When was the first Kentucky Derby?
The initial jewel in the Triple Crown known as the Kentucky Derby was first held in 1875 at Churchill Downs.
The Seminole War of 1835-42, sparked by the Seminole tribe’s refusal to be exiled to Oklahoma, was fought in the Florida Everglades. The tribe’s greatest hero, Osceola, held off U.S. troops with guerrilla-style actions until his capture in 1837. He died in prison, but the fighting dragged on for several more years.
One U.S. president did serve in the Confederate government. John Tyler (president 1841-45) represented Virginia in the Confederate House of Representatives beginning in 1861.
In 1789, George Washington was wealthy in land but short of cash. He borrowed £600 to travel from Mount Vernon to New York City, the site of his first inauguration.
No, the Smithsonian Institution wasn’t named after an American. Founded in 1846, it was named for British chemist James Smithson (1765-1829), who bequeathed his fortune to build the U.S. institution. It is now the world’s largest museum complex, containing 14 museums and the National Zoo.
There have been Two Liberty Bells. The first was cast in England in 1752 for the Pennsylvania State House, which later became Independence Hall. The second was cast in Philadelphia and inscribed, “Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof” (Leviticus 25:10). The bell cracked on July 8, 1835, as it tolled…
Not until the 23rd Amendment was ratified in 1961, were the residents of Washington, D.C., allowed to vote in presidential elections.