Showing posts with label History. Show all posts
Showing posts with label History. Show all posts

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Remembering 9/11

Little did we know that September 11, 2001 was going to be a day like no other day in American history. Early risers had nothing to warn them of what was about to happen in the early morning hours of that Tuesday morning.

I was sleeping a little late that morning. My husband was in the computer room and had the television on watching Fox News. He immediately came and woke me up when the plane hit the first tower. I got up and went to the television. Our first impression was that it was an accident, but the next few minutes we found out it was a terrorist attack. When the second plane hit the second tower, it was just too surreal! The emotions were all over the range; this could not be happening in America. Yet, there we were watching live television, the towers crumbling, smoke filling the downtown area, and people running for their lives.

Our eyes stayed glued to the television for the entire day. We did not realize that the tragedy had just begun. We new the nation was under attack, but we didn't realize just how bad things were going to get before the end of the day. Nor, did we know how many lives would be lost. The people behind the attacks were dead set on destroying as much of the United States as they could. And, they never gave a thought to how many lives they were destroying. In fact, I am sure they did not care. Their satisfaction was born out of pure hatred for our way of life and the freedoms we have here in America.

One event after another began to happen. First the Twin Towers were hit and began crumbling, and then the Pentagon was hit by the third plane. The nation was expecting a hit on the White House as well. But the fourth plane was deterred by some very brave citizens that did not want to see others killed by these terrorists. They took matters into their own hands. They began to call relatives to let them know what was happening and they would not be coming home. They sacrificed their lives to save thousands of others that may have been killed had the plane been able to make it's way to it's destination in Washington, D.C. Instead, they caused the plane to go down in a field in Pennsylvania.

The death of all those thousands of people on that day left many grieving relatives behind - spouses, children, parents, friends. And it still has to be a terrible thing to remember, knowing those loved ones had no chance to survive such a terrible tragedy. Little did they know that morning, as they arrived for work, that their lives would be in jeopardy in just a matter of minutes. The passengers boarding those other two planes had no idea that they would not arrive at their respective destinations, and that their lives were hanging in the balance when they sat down in their seats.

As we go forward after this ninth year after this terrible tragedy, I pray that this country never has to undergo another day like that day in our history. But we have to be extremely cautious in the way we look at our every day actions, knowing that the enemy is right ready to hit us again. It doesn't matter that we have done nothing to cause the attacks other than being a freedom-loving country. May GOD keep us safe from more terrorists attacks.

Technorati Tags: 9-11 Tragedy, New York City, Pennsylvania, Twin Towers

Monday, March 15, 2010

Declaration of Independence

The Declaration of Independence, written in 1776, was the beginning of the independence of the original 13 colonies from Britain.

I found some great information on a website which is entitled The Declaration of Independence, 1776.

More information can be found at these sites:


There were 56 signers of this document, but they all did not sign on the same day. Only two, one of which was John Hancock, actually signed on July 4th. More signed in August and September. The last to sign the document was Thomas McKean of Delaware. It's been said he signed 5 years later, but it is also thought that perhaps the printer did not include his name when it went to press.

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Wednesday, April 22, 2009

In God We Trust

On this day in 1864, Congress authorized the use of the phrase "In God We Trust" on U.S. coins. In Fact Sheets: Currency and Coins put out by the US Treasury Department, it states that the main reason that the phrase was put on our money was "largely because of the increased religious sentiment existing during the Civil War."

The first appeal to have this phrase put on our currency was made in a letter to Secretary Chase on November 13, 1861 by Reverend M.R. Watkinson from Pennsylvania. One quote in his letter is as follows:

This would make a beautiful coin, to which no possible citizen could object. This would relieve us from the ignominy of heathenism. This would place us openly under the Divine protection we have personally claimed. From my hearth I have felt our national shame in disowning God as not the least of our present national disasters.

It takes an Act of Congress to make any changes on the mottoes.So Secretary Chase sent a memo to the Mint Director on December 19, 1863, for a change in mottoes. The Act was passed on April 22, 1864 and allowed the motto to be placed on the one cent coin. Later, on March 6, 1865, another Act of Congress was passed, giving the authority for gold and silver coins to contain the words "In God We Trust".

Later, Congress passed the Coinage Act of February 12, 1873. It also said that the Secretary "may cause the motto IN GOD WE TRUST to be inscribed on such coins as shall admit of such motto."

The use of IN GOD WE TRUST has not been uninterrupted. The motto disappeared from the five-cent coin in 1883, and did not reappear until production of the Jefferson nickel began in 1938. Since 1938, all United States coins bear the inscription.

In 2005, Michael Newdow filed to get "In God We Trust" taken off our currency. He stated that "Clearly it's not treating atheists equal with people who believe in God when you say 'In God We Trust' or we are a 'nation under God.'" The case was dismissed by the judge in 2006.

In God We Trust has been our national motto since 1956. Jay Sekulow, Chief Counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice, has written a great article on Protecting our National Motto.

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Thursday, July 19, 2007

Today in History........

Lest we forget:

1969 Mary Jo Kopechne & Sen Kennedy plunge off Chappaquiddick bridge

1986 Videotapes released showing Titanic's sunken remains

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Tuesday, April 10, 2007

This Day in History

1849 - Walter Hunt patented the safety pin. He sold the rights for $100.

1912 -
The British luxury liner Titanic sets off on its maiden voyage across the Atlantic Ocean; five days later it sinks after hitting an iceberg.

1925 - The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is published; it will become one of the most important novels of the 20th century.

1955 - Dr Jonas Salk successfully tests Polio vaccine

1960 - The U.S. Senate passed the Civil Rights Bill.

1974 - Golda Meir, a founder of the state of Israel, announces that she is resigning as prime minister.

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