Today in History: John Jay Sworn in as First Chief Justice of the United States
Today in history, on October 19, 1789, John Jay was sworn in as the first Chief Justice of the United States. At the time, the power and scope of the High Court were minuscule. During Jay’s six years as Chief Justice, the Supreme Court only heard four cases....
Today in History: Samuel Adams was Born
Happy birthday Samuel Adams, Bostonian firebrand of the patriot resistance against Britain! In 1772, he drafted “The Rights of the Colonists,” a succinct defense of individual rights on the basis of natural rights. Adams was instrumental in using this...
Today in History: Minutemen Established
On this date in 1774, the first Minutemen companies were established in Massachusetts. On Sept. 21, 1774, patriot leaders met in Worcester, Massachusetts, in response to the British seizure of gunpowder and munitions from a magazine in Charlestown earlier that month....