On This Day: December 1st - Rosa Parks Refused to Give Up Her Seat

On this date in the year 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white man on a city bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Her actions sparked a struggle to desegregate public transportation in the South. The desegregation within public transportation was a civil right's obstacle that helped lead to the larger Civil Rights movement in America. Much of America was segregated at the time of Rosa Parks. In Montgomery, Alabama, Jim Crow Laws regulated interstate commerce. On city buses, the first four rows of seats were reserved for white people. Blacks usually sat in the rear of the bus. Ironically, most of the people who rode the city buses were black. Blacks had to adjust to the white sections, sometimes forced to leave the bus if there was no more room for white passengers.

It was apparent that something had to be done in order to stop the unfair treatment of blacks on city buses. On December 1st, 1955, Rosa Parks got on a Montgomery city bus and would change history. She went to a seat in the back reserved for blacks and sat down. She sat behind the seats that were reserved for whites. Soon, the seats reserved for whites became full. As the bus arrived at a stop in front of the Empire Theater, the bus driver asked Rosa Parks and three other black passengers to move in order to allow whites to sit in their seats. Three of them moved but Rosa Parks politely refused to move. The bus driver called the police who arrived and arrested her. Rosa Parks is a significant person in the history of the Civil Rights movement. Her polite form of activism caught the attention of the nation and helped progress action towards desegregation.

On This Day: December 16th - The Boston Tea Party

On this date in the year 1773, the Boston Tea Party occurred. It came about from rising tensions between the American Colonies and Britain. As the colonies became more independent, Britain struggled to maintain power as the "mother" country to America. They attempted to retain power through taxation and by giving the colonies little power and representation. Colonial farmers and merchants became increasingly frustrated with the taxes. Britain controlled the colonies through "Acts of Trade" which limited trade within the colonies. Trade became more independent in the colonies as people realized oversight was minimal. Britain was all the way across the ocean.

As the colonies created more export items, Britain continued excepting them which angered many colonists. In 1764, Britain created the Sugar Act which taxed sugar products and acted as a form of income to Britain. In 1765, the Stamp Act was created and required a tax on stamped items. James Otis stated "Taxation without representation is tyranny". Citizens of Boston revolted by burning stamps and the Stamp Act was repealed. Trying to cling to control through taxation, Britain created another tax on glass, paper, paints and tea. This tax failed as merchants refused to accept it. Britain only retained the tax on tea after that. In 1773, three ships arrived at Boston Harbor carrying tea. Colonists did not allow the tea to be unloaded. If the shipments were not unloaded within 20 days, customs officers had the right to unload them according to Britain rule. The 19th day arrived and several rebel patriots began dumping the tea into Boston Harbor. They had a "Tea Party" as many put it. This act was important in American History and was an event that helped lead to the Revolutionary War.

On This Day: January 11th - Cigarettes Are Found To Be A Health Hazard

On this date in the year 1964, a federal government panel reported that cigarettes were a major health hazard and called for corrective action against cigarette usage. The panel reported that smoking cigarettes is a major cause of disease, especially lung cancer. Overall, they reported that cigarettes have the potential to cause an earlier death. It was a widespread belief that cigarette filters could reduce these health risks but the panel also reported that this was not the case. The panel consisted of 10 scientists who worked on the study for over 14 months. Soon after the Public Health Service investigated the report and jumped on board with the findings. Because the report found so many links between smoking cigarettes and diseases/health problems, drastic changes would later occur in the cigarette industry. Up to this point, many people thought that the habit of smoking was not seriously detrimental to their health. After this report came out a significant drop occurred in the number of smokers.

Changes in the medical field also happened. Doctors began warning their patients of the dangers caused by smoking cigarettes. Surprisingly a year before this report came out, the Agricultural Department found a record number of people smoked cigarettes in 1963. The number was somewhere around 522 billion cigarettes were smoked by Americans. Large tobacco producing companies were allowed to react to the report's findings on television. Several of the tobacco companies argued that there was no medical proof that could prove smoking as a health hazard. According to the tobacco Institute, cigarette consumption was rising quickly each year. In the year 1955, cigarette consumption in America was slightly below 400 billion while in 1965, it was somewhere around 522.9 billion. Needless to say, the findings would affect billions of people around the world. Luther Leonidas Terry was the Surgeon general who would report the warning that tobacco is a health hazard.

