American History

George Smith Patton Jr. was born on November 11, 1885, in San Gabriel, California. Nicknamed, “Old Blood and Guts,” he led US troops to several important WWII victories.

On November 8, 1837, Mary Lyons opened Mount Holyoke Female Seminary. One of the oldest female colleges in America, it inspired countless universities around the world to follow its model.

On November 7, 1811, future president William Henry Harrison clashed with Tecumseh’s warriors at the Battle of Tippecanoe, a precursor to the War of 1812. Harrison claimed victory and became known as “Old Tippecanoe.”

On November 6, 1869, Rutgers College and the College of New Jersey (later named Princeton) played the first game of intercollegiate football in America.

Ida Minerva Tarbell was born on November 5, 1857 in Erie County, Pennsylvania. She was a pioneer of investigative journalism, with one of her books ranked the fifth most important work of 20th century American journalism.

Though the District of Columbia has served as our nation’s capital since 1791, its residents didn’t get to vote in their first presidential election until November 3, 1964.

John Adams was born in Braintree (now Quincy), Massachusetts, on October 30, 1735. Adams was America’s first vice president and second president.

Jonas Edward Salk was born on October 28, 1914, in New York, New York. He developed the first effective polio vaccine, helping to save lives around the world.

On October 26, 1825, the Erie Canal opened, offering a quicker shipping route through New York’s waterways. The canal opened the West to settlement and New York City became the largest port city in the United States.