interest and entertainment and the wonder of … is it all real. He was born July 5, 1810 in Connecticut to a middle class family and started out owning a grocery store. He decided … Continued
He was born and raised in the North and was a young man (11) when the Revolutionary War started. From his earliest years, he had an intuitive sense of designing and building. Traveling to the South, he encountered the issue … Continued
He was born on the 50th anniversary of America. He came from a family who lived in the North and had strong feelings regarding the issue of slavery. He did not have the opportunity of formal musical training, but became … Continued
The American Moses. She was born in poverty and slavery. She never had the benefit of a formal education. She had what we call street smarts. She inspired many slaves that freedom not only was better, but it was an … Continued
In a valley in northern California on January 24, 1847, a man named James Marshall discovered flakes of gold in a creek at a place called Sutter’s Mill. That discovery set off a worldwide explosion of interest. Men and women … Continued
As we started this century, some very distinctive American voices began to take shape. Emerson, Thoreau, Fuller and other Transcendentalists let it be known that this country had a voice and a purpose. Lincoln and Twain later added a point … Continued
In the spring of 1850, three of the most prominent men of the time united one last time to help hold the country together. Daniel Webster, John C. Calhoun and Henry Clay had spent their adult lives in the legislative … Continued
As a country, we have dealt with immigration issues for all of our history. This is the story of the Irish immigration. The potato blight of the 1840s drove thousands here. Who were they? What have they become? Come and … Continued
The truly American voice. He was born in obscurity, but proud of his connection to Halley’s Comet. His ultimate goal was to become a river boat captain on the Mississippi River, but the Civil War changed all that. He served … Continued