Statehood
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
On December 11, 1789, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill was established. It’s the oldest public university in the United States in terms of beginning instruction as a public school.
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve
On December 2, 1980, President Jimmy Carter established Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve in Alaska. Today the park is part of one of the world’s largest international protected areas.
Carolina and Charleston
On October 30, 1629, the Carolina Province was named, and plans were made for early settlement. That settlement would be delayed for many years, but the name was retained.
Largest Land Run in Oklahoma
On September 16, 1893, some 100,000 people raced to claim 6 million acres of land in former Indian Territory in Oklahoma. It was the largest land run into Oklahoma and resulted in the establishment of 40,000 homesteads.
Connecticut’s Charter Oak
On August 21, 1856, Connecticut’s famed Charter Oak Tree was struck down in a thunderstorm. The tree had become a legend in the state’s history, reportedly hiding the colonial charter two centuries earlier.
First Kentucky Settlement
On June 16, 1774, James Harrod led 31 men in the founding of the first permanent settlement in Kentucky. Over time the settlement was named Fort Harrod, Harrodstown, and finally Harrodsburg, in his honor.
Kansas-Nebraska Act
On May 30, 1854, President Franklin Pierce signed the Kansas-Nebraska Act into law. The act had been created to settle tensions over slavery and open new lands for development, but instead only proved to create more division and move America closer to Civil War.
Connecticut Becomes Fifth State
On January 9, 1788, Connecticut ratified the US Constitution, making it the fifth state to join the young United States.
Battle of Ambos Nogales
On August 27, 1918, US and Mexican forces engaged in the Battle of Ambos Nogales, amid the tensions of the Mexican Revolution, World War I, and the Border War.