The blog “History by Zim: Beyond the Textbooks” offers an informational account of how this honor began.
On July 26, 1947, President Harry S. Truman signed the National Security Act of 1947 which consolidated the military branches under the Department of Defense’s control. In late August 1949, …
Source: The History of Armed Forces Day
Hamilton is a musical about the life of American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, with music, lyrics and book by Lin-Manuel Miranda. The show, inspired by the 2004 biography Alexander Hamilton by historian Ron Chernow, achieved both critical acclaim and box office success.
Lin-Manuel Miranda plays Alexander Hamilton in the hit Broadway musical. Photo Credit: Joan Marcus
1. Where was Alexander Hamilton born?
a. Puerto Rico
b. Nevis Island
c. Philadelphia
d. Florida Keys
Answer: b. Correct! You really know your history! You can still visit Alexander Hamilton’s birthplace, but you’ll need a boat or a plane to get there. Hamilton was born on Nevis Island in the West Indies. Today, the two-story stone house is the site of the Alexander Hamilton Museum and hosts the Nevis House of Assembly on the second floor.
2. Which of the following versions of U.S. currency has Alexander Hamilton never appeared on?
a. $100 bill
b. $2 bill
c. $20 bill
d. $1,000 bill
Answer: a. That’s right! You should work for the Library of Congress! In addition to the $10 bill, the former Secretary of the Treasury has graced numerous notes over the years, including versions of the $2, $5, $20, $50 and $1,000 bills. However, he never appeared on the $100 bill.
3. Which of the following did Alexander Hamilton help create?
a. The United States Revenue Cutter Service
b. The United States Postal Service
c. The United States Marines
d. The Department of Defense
Answer a. Alexander Hamilton founded the United States Revenue Cutter Service (USRCS), a predecessor to the United States Coast Guard. USRCS ships were charged with patrolling the waters near port cities to ensure that cargo was offloaded legally and not smuggled through customs.
4. What was the name of the infamous location where Alexander Hamilton dueled with Aaron Burr?
a. The O.K. Corral
b. Dealey Plaza
c. Weehawken
d. Ford’s Theater
Answer c. You can visit the Weehawken Dueling Grounds, site of the infamous Hamilton-Burr duel and see a statue of Hamilton and a stone that the mortally wounded Founding Father allegedly rested on.
An inscription on the rock reads:
“UPON THIS STONE RESTED THE HEAD OF THE PATRIOT, SOLDIER, STATESMAN, AND JURIST ALEXANDER HAMILTON AFTER THE DUEL WITH AARON BURR.”
5. Where and when did the first recorded duel in America take place?
a. 1608 in Jamestown, Va.
b. 1804 in Weehawken, N.J.
c. 1775 in Philadelphia, Pa.
d. 1621 in Plymouth, Mass.
Answer d. Edward Doty and Edward Lester, of the Massachusetts colony, fought a duel using swords near Plymouth Rock in 1621, less than a year after the Mayflower arrived in America.
6. After Hamilton passed away, did dueling decline or increase in popularity?
a. Increased in popularity
b. Decreased
Answer a. Dueling in the United States increased in popularity in the years following Hamilton’s death. However, by the time the Civil War began, its popularity began to wane as public opinion searched for more effective ways to solve grievances.
7. Where are the Hamilton-Burr dueling pistols stored today?
a. The Hamilton Grange National Memorial in New York City
b. The Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C.
c. The JP Morgan Chase & Co. archives in New York City
d. Alexander Hamilton Museum on Nevis Island
Answer c. The Hamilton-Burr dueling pistols are housed at the JP Morgan Chase & Co. archives, but they cannot be viewed by the public at this time.
8. How did Alexander Hamilton’s son, Philip, pass away?
a. During battle
b. In a duel
c. Drowned at sea
d. Smallpox
Answer b. Sadly, three years before Alexander met his fate, Philip, like his father, was shot at the Weehawken Dueling Grounds.
9. Which of Alexander Hamilton’s family members helped raise funds to construct the Washington Monument?
a. His daughter, Angelica
b. His son, Alexander Jr.
c. His wife, Eliza
d. His son, John
Answer c. Eliza, Alexander’s wife, outlived her husband by 50 years. Ever-devoted to her spouse and his accomplishments, she worked tirelessly to promote his legacy. Later in life, she also helped raise funds to construct the Washington Monument in the nation’s capital. Eliza passed away in 1854 at the age of 97 and is buried alongside her husband at the cemetery behind Trinity Church in New York City.
Click here to find out “5 Things You Didn’t Know about Alexander Hamilton” from History Channel’s website from his many accomplishments to being party to one of America’s first highly publicized political sex scandals.
On July 3, 2012 at the historical house of Paul Revere, the actor, comedian, writer and musician Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers performed the song “Me and Paul Revere.”
Watch it now!
