On this day in 1777,  Brigadier General George Clinton was elected as the first governor of the independent state of New York. Clinton would go on to become New York’s longest-serving governor, as well as the longest-serving governor in the United States. He held the post until 1795, and again from 1801 to 1804. In 1805, he was elected vice president of the United States, a position he maintained under Presidents Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, until his death in 1812. There's no question that politics ran in Clinton's family. His father, Charles, immigrated to New York from Ireland and served in the New York colonial assembly. His brother, James, served as a major general during the Revolutionary War. In addition, James’ son, DeWitt Clinton, would follow in his uncle’s footsteps and serve as the governor of New York from 1817 to 1823. Clinton had a close friendship with George Washington, and his hatred of New York Tories wasn't lost on anyone. In fact, as govern...

Rockingham Historic Site is a little-known place with a big history. It was the home of John Berrien I (1712–1772) and George Washington's final headquarters during the Revolutionary War, located in the Rockingham section of Franklin Township in Somerset County, New Jersey. The house has been moved within southern Franklin Township several times and is now closer to the Franklin portion of Kingston than to Rocky Hill. While the Continental Congress convened in Princeton, Rockingham served as General George Washington's final Revolutionary War headquarters for over two months in 1783. On October 31, 1783, Washington and Congress received fantastic news -- the final version of the Treaty of Paris had finally been signed and the thirteen colonies were now independent of Great Britain. For eight years, Washington had served his country in the American Revolution. He wrote the Farewell Orders to the Armies of the United States at Rockingham in late October, which were then...

On this day in 1861, delegates from South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas met in Montgomery, Alabama to adopt the Permanent Constitution of the Confederate States of America. The constitution closely resembled the Constitution of the United States, even repeating much of its language. However, it was actually more similar to the Articles of Confederation -- the initial constitution of the nation following the Revolutionary War -- in its delegation of extensive powers to the states. The constitution also differed from the U.S. Constitution in its protection of slavery, which was “recognized and protected” in slave states and territories. However, in adherence to U.S. policy since the start of the 19th century, the foreign slave trade was prohibited. The constitution provided for six-year terms for the president and vice president, and the president was not eligible for successive terms. Although a presidential item veto was granted, the power...

On this day in 1776, a key event marked the opening phase of the Revolutionary War took place: General George Washington ordered American artillery forces to bombard Boston from their positions at Lechmere Point ahead of the Continental Army's occupation of Dorchester Heights. The so-called Siege of Boston began after the Battles of Lexington and Concord. Following two consecutive days of bombardment, American Brigadier General John Thomas positioned 2,000 cannons, artillery, and troops just south of Boston at Dorchester Heights. By March 5, 1776, the Continental Army's had artillery troops in position around Boston, including the elevated position at Dorchester Heights. British General William Howe came to the realization that Boston was indefensible to the American positions and opted to leave the city on March 7. Ten days later, on March 17, the eight-year British occupation of Boston finally ended when British troops fled the city and sailed to Halifax, Nova Scotia. ...

On this day in 1784, the Continental Congress ratified the Treaty of Paris at the Maryland State House in Annapolis. The document, negotiated in part by future President John Adams, included terms for ending the Revolutionary War and established the United States as a sovereign nation. The treaty set territorial boundaries in North America formerly held by the British, outlined America’s fishing rights off the coast of Canada, and put an end to reprisals against British loyalists. Two other future presidents, Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe, were among the delegates who ratified the document on January 14, 1874. Thomas Jefferson had planned to travel to Paris to join Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and John Jay to begin talks with the British in 1782. However, after a delay in his travel plans, Jefferson got word that a cessation of hostilities had been announced by King George III the prior December. Jefferson arrived in Paris in late February after the treaty had already been negot...

On November 13, 1789, George Washington returns to Washington at the conclusion of his first presidential tour. He'd been inaugurated as the first president of the United States in April, For four weeks, Washington traveled by stagecoach through New England, visiting all the northern states that had ratified the U.S. Constitution. Washington, the great Revolutionary War general and first leader of the new republic, was greeted by exuberant crowds. Major William Jackson, who was Washington’s aide-de-camp during the Revolutionary War, accompanied the president, along with a private secretary and nine servants, including several slaves. The group traveled as far north as Kittery, Maine, which, at the time, was still a part of Massachusetts. Two years later, President Washington set off on his first presidential visit to the southern states, making a nearly-2,000-mile round-trip journey from his estate at Mount Vernon, Virginia. One thing I've asked myself -- especially aft...

When most people think of the 4th of July , everything from fireworks and the colors red, white, and blue to barbecues and the beach immediately pop to mind. Even if you're not a history buff, you probably know that it is today we commemorate the signing in of the Declaration of Independence, which took place July 4, 1776 . But there are several little-known facts about the famous holiday that you probably never learned in school. Here is a small sampling of them: 1. Only two individuals actually signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4 : John Hancock, who is best known for his large and elaborate signature on the document, and Charles Thomson, secretary of the Continental Congress. Most of the others didn't sign it until August 2. 2. Not everyone agreed with celebrating the country's independence on July 4 , the day Congress approved the Declaration. John Adams, who would go on to become the second President of the United States, wished to celebrate ...

When most people think of New York, historic landmarks and attractions like the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, and Chrysler Building come to mind. But few know of the place that happens to be the Big Apple's oldest cultural institution: the New York Society Library. It was founded in 1754 by the New York Society as a subscription library. During the time New York served as the capital of the United States, it was the de facto Library of Congress. It also functioned as the city's library until the New York Public Library was established in 1895. The New York Society Library was patronized by such iconic political figures as George Washington, John Adams, Alexander Hamilton, and Aaron Burr, the latter two eventually squaring off in a duel that resulted in Hamilton's untimely death. Interestingly, Washington is believed to have failed to return two books due in 1789. Since 1937, the library has been housed in the former John S. Roger's Mansion on Manha...

On this day in 1759, George Washington, then a 26-year-old rising young officer in the colonial British army, married Martha Dandridge Custis, a wealthy and educated mother of two. Washington adopted Martha's children -- he and Martha had no offspring of their own, raising suspicions that Washington may have been sterile -- and the couple was married for 40 years until Washington's death in 1799. Here's an interesting fact you may not know: Historical documents suggest Martha may not have been the love of George's life. Before and even during his marriage to Martha, the future U.S. president wrote passionate letters to Sally Fairfax, the wife of his friend George Fairfax. Still, he resigned his British military commission to marry Martha, with whom he lived a gentile aristocratic lifestyle. While George doted on his adopted children and respected his wife's parenting choices, Martha was a devoted wife, frequently accompanying Washington to headquarters during ...