French Intervention in Mexico: The Battle of Puebla and the Origin of Cinco de Mayo
The Battle of Puebla was fought May 5, 1862 and occurred during the French intervention in Mexico. Landing a small army in Mexico in early …
Fight for Freedom
John Brown Raided the Federal Arsenal at Harper’s Ferry to Obtain Arms for a Slave Insurrection
Just after sundown on the evening of Sunday October 16, 1859 John Brown led a group of 21 men (16 white and 5 black) across …
Frederick Douglass delivered a “West India Emancipation” speech: “The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress.”
On August 3, 1857, Frederick Douglass delivered a “West India Emancipation” speech at Canandaigua, New York, on the twenty-third anniversary of the event. Most of …
Abolitionist Frederick Douglass Gives Iconic “The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro” Speech
Frederick Douglass (1818-95) was a prominent American abolitionist, author and orator. Born a slave, Douglass escaped at age 20 and went on to become a …
First Major Revolt in the Austrian Revolution for Independence: University Students Demand a Constitution Guaranteeing their Rights
Emperor Ferdinand and his chief advisor Metternich directed troops to crush the demonstration. Peaceful student demonstrators were shot and killed causing the working class to join …
The Battle of Gonzales Begins the Texas Battle for Independence: “Come and Take It”
On October 2, 1835, the growing tensions between Mexico and Texas erupt into violence when Mexican soldiers attempt to disarm the people of Gonzales, sparking …
Francis Scott Key Penned the Poem, the ‘Star Spangled Banner’, Later to Become the National Anthem
Francis Scott Key penned the words to the US National Anthem after watching the bombardment for 25 hours and seeing “Bombs bursting in air, missiles, …
William Wilberforce gives His Passionate “Abolition Speech” to the House of Commons to Convince them that Slavery Must be Abolished
William Wilberforce was a member of the British Parliament who converted to Christianity and later became an abolitionist. As a Christian, he sought to reform …
Francis Marion Rescues 200 American Prisoners from British Capture; None Will Join Him in Fighting for Freedom
Francis Marion, the inspiration for Benjamin Martin’s character in the movie The Patriot, was much more than a knife-between-the-teeth warrior; he’s a man who had …
John Paul Jones Refuses to Surrender to the British on his Sinking Ship: “I have not yet begun to fight!”
There are many different versions of the phrasing of what Continental Navy Captain John Paul Jones yelled at Royal Navy Captain Richard Pearson during the …