On This Day: January 6th - United States President Theodore Roosevelt Died

On this date in the year 1919, ex-president of the United States of America Theodore Roosevelt died in Oyster Bay, New York. His wife, Mrs. Roosevelt told his secretary that he had passed away inside their home around 4:00 in the morning on January 6th. Is believed that Roosevelt died from May condition called Pulmonar Imbolium which involves enlarging of the lungs caused by a blood clot. Doctors diagnosed Roosevelt's condition prior as a form of sciatica rheumatism and later diagnosed his condition as inflammatory rheumatism. Theodore Roosevelt was the 26th president the United States and took office after President McKinley was assassinated. He was very young to become president at the age of 42.

He was born on October 27, 1858 and was raised in New York to a very wealthy family. As president, he accomplished many things and even one of the Noble peace Prize in the year 1906. He was a Republican who was a staunch supporter of Abraham Lincoln and the Union during the American Civil War. He was known for his passion to travel. He frequented in countries such as Africa and Europe. Later in his life he went on a famous safari in Africa. He was known by his friends and family as someone who had a deep knowledge of the world and a passion for being outdoors. It is said that Roosevelt portrayed himself as a masculine cowboy type figure. The " teddy bear" was named after Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt.

On This Day: January 5th - Baseball Legend Jackie Robinson Retires

On this date in the year 1957, baseball legend Jackie Robinson retires from the sport. He found immense stardom and popularity during his career while playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers. He was the first African-American to play for a major league ball club in America. He was 38 years old when he retired from the sport he loved. He felt that he was getting too old to play baseball and that he would no longer be helpful to any major league ball club.

At 38 years old, one major obstacle he had was staying in shape to keep up with the younger guys in the league like Willie Mays. He believed that he needed to lose at least 20 lbs before he would be back in shape to be of good use to a baseball team. When Robinson retired, he left a large imprint on America's pastime. Playing as the first African American in major-league baseball, he helped end 60 years of racial segregation in the sport. He won the World Series with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1955 propaganda for beating the New York Yankees. After he won the World Series with the Brooklyn Dodgers, he was traded to the New York Giants in the year 1956. Soon after he retired in 1957 with plans to become an executive of a company called Chock full o'Nuts. He played his final game on October 10th, 1956. He was born on January 31, 1919 in Cairo, Georgia and he passed away on October 24th of 1972.

On This Date: January 3rd - Jack Ruby Dies of Cancer

On this date in the year 1967, Jack Ruby died of cancer. Jack Ruby was the murder of Harvey Lee Oswald, the man who was accused of assassinating U.S. President John F. Kennedy. Jack Ruby died in the parkland Hospital located in Dallas Texas. While being jailed, Ruby complained about being sick and he was treated for cold symptoms. Soon his condition became worse and he was transported to the hospital. After first being diagnosed with severe pneumonia, doctors found cancer in his lymph glands. It is believed that ruby's motive for killing the Lee Harvey Oswald was anger towards him for killing the president of America and smiling while walking out of jail.

Rumors about a connection between Lee Harvey Oswald and Jack Ruby have surfaced but Ruby denied knowing him personally. Ruby was a hot tempered man who owned a strip club named the "Carousel Club" in Dallas Texas. He was known by his friends and family as a very patriotic and passionate man which most likely lead him to murder Lee Harvey Oswald. As Oswald was being transported from the jail in which he was staying as the accused assassin, Ruby fired at him, killing him with a fatal shot on November 24th, 1963. Owswald was rushed to the hospital where he was died in a short time. Ruby died of cancer three years after killing Oswald. Both John F. Kennedy and Lee Harvey Oswald died in the same hospital that Ruby would also die in.

On This Day: December 2nd - Richard Nixon Signed a Bill Requiring a 55 m.p.h. Speed Limit

On this day in the year 1972, U.S. President Richard M. Nixon signed a bill that required every U.S. state to reduce the speed limit maximum to 55 m.p.h in their jurisdiction. The bill came about from the federal government needing to spend the federal highway money or risk the chance of losing it. The country was also going through an energy crisis in which there were potential risks for fuel shortages. Richard Nixon encourage a the American people that a reduction in the speed limit would reduce the amount of fuel needed to run motor vehicles.

The bill required that all states create a maximum speed limit of 55 m.p.h. or they would not receive funds from the federal government for their highways. Each state had 60 days to lower the speed limit before it would lose their money. The bill indicated that the speed limit requirement would only remain effective until June 30th, 1975. The president had the option of moving the state to an earlier time contingent upon fuel shortages in the United States. With this bill, Richard Nixon also signed a railroad bill that allowed the merging of several prominent railroads. This action was meant to revamp the railroad freight System in the United States and to save money on fuel. Speed limit signs all over the country had to be changed from 60, 65, 70, and 75 m.p.h. to 55.

