We must ensure that ongoing generations remember and commemorate the history of this country to learn from the lessons of history to become more involved with their communitites, have a better understanding of how our country came to be what it is, and thus have a better understanding of how to better their country further for a brighter future.
DETAILS ON EVENTS
January 1, 1776.
On this Day in History, The commander of colonial army forces and the future first President of the United States, George Washington unvailed the Grand Union Flag which was to become the first official flag of the new American nation. The flag at first did not have stars but a union jack cross similar to that of the Biritish flag with 13 red and white stripes going across the flag. The flag served as the symbol of the united colonies throughout the revolutionary war, but was replaced soon after by the more well known stars and stripes (the original star and stripes flag had only 13 stars representing the first 13 states.)
January 1 1863.
On this day in history, Abraham Lincoln released the document known as Emancipation Proclamation which declared all slaves in the Union states free from slavery. Although the documnet was a symbolic formality, and did not free the slaves in the southern states which were resisting the northern union, it gave hope to the slaves in the south, and a new cause for which the northern union soldiers have fought.
January 3 1993.
On this day in history President George H. W. Bush (Bush senior) and the first president of the Russian Federation Boris Yelstin signed the START 2 Treaty which was meant to ban MIRV missles from both countries. (MIRVs are a type of missile which carries mutiple nuclear warheads each one capable of hitting an individual target). The treaty was ratified by the U.S in 1996 and Russia in 2000; however, it withdrew from the treaty in 2002 due to a disagreement with the U.S over another deal
January 16, 1991.
On this day in our history, the U.S.A in a joint coalition went to war against the country of Iraq in response to Iraq's annexation of oil rich Kuwait. The United States fought against Iraqi troops in a coalition of several European and Middle Eastern countries. The war lasted for half a year resulting in a decisive colation victory. Nearly 200 U.S military personel gave their lives in this war.
January 27, 1963.
On this day in history, a sad event occurred in U.S history when an American rocket carrying 3 U.S astronauts exploded upon launch. The rocket was part of the Apollo lunar landing project which was meant to land the first man on the moon as part of the Cold War space race. The Apollo 1 was meant to launch in February of 1967, but it exploded during a test launch on January 27, 1963. The astronauts who died aboard the rocket were Pilot Virgil Grissom, Senior Pilot Edward White, and Pilot Roger Chaffee.
January 27, 1973.
On this day in history, the United States reached an agreement that would allow it to end its military involvement in Vietnam after several long years of negotiations in Paris with the Northern Vietnamese communist government the Viet Cong militia and provisional government, and the Southern democratic government. The United States officially ended it's involvement in April of 1975 after a bloody conflict in Vietnam that lasted from 1955. The United States lost nearly 59,000 military personel in the war during the time of its involvement in the war. The Vietnam war became on the most influential turning points in America primarily due to things such as live media showing the uncensored violence in Vietnam to the American public at home.
January 28, 1986
On this day in our history, we mark the anniversary of the Challenger rocket explosion. Shortly after lift off, 73 seconds later, the Challenger rocket explodred while still in atmosphere. All seven crew members were killed in the explosion. The astronauts were Teacher-In-Space Sharon Christa McAliffe, payload specialist Gregory Jarvis; and astronauts Judith A. Resnik, mission specialist; Francis R. (Dick) Scobee, mission commander; Ronald E. McNair, mission specialist; Mike J. Smith, pilot; and Ellison S. Onizuka, mission specialist. The Challenger shuttle missions was meant to take into space the first teacher in the world, Christa McAliffe. Because of the importance of the mission a large portion of the country's poulation was focused on the launch, only to be horrified by the unexpected disaster.
January 28, 1915
On this day in history, The United States Coast Guard was established by President Woodrow Wilson. The Coast Guard originally began its exsitance in August of 1789 as the U.S Lighthouse Service. Although over the follwing centuries it has reformed until it was officially turned into the U.S Coast Guard in 1915 to protect the United States marine borders in time of WW1.