The women’s suffrage movement began in the 1820s, until the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848 finally generated some momentum. After nearly 100 years of struggle and progress, the 19th Amendment was ratified in 1920.

Fed up with British rule, Chief Pontiac formed an alliance with nearly every tribe from Lake Superior to lower Mississippi to overthrow the British. The plan of attack would play out in near unison as tribes attempted to invade their nearest British fort, leading to months of standoffs and bloody battles.

During the War of 1812, as Francis Scott Key watched the British bombardment of Fort McHenry, the amateur poet wrote what would become the star-spangled banner lyrics.

Conducting a dawn patrol on April 6th, 1862, Union soldiers stumbled upon a battle-ready Confederate line just a mile from the Union Army’s encampment. When attacked, the bluecoats were driven back toward Shiloh Church, beginning the bloody Battle of Shiloh.

Patrick Henry studied law and quickly tried cases involving Great Britain, which drove Henry to become a vocal revolutionary. Henry delivered impassioned speeches that influenced Washington, Jefferson, and other signatories of the impending Declaration of Independence.

The Lewis and Clark Expedition began on May 14th, 1804, when Meriwether Lewis and William Clark first plied the Missouri River with their crew of volunteers and paid explorers. The expedition saw two brutal winters during their push to the Pacific Ocean and back, producing invaluable maps and information for the westward flow of pioneers that would follow in their footsteps.

The Washington Monument was first proposed while George Washington was alive, but showcasing his monumental humility and frugality, he vetoed the project. After multiple funding issues paused construction, the 555-foot-tall obelisk was completed in 1884.