Women’s Equality Day commemorates 26th August 1920 when votes to women officially became part of the US constitution. 
This day marks a turning point in the history of the struggle for equal treatment of women and women’s rights.
In 1920, the day stood for the result of 72 years of campaigning by a huge civil rights movement for women. Prior to movements like these, even respected thinkers such as Rousseau and Kant believed that woman’s inferior status in society was completely logical and reasonable; women were ‘beautiful’ and ‘not fit for serious employment’.
Over the last century, great women have proved these views wrong as the world has witnessed just what women are capable of achieving, from the likes of Rosa Parks and Eleanor Roosevelt fighting for civil rights and equality to great scientists such as Marie Curie, Rosalind Franklin and Jane Goodall. The last century has shown more than ever what both women and men are capable of achieving, given the opportunity.
Today, women’s equality has grown to mean much more than just sharing the right to the vote. Organisations such as Equality Now and Womankind Worldwide continue to work to provide women across the globe with equal opportunities to education and employment, pushing against suppression and violence towards women and against the discrimination and stereotyping which still occur in every society.
So on Women’s Equality Day, let the men do the dishes and the women do the DIY (if not already), think about supporting women’s empowerment projects in developing countries, stop thinking about men and women as separate beings with separate roles and start thinking about treating people as equals.
Or better yet….
Take the Quiz today. Check back later for the answers.
1. Who designed the National Mall in Washington, D.C.?
A. Pierre L’Enfant
B. George Washington
C. Thomas Jefferson
D. John Adams
2. Who was the first signer of the Declaration of Independence, and why is his signature so large?
A. George Washington
B. Patrick Henry
C. John Hancock
D. Thomas Jefferson
E. John Adams
3. What famous character with a stars-and-stripes top hat has become a symbol of America?
A. Cat in The Hat
B. Uncle Sam
C. Captain America
D. Big Bird
The USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii.
4. On July 4th of what year did the 50-star American flag wave for the first time as Hawaii was granted statehood?
A. 1955
B. 1960
C. 1965
D. 1970
5. Which of our Founding Fathers created the blueprint for our Fourth of July celebrations by suggesting that the day be celebrated with “bonfires and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other” by succeeding generations of Americans?
A. George Washington
B. John Adams
C. Thomas Jefferson
D. John Hancock
E. Benjamin Franklin
6. What notable event occurred on July 4, 1848?
A. Boston’s first fireworks display
B. The State of New York emancipates its slaves
C. Construction begins on the Washington Monument
D. Centennial celebrations are held in the United States
E. The first public Fourth of July reception at the White House
7. About how many people were living in the colonies in July 1776?
A. 1.5 million
B. 22 million
C. 2 million
D. 2.5 million
E. 12 million
8. Only one president, Calvin Coolidge, was born on the Fourth of July. Three presidents died on that date. Who were they?
A. George Washington,Chester Arthur and James Monroe
B. Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson and Richard M. Nixon
C. Zachary Taylor, Ulysses Grant and Warren Harding
D. John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe
E. Harry Truman, Franklin Pierce and John Tyler
9. What American president said, “We dare not forget that we are the heirs of that first revolution?”
A. George Washington
B. John F. Kennedy
C. Abraham Lincoln
D. Dwight Eisenhower
E. Franklin Roosevelt
10. On July 4, 1976, Americans all over the country celebrated our nation’s 200th birthday. How many tons of fireworks were exploded in a magnificent display above the Washington Monument in Washington, DC?
A. 5
B. 24
C. 33
11. Which of John Philip Sousa’s compositions was designated the National March of the United States in 1987?
A. “The Liberty Bell”
B. “US Field Artillery”
C. “The Stars and Stripes Forever”
D. “The Washington Post March”
12. When Francis Scott Key wrote “The Star-Spangled Banner” in 1814, it immediately became popular with the public. When was it adopted as our national anthem?
A. 1798
B. 1812
C. 1954
D. 1865
E. 1931
1. What United States president reportedly swam nude in the Potomac River every day, weather-permitting?
Answer: John Quincy Adams
2. Who was the first President born in the United States?
Answer: Martin Van Buren, the 8th U.S. President
3. The United States was debt-free during this president’s term. Who was he?
Answer: Andrew Jackson
4. Which President was a bachelor during his term?
Answer: James Buchanan
5. Which President died of pneumonia after just 31 days as President?
Answer: William Henry Harrison
6. Who was the shortest President at 5’4″?
Answer: James Madison
7. Name 3 Presidents who died on July 4? Bonus Question: Name the 2 out of the 3 Presidents that died the same day, same year within hours of each other.
Answer: James Monroe died on July 4, 1831. Both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died on July 4, 1826.
8. Which President was offered a degree from a university but turned it down since he could not read Latin. He was quoted as saying, “No one should have a degree they can’t read.” Who was he?
Answer: The 13th U.S. President Millard Fillmore
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