It’s a fair bet that most of my readers have no idea what the Connally Resolution was or did. At least, not by that name. On November 5 of 1943, the US Senate approved the Connally Resolution, sponsored by Tom Connally of Texas, a five-sentence document. The fourth sentence read as follows: “That the Senate […]
Category: United States History
The Saturday Night Massacre and Watergate
For the second straight day, 1973 was a critical year in US history. October 20 marks the anniversary of the event in the Watergate Crisis known as the Saturday Night Massacre. The Saturday Night Massacre involved president Richard Nixon ordering Attorney General Elliot Richardson and then Deputy AG William Ruckelshaus to fire Special Prosecutor Archibald […]
The Arab Oil Embargo Begins in 1973
October 19 of 1973 ranks as one of the most momentous economic days in US history. On that day, Arab nations announced their Arab Oil Embargo against the United States. The Arab Oil Embargo included a ban on exports to the US and a ten percent cut in overall production. There were politics at work […]
Major Vietnam War Protests Begin
October 15 and 16 of 1965 saw some of the first major Vietnam War Protests in the United States. These began, perhaps predictably, in Berkeley, California, where about 10,000 protestors marched to the military base in Oakland. Similar protests took place on 5th Avenue in New York City, in Philadelphia, in Boston, and in Ann […]
The U.S. Invades Canada—and Fails
When I used to teach U.S. history to college students, our discussion of when the U.S. invades Canada always got a good laugh. I suppose because the idea of invading Canada seems so beyond possible to them today, they don’t know how else to respond. However, it happened once, during the War of 1812. The […]
The Emancipation Proclamation Issued by Lincoln
On September 22, 1862, Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. Although long overdue, it began the chain of events that ended slavery in the United States. Today, I’d like to explain some things about the Emancipation Proclamation and, hopefully, clear away some misconceptions people might have about it and its author. As I wrote a […]