Not only is history my second biggest passion after psychology, but at the end of the day, both subjects are more entwined than most people realize.
Historians aim to understand the rationale behind the decisions that Thomas Jefferson, Martin Luther King Jr., and other figures have made, dissecting everything from their upbringing and social relationships to their innermost fears and aspirations.
And while historians delve into these men and women's personalities, psychologists -- for their part -- cannot paint a full picture of the individuals without essential historical facts like when they were born, the places they lived throughout their lives, etc.
The month of February has witnessed countless important events over the past 200 or so years, two of which occurred 37 years apart on the same day -- February 21.
1848 - The death of a former president
On February 21, 1848, John Quincy Adams -- former U.S. president-turned-Congressman -- suddenly collapsed from a cerebral hemorrhage as he stood up from his desk in the House of Representatives to defend his no vote on a bill. House members carried him to a bed in the Speaker of the House's private chambers, where he later died.
Adams, the son of former President John Adams, served only one uneventful term as president. Arguably, his greatest contributions to the country came as secretary of state to President James Monroe. Not only did he help negotiate the Treaty of Ghent, which ended the War of 1812, but Adams played a key role in the formulation of the Monroe Doctrine, which warned European nations that the Western Hemisphere was closed to further colonization.
Adams is remembered for going head-to-head with Andrew Jackson in the presidential elections of 1824 and 1828, emerging victorious only in the former. He was vehemently against slavery, promoted education, and pushed for a system of internal improvements ranging from roads to bridges.
1885 - Washington Monument dedicated
If you've been to Washington D.C., chances are you've seen the 555-foot-high marble obelisk built as a tribute to America's first president.
After Washington's death in 1799, plans for a memorial were discussed, but none were actually adopted until 1832, the centennial of his birth.
Though the cornerstone was laid in 1848, it wasn't until 1876 -- thanks in part to rancorous political bickering and the bloody Civil War -- that Congress passed legislation appropriating funds for completion of the moment.
The Washington Monument was formally dedicated in February 1885, and three years later it opened to the public. When completed, the monument was the tallest structure in the world; it remains today the tallest building in Washington, D.C.
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