On September 20, 1881, Chester Arthur was inaugurated, making him the third person to serve as president that year . The year 1881 commenced with Republican Rutherford B. Hayes in office. He served out his first and only term and officially handed the reins of government to his friend James A. Garfield in March. Just four months into his term, on July 2, Garfield was shot by a deranged assassin named Charles Guiteau, who claimed to have killed Garfield because he failed to grant him a a political appointment. Garfield sustained wounds to his abdomen and back and struggled to recover that summer. Though it seemed he'd pull through in early September, the autopsy report showed that the internal bullet wound contributed to an aneurysm that ultimately killed Garfield on September 19. The next day, Vice President Chester Arthur was sworn in as president. Garfield’s assassin wrote to the new president from jail, taking credit for propelling Arthur into the White House. Arthur ser...

On this day in 1781, the Articles of Confederation were finally ratified. The Articles were signed by Congress and sent to the individual states for ratification on November 15, 1777, following 16 months of debate. Squabbles over land claims between Maryland and Virginia delayed final ratification for nearly four more years. Maryland finally approved the Articles on March 1, 1781, affirming the Articles as the outline of the official government of the United States. The Articles of Confederation guided the country until the implementation of the current U.S. Constitution in 1789. Less than five years after the ratification of the Articles of Confederation, many Americans agreed that the system was inadequate to the task of governance, prompting them to peacefully overthrow their second government in just over 20 years. The contrast between a group of sovereign states forming a confederation and a federal government established by a sovereign people stood at the heart of debate as the...

When you hear the phrase "Founding Fathers," the phrase commonly used to describe the cadre of brilliant politicians and statesmen who played a pivotal role in securing American independence and building a new nation, whom comes to mind? Many people will automatically throw out names like George Washington, the first U.S. president; Thomas Jefferson, who most know as the author of the Declaration of Independence; and Benjamin Franklin, renowned for his long hair, bifocals, and myriad inventions.  But few people know much about Alexander Hamilton beyond the fact that he appears on the $10 bill, if that.  To be honest, I knew little of Hamilton until reading a special issue of TIME magazine titled "Alexander Hamilton: A Founding Father's Visionary Genius -- and His Tragic Fate." I finished it just this morning and gained invaluable insight into the fascinating life of this underrated figure in American history.  In this post, I'd like to share ...