Lincoln announced the Emancipation Proclamation (1862), Nathan Hale was executed as America’s first spy (1776), the US penny was redesigned (2008), the Peace Corps was established (1961), Iran-Iraq War began (1980), US Postmaster General’s Office was established (1789), National Geographic published its first issue (1888), the first American-made car was unveiled (1893), Dead Sea Scrolls were made publicly available (1991), and the deadliest Amtrak train crash occurred (1993).
US President Abraham Lincoln announced his first Emancipation Proclamation. (1862) President Lincoln issued the proclamation that he would free more than three million slaves in the United States. He indicated that he would issue a second proclamation if the slave states did not voluntarily comply with the first order. The last Emancipation Proclamation was announced on January 1, 1863, after only one state had complied with the first order: the District of Columbia.
America’s first spy was executed. (1776) Nathan Hale, a soldier in the American Revolutionary War, was captured by the British while trying to gather intelligence. He was sentenced to death by hanging. Before his execution, he famously said, “I’m only sorry I only have one life to lose for my country.”
First redesign of the US penny in 50 years unveiled. (2008) The United States cent historically featured US President Lincoln’s portrait on the front and the Lincoln Memorial on the reverse. The front remained unchanged, but the United States Mint offered four new reverse designs to honor President Lincoln’s 200th birthday. In 2010, the Lincoln Union Shield was selected for the reverse of the coin.
The Peace Corps is born. (1961) US President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps as a kind of weapon against communism. The new government agency has sent volunteers to third world and underdeveloped countries to help people and improve communities. President Kennedy hoped this would turn nations away from Communism. The Peace Corps continued its mission after the Cold War and continues to send volunteers to troubled countries today.
War broke out between Iran and Iraq. (1980) The war would last eight years and cause more than 400,000 deaths and 750,000 injuries. In 1988, the United Nations convinced the two sides to sign a ceasefire agreement. The United States and Russia declared themselves neutral during the war.
The United States Postmaster General’s Office was established. (1789) A similar office worked under the Continental Congress; this office was established under the new United States Constitution. The first person to fill the new position was Samuel Osgood.
National Geographic magazine has published its first issue. (1888) Magazine started just nine months after the National Geographic Society was founded. Today it is published in 32 languages for more than 50 million monthly readers.
First American-made car unveiled. (1893) Charles and Frank Duryea pioneered the automobile industry. On this day they presented their petrol car. The two founded the Duryea Motor Wagon Company, which was the first to produce automobiles commercially in the United States.
The Dead Sea Scrolls were made publicly available for the first time. (1991) The Huntington Library in California displayed the ancient scrolls. They have since been digitized and made available on the Internet.
It was the deadliest train crash in Amtrak history. (1993) Outside Mobile, Alabama, a barge struck the Big Bayou Canot railroad bridge, derailing an Amtrak passenger train. 47 people were killed and more than 100 injured.
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