Interesting Facts About The U.S. History

The United States of America is one of the powerful nations today on the face of Earth. The discovery of this land by Christopher Columbus led to its colonization by the British Empire. However, some centuries later, the thirteen colonies united to form a state of their own. Thus, the United States of America was born on July 4th, 1776. American colonies were the first to break through the chains of British colonization. The United States is only two and a half centuries old, but it has only grown to become one of the superpowers as well as the economic powerhouse of the world.

However, there are some interesting facts that we do not come across during our learning courses and schools. Knowing these facts, however, is a bit thrilling. Here are some knowledge-worthy facts.

  • 26 COPIES OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

In reality, there was not one copy of the document that stated the freedom of the state, but over 200. John Dunlap produced these many copies. Over time, most of them have been lost while 26 still survive to this day. Three of them are privately owned, while others are safely stored and kept all over the country. The purpose of these copies was to spread the word as quickly as possible.

  • 17-YEAR-OLD DESIGNED THE CURRENT US FLAG

As surprising as it may sound, a 17-year-old student in 1959 designed the current flag of the U.S as a part of his school assignment. For that, Robert Heft received a B- from the teacher, but when he sent it to his Ohio Congressman, it was much admired. So, that flag was later chosen as the national flag of the country. At last, the teacher went on to upgrade his grade to an A.

  • THE BOY’S WAR

It is a dreadful time when men of all ages rush to the battlefield and fight till their last drop of blood. It was precisely what happened during the civil war of America in the 19th century. The youngest soldier was a nine-year-old from Mississippi, while the oldest was a man from Iowa.  Over 10,000 18-year-old men served in the Union Army. The civil war is also called The Boy’s War.

  • MODERN DISPLAY OF CONFEDERATE BATTLE FLAG

The Confederate battle flags were vividly used during the American civil war; nevertheless, they are still in use to date. Today, you can easily find the tag of the confederate flag for sale anywhere across the country. After the civil war, these flags were first put to use again during 1950s and 1960s in response to the civil rights movements.

  • THE ORIGINAL CAPITAL

Washington, DC, was not always the capital of the U.S. After the independence of the U.S., Philadelphia was chosen as a temporary capital, according to the Residence Act of 1790. While DC was being constructed, Philly remained the capital for almost ten years. On November 7th, 1800, Congress held its first session in the newly built capital.

  • THE STATUE OF LIBERTY IS IN NYC?

Many people still consider the glorious statue that represents freedom to be a part of The New York State. However, it is not. According to the map and geography, the statue lies in the territorial waters of the state of New Jersey. The statue was a gift from France to the people of the U.S. in 1886; it was placed on the Island of Liberty.

  • THE FIRST DOLLAR BILL

The dollar bills did not always have George Washington’s portrait on them. They were first issued during the Civil War in 1862. The $1 bill had the picture of Salmon P. Chase, the Secretary of the Treasury under President Abraham Lincoln. He was also in charge of the banknotes then. It was not until 1869 that the notes were redesigned with the picture of George Washington.

  • PENNSYLVANIA MISSPELLED

It is quite surprising how such an important relic such as the Liberty Bell misspell the of the state. Well, it was not wrong back then. According to those days, the correct way to spell Pennsylvania was the two Ns instead of three “Pensylvaniaā€¯. If you look closer, the Liberty Bell has the spelling with two Ns engraved on it. There were many variations regarding the spelling of the state: “Pensylvaniaā€¯, “Pennsylvania” and “Pensilvania”.  Various historical documents prove that.

  • LINCOLN, A WRESTLING CHAMPION

President Lincoln was not just intelligent; it turns out he was equally skilled when it came to his physical abilities. He was considered an elite player in New Salem, Illinois. Out of all his 300 matches, he only lost once. This earned him a place in the Wrestling Hall of Fame.

  • A FUTURE PRESIDENT WATCHED THE BUNKER HILL BATTLE

President John Quincy Adams, the sixth president of the United States, was no more than seven when he witnessed the battle. He, along with his mother and some other citizens of Boston, stood ten miles away from the Bunker Hill and watched the soldiers fight on the night of June 16th, 1775. He recalled his mother shedding tears as the first cannon shot was fired.

  • THE HUGE CRACK IN THE LIBERTY BELL

The bell was brought to the States on the demand of the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly in 1751. After the Declaration of Independence in 1776, the bell rang for the first time on June 8th. Although it is often debated when the bell cracked. Some believe that the first crack appeared when a Revolutionary War hero visited in 1824. Some say that it cracked during the funeral of Chief Justice John Marshall in 1833. However, most people believe that the real damage occurred when the bell rang on the birthday of George Washington in 1846. It was beyond repair by then; it was also the last time the bell ever rang.

  • FOURTH OF JULY AND THE DEMISE OF THREE PRESIDENTS

Fourth of July is the day Americans celebrate their independence. However, their three heroes passed away on the same date in different years. Three of the first five presidents of the U.S. died on July 4th – John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe.

  • THE FIRST EUROPEAN LANGUAGE ON THE LAND OF AMERICA

English was not the first European language spoken in the American sub-continent. It was Spanish. With the arrival of Spanish explorers in Florida, their language came as well. By the year 1565, Florida was found. The Spanish went away, but they left the Hispanic heritage behind. To this day, there are more Spanish speakers in the U.S. than any other European language speakers combined.

THE FINAL WORD

A nation as glorious as America represents more than just power. It has a history, heritage, and struggle. But not everyone keenly looks for these little facts. However, a true patriot would crave the history of his beloved nation.

America has seen the Revolutionary war- the very essence of its existence. It as seen two of the world’s most significant battles, civil war, and the economic crisis like the Great Depression. Still, it has managed to pull through and stand firm.

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