Initiative to Change Time Zone, USA – Will South County, Dakota be successful?
March 8th, 2010
As a huge and expansive country, USA is coordinating its time schedule with six standard time zones along with a seventh time zone covering the Puerto Rico region and the US Virgin Island. Still intermittent problems persist within certain areas of USA who have recently expressed their wish to opt for a change in time zone.
Stark County, North Dakota has initiated the process of proposing a time change from the existing Mountain Time Zone to Central Time Zone (CST/CDT), ....Read More →
An Essence of 4th of July for the Americans
June 29th, 2010
Being one of the participants of the US Independence Day on 4th of July is great honor for everyone; especially for the Americans, 4th July is monumental day. Luckily, I got the opportunity to participate in 4th July activities with some of my American friends last year. The way Americans celebrate the 4th of July, it became unforgettable for me.
In fact, the history of vintage 4th July had been commenced on 4th of July 1976 when the great scholar ....Read More →
Was California Part of Mexico?
May 18th, 2011
California has always had an interesting relationship with Mexico due to the tumultuous history they’ve shared. Through war and victory, California fought itself into independence from Mexico and continued the fight as the 31st state of the United States of America. An overview of California’s history shows the highs and lows of the state during its early years of conception and birth.
California was populated by many Native American tribes before European exploration began in 1542. Spanish settlers built a ....Read More →
When Did Alaska Become Part of the United States?
May 20th, 2011
Russia had settled in Alaska since the 1790s, but fur trapping in Alaska turned out to be far less profitable than Russians originally thought. Transporting the fur across the Bering Strait was too costly.
Russia offered the territory, which they called Russian-America, to the United States, but the offer was not seriously considered because the Civil War broke out in the United States around the same time, and the President was too busy.
During this time period, communication overseas took very long, ....Read More →
The California Gold Rush
June 24th, 2011
What was the California Gold Rush?
The California Gold Rush was one of the largest periods of migration in history, lasting from 1848 to around 1859. The Gold Rush was caused by the discovery of gold in California, which led to the mass migration of people to California in hopes of striking it rich and finding gold nuggets. The Gold Rush led to major growth in the West, making it very important California and United States history.
When was the Gold ....Read More →
The Louisiana Purchase
June 30th, 2011
Who previously owned the territory of the Louisiana Purchase?
Immediately prior to the Louisiana Purchase, the land in question was secretly sold to France by Spain, who held the European claim to it at the time. Spain was in a weakened position globally, and was under significant pressure from Napoleon. However, upon acquiring the land, Napoleon quickly came to see it as a burden after he began losing his Caribbean territories. He needed quick cash to fuel his military conflicts, ....Read More →
The Oregon Trail
July 1st, 2011
How long is the Oregon Trail?
The Oregon Trail covers a total distance of roughly 2,000 miles (more than 3,000 kilometers). It is actually a series of routes that stretch from the city of Independence, Missouri to various locations in Oregon and California. The Oregon Trail was the primary means by which American settlers reached the Pacific Coast in the nineteenth century.
How long did it take to traverse Oregon Trail?
The journey was difficult and could take anywhere from six months ....Read More →
4th of July Facts
July 4th, 2011
Why is the 4th of July America's national holiday?
It was on the 4th of July, 1776, that the Second Continental Congress officially adopted the Declaration of Independence. They had actually voted to declare independence from Great Britain two days prior, on July 2nd, but did not finalize the document until the 4th. Future President John Adams and others even predicted after the vote that July 2nd might become America's national holiday, but it turned out that the date of ....Read More →
Silicon Valley – Fast Facts
July 4th, 2011
Location and geography: The term "Silicon Valley" usually refers to the Santa Clara Valley in California, although it is an imprecise term that often includes other parts of the greater San Francisco Bay Area. It is generally considered to be centered around the city of San Jose in Santa Clara County.
Population: The population of Silicon Valley is as indeterminate as its borders. The population of the Santa Clara Valley is about 1.8 million people, but what is considered to ....Read More →
Ellis Island – United States Immigration
July 16th, 2011
What is Ellis Island?
Ellis Island was the first Federal immigration station in the United States. Before Ellis Island, immigration was handled by the individual states. When mass immigration from Europe began in the late 1800s, President Benjamin Harrison stepped in and took control of the process in 1890, building the first station at Ellis Island. Considered the gateway to America, the station was used to process and inspect immigrants as they arrived in the United States, assuring they were ....Read More →