On This Day: November 26th - Tutankhamun's Tomb was Entered By Howard Carter

On this date in history in the year 1922, an English archaeologist named Howard Carter successfully penetrated the tomb of the 18th century Egyptian Pharoah Tutankhamun. Howard Carter was born on May 9th, 1874 and formed an interest in studying Egyptian history and archaeology. Later in his life, Carter befriended George Edward Stanhope Molyneux Herbert, a wealthy English aristocrat interested in excavations as well. He was the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, a small town in Whales. His curiosity led him to finance Carter in his search for Tutankhamun's tomb in Egypt's Valley of the Kings. Having trouble finding anything worth noting, Lord Carnarvon became impatient with Howard Carter’s work. Believing that Carter may still find something, he continued to finance him. After searching for several years, Carter finally found the entrance to Tutankhamun’s tomb in November of 1922. In February of 1923, Carter found the entryway into Tutankhamun’s burial chamber where his mummified body laid. This event is historically important because little was known about Tutankhamun prior to the excavation of his tomb. The contents of his tomb gave the world new insight into what the ancient King was like. The excavation of his tomb is considered one of the most important historical finds in the 20th century. Howard Carter died on March 2nd, 1939 and George Edward Stanhope Molyneux Herbert died on April 5th, 1923. Speculations about King Tutankhamun’s death have been controversial because of the young age in which he died. Some believe he was murdered while other historians believed he died in another way.

On This Day: November 23rd - The Battle Of Chattanooga

On this day in 1863, of the American Civil War Battle of Chattanooga started. This battle lasted for three days and dramatically changed the direction of the war. The Union managed to push the Confederate soldiers out of Chattanooga and into the state of Georgia. In September of that year, Union forces were defeated in Chickamauga. After this defeat, Union forces took over the railhead center located in Chattanooga. Confederate soldiers trapped them by surrounding area, leaving little room for them to get away. The Confederate troops later attacked Chattanooga and created a blockade against the Union forces. At this point, the odds were against the Union troops who were headed by General William S. Rosecrans. He who would soon be replaced by Major General George Thomas. The troops received help from Union General Joseph hooker who brought with him 20,000 soldiers. As tensions were rising between the Union and the Confederacy, Union General Sherman arrived in Chattanooga with 17,000 more Union forces to help combat the enemy. On November 23rd, the Union troops charged Orchard Knob and took control of the area which was being controlled by Confederate soldiers prior to the time. For the next two days, Union forces would battle Confederate forces in Chattanooga. At the end of the battle, Union troops successfully drove the Confederate soldiers out of Chattanooga. The Battle of Chattanooga victory helped Union General Ulysses S. Grant remove several thousand Confederate soldiers out of Union territory. It also boosted the morale of Union forces and gave them confidence for future battles.

On This Day: November 18th - Terry Waite Is Released From Shiite Muslim Kidnappers

On this date in history in the year 1991, Terry Waite was released from captivity after being held for several years by Shiite Muslim radicals. He was released after the United Nations negotiated with the kidnappers attempting to resolve the 10 year Lebanon hostage crisis. Terry Waite was captured by the Shiite Muslims after he helped free several missionaries being detained in Iran, hostages being held in Libya and Americans in Lebanon. Terry Waite was held for four years before he was released by the Shiite Muslims. After being freed he told many of the terrible things he underwent while being held captive. He was beat while wearing a blindfold and also tricked into thinking he was being executed. After being released, one of the Shiite kidnappers admitted to him that he was sorry for kidnapping him. And An American teacher named Thomas M. Sutherland was also released by the kidnappers. Close to a hundred hostages were held during this time. Several of them were killed or died while being held in captivity. It is believed that the reason many hostages were kidnapped was that they could be used as a form of insurance against potential incoming forces by the United States, Syria and other nations against the group Hezbollah who was thought responsible for the deaths of 230 Americans in Beirut. Only a few hostages were rescued from captivity. Terry Waite and Thomas M. Sutherland were two of the hostages lucky enough to escape.

