Today In History
5 Fun Facts About May 23 In Massachusetts History
1. In 1701, the Massachusetts General Court passed a law banning the use of tobacco in all public places, including streets, taverns, and private homes. This was one of the earliest anti-smoking laws in colonial America. 2. On May 23, 1783, a group of soldiers in Massachusetts rebelled against the...
5 Fun Facts About May 22 In Massachusetts History
1. The first recorded earthquake in Massachusetts history occurred on May 22, 1761. It was felt in Boston, Cambridge, and other surrounding areas, and is estimated to have been around 5.5 on the Richter scale. 2. On May 22, 1856, Congressman Preston Brooks of South Carolina brutally attacked Senator Charles...
5 Fun Facts About May 21 In Massachusetts History
1. On May 21, 1796, the Massachusetts Turnpike was chartered as a toll road that connected Boston to the western part of the state. It was the first long-distance paved road in the United States and played a significant role in opening up trade and commerce in Massachusetts. 2. On...
5 Fun Facts About May 20 In Massachusetts History
1. On May 20, 1874, Levi Strauss & Co. received a patent for their blue jeans. The company, founded by Levi Strauss in San Francisco, eventually became one of the most iconic and successful clothing brands in the world. 2. May 20, 1927 marked the start of American aviation history,...
5 Fun Facts About May 19 In Massachusetts History
1. The Boston Tea Party Museum opened on May 19, 2012, in Boston, Massachusetts. The museum showcases the history and events leading up to the Boston Tea Party, a revolutionary act of protest against British taxation, which took place on December 16, 1773, in Boston Harbor. 2. On May 19,...
5 Fun Facts About May 18 In Massachusetts History
1. The Treaty of Hartford was signed on May 18, 1637 between English colonists and Native American tribes in Connecticut. The agreement ended the Pequot War and established English control over Connecticut. 2. On May 18, 1812, the USS Constitution (also known as “Old Ironsides”) engaged and defeated HMS Guerriere...
5 Fun Facts About May 17 In Massachusetts History
1) On May 17, 1637, the Pequot War began in Massachusetts, when English settlers and Native American allies attacked a Pequot village on the Mystic River, killing up to 700 Pequot men, women, and children. 2) May 17, 1774, was the date of the Massachusetts Government Act, a punitive measure...
5 Fun Facts About May 16 In Massachusetts History
1. In 1631, a ship named "The Lyon" arrived in Massachusetts with over 100 passengers, including Reverend John Eliot. Eliot would go on to become known as the "Apostle to the Indians," devoting his life to converting Native Americans to Christianity and translating the Bible into their languages. 2. In...
5 Fun Facts About May 15 In Massachusetts History
1. On May 15, 1637, the Pequot War officially began in Massachusetts. This conflict was between the Pequot tribe, who controlled much of the area's fur trade, and the colonists, who wanted the same resources. The war lasted for nearly a year and resulted in the virtual annihilation of the...
5 Fun Facts About May 14 In Massachusetts History
1. On May 14, 1607, Captain John Smith and a group of explorers set sail from England to establish the first permanent English settlement in North America, which would eventually become Jamestown, Virginia. 2. On May 14, 1636, the Massachusetts Bay Colony authorized the establishment of Harvard College, which is...
5 Fun Facts About May 13 In Massachusetts History
1. The first permanent English settlement in Massachusetts was established on May 13, 1607, at Cape Ann by the Dorchester Company. 2. On May 13, 1774, a Patriot group called the Sons of Liberty held a meeting in Boston to discuss their response to the recently passed Coercive Acts, which...
5 Fun Facts About May 12 In Massachusetts History
1. In 1652, the Massachusetts Bay Colony passed a law establishing a minimum wage for workers. The law required employers to pay a minimum of 2 shillings per day to carpenters and other skilled workers, and 18 pence per day to unskilled laborers. 2. On May 12, 1765, a group...