A Portion of Jefferson's Extensive Library is Found

At Washington University in St Louis, Missouri some of Thomas Jefferson's books were discovered in the rare books section of the library. The search is on to see if there are more than the 28 titles and 74 volumes. Currently historians are pouring over the books looking for personal notes written by our Third President of the United States. The books were actually donated to the University by Jefferson's granddaughter, Ellen Wayles Randolph Coolidge. It was never believed these books were originally from the library of Thomas Jefferson however most of his library was sold off after his death to pay off debt and granddaughter Ellen purchased many of them. This is very exciting to see more of the library of Thomas Jefferson as well as what kind of notes and drawing he added to these books. I look forward to hearing more on this in the future. 


http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/02/22/jeffersons-books-university-library/

Our Nation Divided: Confederacy is Born

And so it begins. One hundred fifty years-ago today the Confederate States of America was formally created and Jefferson Davis was selected as their first and what would be their only leader. I find it interesting as the Civil War develops and the drama unfolds how it seems Jefferson Davis' role as leader of the Confederacy is more ceremonial than anything else. Maybe Civil War buffs will argue how I'm wrong but to me it seemed that the people of the South looked toward Robert E. Lee as their leader and champion of their cause rather than Davis. I liken it to the American Revolution when John Hancock was President of the Congress and effectually the leader of the government however it was the general George Washington who was the leader of the people and the champion of their cause. Lee will eventually deny the commission from President Lincoln to lead the Union Army against the rebellious South and it won't be until April 1861 when we see him take command of Army of Virginia. When Lee takes command it truly is then when the South has its voice, although it is more the silent type, it speaks loudly on the field of battle.

Today in History: Celebrating Ronald Reagan

Few Presidents in our history have touched the lives of American people like Ronald Reagan. You could probably only count them on a single hand and argue about the second hand in terms of presidential superstars, those in the upper echelon of our history. One can easily argue that Reagan deserves to be on that first hand of Presidential superstars. We could argue all day long based on what political philosophy you hold to on what you really think of Reagan and his conservatism, but as a historian one must look at the presidency separate from ones own political viewpoint. 


In 1980, the United States seeking hope in the future of the American way of life. The scandal of the Nixon administration still had a bitter taste on the Americans mouths. Then followed a massive recession during the Carter Administration. To no surprise the American people saw no good coming from the government and their leaders. Then in steps Ronald Reagan, a charismatic leader who inspired the people to believe in themselves and not the solutions that government offered. It was exactly what the people wanted to hear at the time. 


Today we celebrate President Ronald Reagan's 100th birthday. To remind us all of who we was and most importantly what he stood for I have attached some YouTube videos. Take some time to look through them with an open mind. 


Reagan's First Inaugural Address - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpPt7xGx4Xo
"We the People" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlgTwp93E48
The Wit of Ronald Reagan - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X39dGQmBEww
Tribute to the Life of Ronald Reagan - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8_G-mlKxTY&feature=related

Today in History: The Milwaukee Bridge War

Despite studying history for some time now and then I occasionally come across a story that surprises me. For a couple years my family lived in the Milwaukee, WI area and I even had the pleasure of visiting the city. It was enjoyable to walk around, meet the people, and see the sights. It never crossed my mind that the founding of the city had such a unique story. 

In 1818, a man by the name of Solomon Juneau traveled down from Montreal, Canada. He helped found a town on the site of a trading post located on the east side of the Milwaukee River known affectionately as Juneau's Side and eventually Juneautown. Realizing the times were changing Juneau focused his efforts away from the fur trade, which dominated the area, and turned his attention toward real estate, building the settlement to a thriving town. Some years later a ruthless businessman named Byron Kilbourn, originally coming from Ohio, had worked as a government surveyor in Green Bay and personally staked out some land on the west side of the Milwaukee River. Like Juneau he saw the potential of the area as a possible port city for Lake Michigan which spills eventually into the Atlantic Ocean. The land Kilbourn staked out however was actually owned by the Potawatomi. After some secret dealings, Kilbourn snuck the land it into a federal survey and was able to take control of the area in 1835. Quickly the area grew like Juneautown and became known as Kilbourntown. 

Because of their close proximity and shared river both towns immediately developed a rivalry. Byron Kilbourn worked really hard at trying to isolate Juneautown so Kilbourntown would be the thriving metropolis. However in 1845 the Wisconsin legislature required the people of the area to build a draw bridge over the Milwaukee River because the original ferry system was not accomodating the growing population. Kilbourn and the people on the west side saw the bridge as a violation to their independence they had been trying to build for the last decade. Juneautown showed excitement for the bridge and the possibility of growth for their community as a result of it. Tensions between the two cities had been mounting over the last decade and the bridge construction brought all of it to a head. In May of 1845 Kilbourn made the decision to drop the west side of the bridge in the water. As a result, a mob of Juneautowners formed looking to fight for this bridge and stand up for their rights as a town. Violence was pushed off for a few weeks until Juneautown members destroyed two smaller bridges in an attempt to cut off the west side, Kilbourners. The goal was to give them a taste of their own medicine. Skirmishes broke out between the two sides with surprisingly no deaths. Eventually hostilities ended between the two sides and a call for corporation started. Even the founders realized that the only way their towns were going to survive is if they worked together. On January 31, 1846 the towns of Juneautown and Kilbourntown unified to create the City of Milwaukee. Solomon Juneau stepped in as the first mayor of the great city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 

Secret Societies

I recently picked up a copy of U.S. News & World Report's edition of Mysteries of History: Secret Societies. This has really been an excellent read and something I would suggest everyone taking the opportunity to pick it up. You won't find any in-depth analysis but it gives you a nice taste of various secret societies and clubs, some in existence for centuries. I highly suggest picking this up and taking the opportunity to read through it. My favorite portion so far has been learning about the Skull and Bones Society. Reading the little bit about it has made me want to research more on its founding and purpose.