Little Know Facts in U. S. History

1. The first woman President? Edith Wilson, the wife of Woodrow Wilson, served as acting President for 1 1/2 years. When her husband suffered a stroke, and because the Constitution had not yet been amended to appoint the Vice-President in his place, Mrs. Wilson handled the Presidential affairs aptly, filling vacancies and administering foreign policy. Some called it the " Petticoat Government.'' but this was meant as slur.

2. The Boston tea party did not happen because the British raised the price of tea, but because they lowered it. Such a huge black market existed, that a cheaper British tea threatened to make the smuggling of tea unprofitable. Angered, not only by the loss of the tea trade but also by the monopolistic practice of the British East India Trade Co., colonial traders joined the radicals agitating for independence.

3. "With a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor." No idle boast for some of those who signed the Declaration of Independence. Nine died of wounds or hardships during the war. Five were captured and imprisoned, in each case with brutal treatment. Several lost wives, sons or entire families, one lost his 13 children. Two wives were brutally treated. All were at one time or another the victims of manhunts and driven from their homes. Twelve signers had their homes completely burned. Seventeen lost everything they owned.

4. The Liberty Bell was not made in the United States and it was not rung on the first 4th of July. It was cast in London in 1752, cracked in 1835 and was not named the Liberty Bell until the 1830's in memory of slaves seeking their freedom. It rang for the first time on July 8, 1776 to commemorate the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.

5. The First Education Tax - The first tax collected for public education was in New England in 1636 which established Harvard University to train ministers. Later the tax was expanded under "The Old Deluder Satan Act", so called because the purpose was to teach children how to read the Bible, thus deluding Satan. It mandated that every town with over 50 people in it must have a teacher.

6. By 1779, as many as one in seven Americans in Washington's army was black! At first Washington was hesitant about enlisting blacks. But when he heard they had fought well at Bunker Hill, he changed his mind. The all-black First Rhode Island Regiment -- composed of 33 freedmen and 92 slaves who were promised freedom if they served until the end of the war -- distinguished itself in the Battle of Newport. Later, they were all but wiped out in a British attack.

7. William Howard Taft, the heaviest President of the U.S., (weighing 332 lbs.), got stuck in the White House tub the first time he used it. A larger one was soon purchased.

8. The longest inaugural address by a U.S. President was given by William Henry Harrison. It was one hour and forty-five minutes long during an intense snowstorm. One month later he died of pneumonia.

9. The top of the Washington Monument is not stone at all, but a 100-ounce solid aluminum pyramid, constructed as part of the monument's lightning protection system. In the1880s, aluminum was a rare metal, selling for $1.10 per ounce and used primarily for jewelry. It was the largest piece of aluminum of its day and was such a novelty that it was displayed at Tiffany's jewelry store before it was placed at the top.

10. James Madison was the only president to face enemy gunfire WHILE IN OFFICE. When the British invaded and burned Washington, D.C. in the War of 1812, Madison took command of a battery of artillery, exercising his authority as commander-in-chief.

11. Thomas Nast drew his inspiration for The Republican as Elephants and the Democrats as donkeys from a fable about a Jackass who disguised himself as a tiger and frightened the other animals. The characters were meant to be degrading to both the Republicans as the frightened elephants who were cowering from their principles and the Democrats who were pretending to be so fierce. Nast also gave us our depictions of Santa Claus and Uncle Sam.

12. Teddy Roosevelt wanted the motto "In God We Trust" removed from the new $20 gold coin designed in 1907. Roosevelt felt it was blasphemous to use the Lord's name on coins that were so often used to buy "worldly" goods and services. After a huge public outcry, Congress passed a law requiring "In God We Trust" be returned to all United States coinage at once.

13. President Benjamin Harrison, was about to sign the proclamations admitting North and South Dakota as the 39th and 40th states. He had each document placed inside identical newspapers. He then shuffled them back and forth until no one could tell which document was which state. Just enough of the documents were left exposed for the President to sign. He then shuffled the papers again before the documents were removed. Because of this "shell game", no one will ever know which of the Dakotas was actually the 39th or 4Oth state!

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