On This Day: November 1st - The Sistine Chapel Can Be Viewed By The Public

On this day in 1512, the Sistine Chapel opened to the public. The ceiling of the chapel was painted by Italian artist Michelangelo. The frescoes upon the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel took many years from Michelangelo to finish. By the time he completed the frescoes, he ruined his back and posture from laying down looking up at the ceiling as he was painting. Historians claim that Michelangelo did not want to be involved in the project but later became it passionately obsessed with it. Of the frescoes compiled on the ceiling, there are nine sections that represent Biblical history. The section's represent a linear timeline that the leads to the Last Judgment of the Bible. Several other painters also contributed to the paintings that decorate the Sistine Chapel including the famous painter Raphael.Michelangelo was born on March 6th 1476 in a small town named Caprese near Tuscany, Italy. The famous painter died in the year 1564 at 88 years old. He is considered one of the best painters in and Renaissance history. His artwork included sculptures, paintings and architecture . He apprenticed under the artist Lorenzo de' Medici who ruled the Florentine republic. The Sistine Chapel ceiling frescoes are one of his greatest accomplishments and most famous works of art . Other famous works by him include the sculpture of David in 1504 and the Pieta in 1498. On this day in 1512, the public was allowed to view the ceiling for the first time in history. Many people would understand a great effort Michelangelo put into his work of art.

On This Day: November 2nd - Howard Hughes Flies The Largest Aircraft Ever Built

On this day in 1947, Howard Hughes manages to fly the biggest airplane ever built in the history of aviation. Howard Hughes manufactured a large airplane out of wood. This is how the airplane got the nickname "Spruce Goose" with Howard Hughes hated. The large aircraft was built because Howard Hughes was commissioned to build her in aircraft and that could carry U boats during World War II. Howard Hughes was forced to build into the large airplane out of wood because of a shortage of steel. And airplane cost about $23 million and the construction of the plane had and even finished by the time the war came to an end. The United States Congress was angered at Hughes for spending so much money on this large aircraft and wanted Howard Hughes to prove that it could actually fly. and during a series of press conferences held against Howard Hughes by a congressmen Howard Hughes threatened to leave the country if the plane did not fly. On November 2nd, 1947 Howard Hughes brought the plane to Long Beach Harbor in California. There he managed to fly the airplane for several minutes before landing it. During his lifetime, Howard Hughes made many great achievements in the field of aviation. Flying the Spruce goose was one of his greatest accomplishments. As he aged, the eccentric billionaire went into read clues because of obsessive compulsive disorder. Today the Spruce goose sits in a museum in McMinnville, Oregon.

On This Day: November 22nd - John Fitzgerald Kennedy Was Assassinated

On this day in the year 1963, John F. Kennedy was assassinated by a gunshot in Dallas TX. The the 35th president of the United States of America was shot in the head while sitting in the back of a convertible that was driving through the city. His wife Jacqueline Kennedy was sitting next to him when he with shot. The assassin was identified as Lee Harvey Oswald and he shot the president while stationed inside a building. Lee Harvey Oswald was an ex-Marine and strongly disagreed with John F. Kennedy's people want as a radical right wing conservative. John F. Kennedy was 46 years old when he was assassinated on this day. Soon after his vice-president Lyndon Johnson was sworn in as the next president of United States. As Lee Harvey Oswald was being transferred to another prison demand and named Jack Ruby shot and killed him. Many conspiracies formed after the Kennedy assassination but the official Warren Commission report of 1964 found that no conspiracy was evident. Theories about a conspiracy behind the assassination were still prevalent even after this report. John F. Kennedy was born on May 29th, 1917 in Brookline, Massachusetts. He attended the London School of Economics, Princeton University, Harvard College and Stanford Graduate School of Business. He was a Roman Catholic and served in the military from 1941 to 1945. As president of the United States he dealt with many issues including civil rights, communism, immigration, Cuba and Vietnam.

On This Day: November 19th - Abraham Lincoln Gives The Gettysburg Address

On this day in 1863, Abraham Lincoln delivered the famous Gettysburg Address at a cemetery in the city of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The address occurred during the American Civil War which was fought between the Confederacy and the Union of America. Abraham Lincoln gave the famous speech in order to reinforce why the Union had to keep fighting against the against the Confederacy. Abraham Lincoln gave the speech in the city of Gettysburg because a few months earlier, one of the largest and one of the deadliest Civil War battles had occurred there. The battle at Gettysburg lasted for three days and over 45,000 soldiers were killed or injured during the deadly battle. The Union beat woe Confederacy in the Gettysburg battle and severely weakened General Robert E. Lee's power. Pennsylvania's governor appointed an attorney named David Wills to buy several acres of pasture in order to create a cemetery for Union soldiers that had died during the Battle of Gettysburg . Abraham Lincoln was asked to say a few words at the ceremony the for the cemetery and his Gettysburg Address would become a famous speech in American history . Abraham Lincoln's speech that day was short and powerful at the same time. Many people did not know how to take the speech after Abraham Lincoln gave it on this day. Many people felt the speech was too short and others just didn't like Abraham Lincoln. However, many historians argue that the Gettysburg Address did help the Union ultimately win the Civil War. The speech would be historically important after the Civil War came to an end.

