Committee of Five

The Second Continental Congress appointed a “Committee of Five” in consideration of Lee's Resolution to draft a declaration for independence from the British Crown on June 11, 1776.  The five were John Adams of Massachusetts, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, Robert Livingston of New York, and Roger Sherman of Connecticut. The Committee operated from June 11 to July 5, 1776 – the day the Declaration was published.  On July 2nd the Congress began considering the Declaration. Richard Henry Lee presented the following resolution for a declaration to the Congress on June 7th.  Resolved, That these United Colonies…

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Shootdown of Iran Air Flight 655

On July 3, 1988, Iran Air Flight 655 was shot down by the U.S. Missile Cruiser USS Vincennes over the Strait of Hormuz, killing all 290 people on board.  This incident occurred toward the end of the Iran – Iraq War.  The U.S. among other countries had warships in the region in order to protect the transport of oil (Britannica).  There had been numerous incidents, notably an attack by Iraq missiles striking the USS Stark in May 1987.  Iraqis mistook the American Frigate for an Iranian tanker.  Thirty-seven sailors were killed during the attack and the ship was sidelined for…

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Death of Lincoln

President Lincoln along with his wife and guests try to relax with some light comedy at Ford’s Theater on the evening of April 14, 1865.  The entertainment for the evening is the play, “Our American Cousin”.  Lincoln’s normal bodyguard was not present that night.  In his place, guarding the door leading to the Presidential Box, was Washington Police Officer John Parker.  At some point during the play, Parker abandoned his post to go get a drink. This made it easier for assassin John Wilkes Booth to access the President (“Pearce Museum | Facts from Lincoln’s Assassination and Death”).  Booth would…

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Garfield Assassination

Brief Look at the Assassination of President James A. Garfield: On July 2, 1881, President James Garfield was shot in the back at the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station in Washington D.C. by Charles J. Guiteau, a disgruntled political office seeker with a .442 Webley British Bulldog Revolver. Garfield suffered for weeks as doctors frantically tried saving him. In the end, it was the doctors lack of knowledge of Germ Theory and unsanitary practices that lead to the Presidents demise on September 19th 1881. The prevailing thought was that if the doctors had done nothing, then he more than likely would have survived….

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