On this day: November 17th - The Age of Queen Elizabeth Begins

Elizabeth, the half-sister of Queen Mary I takes over as the monarch of the England and Ireland after she dies. They were both the daughters of Henry VIII . The two half sisters had a history of conflict because Mary was a staunch Catholic and Elizabeth was a Protestant. Queen Mary enacted much legislation that reflected her Catholic beliefs. At one point in time Queen Mary placed Elizabeth in prison for being Protestant. Once Elizabeth became queen she spent much of her time reversing Catholic legislation that was put in place by Queen Mary. Many of her reforms were inspired by Calvinism and Protestantism. The Pope did not recognize her as the queen because of her strong Protestantism. Spain also was troubled by her religious views. This created a strong rivalry between England and Spain. Queen Elizabeth sent many men on voyages to discover new land. During her time as Queen, she made in the land into a major world power force. Many historians credit to Queen Elizabeth as being a hot tempered and indecisive leader had many times during her rulership . During the later times of her leadership , many people began to dislike her . She did manage to sustained England and Ireland better than other countries surrounding them. She served 44 years as the queen of all Ireland and England before she passed away. She died in the year 1603 and was later buried in Westminster Abbey. She left behind her a great legacy and a strong monarch that she helped to form.

On This Day: September 22nd - Abraham Lincoln Issues the Emancipation Proclamation

Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on September 22nd 1862 which granted freedom to over three million black slaves in the United State of America. The Emancipation Proclamation also shifted the focus of the Civil War to slavery. Lincoln intended the war be about restoring the Union and really focus that much on the issue of slavery when the War began in 1861. Lincoln eased his way into the Emancipation Proclamation because of the overwhelming controversy over the issue. He wanted to make sure the Emancipation Proclamation could actually work in the United States before issuing it. The Proclamation exempted the border states where slave holding was practiced but still sustain loyalty towards the Union. Lincoln found the perfect time to announce the Emancipation Proclamation directly after the Union's major victor over the Confederacy at the Battle of Antietam.

On this day, Lincoln made the announcement that slaves who found themselves in areas of conflict and rebellion would be free in 100 days from September 22nd. It wasn't until January 1st of 1863 when Lincoln declared that all slaves. Lincoln used the Emancipation Proclamation to recruit former black slaves into the Union army by calling them into Union forces. Approximately180,000 African American served on the Union Army. The Emancipation Proclamation which was a presidential order from Lincoln eventually lead to the 13th amendment which banned slavery in the United States. This day was important historically for the United States because it was the conclusion to a long struggle to overcome social norms and practices of slavery in the United States. Although blacks were free from the chains of slavery after the Emancipation Proclamation, blacks would soon have to fight for their civil rights for years to come.

"Lincoln issues Emancipation Proclamation." 2008. The History Channel website. 15 Sep 2008, 04:05 http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?action=Article&id=52865.

On This Day: September 21st - Benedict Arnold Becomes a Traitor

You've might have seen something called a "Benedict Arnold" on a breakfast menu or heard someone call a person a "Benedict Arnold" but what exactly does that mean? Who the heck is this Benedict Arnold guy? Well on this day in 1780 while the American Revolution was raging on, an American General by the name of Benedict Arnold struck a deal with a British Major by the name of John Andre. Benedict Arnold agreed to give the British Army the fort he was in command of at West Point up in war in exchange for a large amount money. On this day, Benedict Arnold managed to become one of the worst traitors in American history.

Unfortunately for Mr. Arnold, his plan eventually surfaced and he was discovered to be a great traitor. You would think such act would mean that Arnold had ties to the British but not really. He was born and raised in Norwich, Connecticut. He fought for the thirteen colonies of America in both the French and Indian war. During the Revolutionary between the thirteen colonies and Great Britain, he joined the Continental Army for America. He was considered a war hero and great patriot by many. So why would did he turn his back on America? Because he couldn't resist the money apparently. He eventually moved to London where he spent the rest of his life. Why do you think this event is historically important to America and the patriotism of America? How did this shape the American view of being a traitor?

"Benedict Arnold commits treason." 2008. The History Channel website. 15 Sep 2008, 04:11 http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?action=Article&id=52864.

On This Day: September 19th - The First Underground Nuclear Explosion

The very first underground nuclear explosion took place on this day in 1957. The test explosion was conducted by the United States government during a series of nuclear weapons tests and trials in the 1950s named Operation Plumbbob. This test in particular was named Rainier and was held at the Nevada Test Site near the city of Las Vegas, Nevada. The contained explosion left no radioactive fallout and was deemed a successful test. The race for Nuclear weapon dominance began in 1941 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt allotted two billion dollars in funding for a top secret nuclear weapons research project named Project Manhattan during World War II. These controversial tests would help the United States prepare for usage of nuclear weapons in wartime.

The first time an atomic nuclear bomb was used in warfare was in 1945 when the United States bombed the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan on August 6th and August 9th, 1945 during World War II. The bombings were an answer to the Pearl Harbor attacks on December 7, 1941 when the Empire of Japan attacked a U.S. naval base on the island of O'ahu, Hawaii. The United States government was the first to test, manufacture and use nuclear weapons. Since World War II, many world countries have developed nuclear weapons or have implemented a nuclear weapon development program. Why do you think the first underground nuclear explosion is historically relevant? See a test from the Nevada Test Site.

"Nevada is site of first-ever underground nuclear explosion ." 2008. The History Channel website. 13 Sep 2008, 05:21 http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?action=Article&id=60048.

On This Day: September 15th - Muhammad Ali vs. Leon Spinks

Heavyweight Boxer Muhammad Ali wins the heavyweight Boxing Title on this day 1978 in New Orleans by beating Leon Spinks. A full house at the Louisiana Superdome watched as Ali won his third Heavyweight Boxing Title of his career. Ali beat Spinks in a 15 round decision in one of the most famous and most watched Boxing matches in history. Ali whom was the underdog in the fight was forced to push himself to the limit in order to beat the much younger and healthier Leon Spinks. Earlier in the year, Spinks had beat Ali in Las Vegas which made their rivalry even stronger. It wouldn't be the first time Ali won a Title as an underdog. He beat boxer Sonny Liston in six rounds for his first heavyweight title and was projected to lose that match as well.

Muhammad Ali was born with name Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. but changed his name to Muhammad Ali after converting to the Islam religion. Ali gained stardom and popularity after he won a gold medal at the 1960 Olympic games held in Rome. Later in his career he would prove himself to be one of the best boxer in the world. After winning his third Heavyweight Title by beating Leon Spinks, Ali retired for a couple of years before making a short come back. In 1981, Muhammad Ali retired from the sport of Boxing for good. Ali tokened the famous line "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee". His career was a successful, controversial and historical one.

"Ali defeats Spinks to win world heavyweight championship." 2008. The History Channel website. 15 Sep 2008, 04:04 http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?action=Article&id=60046.

On This Day: September 14th - Mckinley Assasinated By Gunshot

On September 14th, 1901 United States President William McKinley died of an infection caused by a gunshot wounded inflicted on him by a crazed man named Leon Frank Czolgosz. McKinley was attending the Pan-American Exposition in New York City when he was shot. McKinley was elected to the Congress when he was 34 years old and served 14 years in the House. After spending 14 years in the House of Representatives, McKinley became the Governor of Ohio where he quickly became a popular Republican because of his support of big business. He gained support from industrialists such as Mark Hanna. With the support of these industrialists financially and his growing popularity among Republicans, McKinley earned himself the Republican nomination for president of the United States.

In 1896, McKinley beat Democrat William Jennings Bryan in a landslide victory. He became the 25th president of the United States. For his support of big business and tariffs, Mckinley also became very unpopular among many individuals and groups. One of these men named Leon Frank Czolgosz. Czolgosz had the view that many wealthy people became wealthy by exploiting the poor people in society and the their was injustice in America. He took his this frustration out on the person whom he thought propelled this ideology, McKinley. He would eventually assassinate McKinley which would result in his death. McKinley was the third president to be assassinated since Abraham Lincoln in 1865 and James Garfield in 1881. Why do you think this event is historically relevant?

"McKinley dies of infection from gunshot wounds." 2008. The History Channel website. 15 Sep 2008, 04:10 http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?action=Article&id=52855.