US History
A:
The original color of the White House was white. According to the White House Historical Association, when the walls were finished in 1798, they were whitewashed to keep the stone from freezing in winter.
-
Q: Why was Birmingham so important in 1963?
A: Birmingham was important in 1963 because it was in this Alabama city that a very crucial civil rights campaign was born and met with some success. Project C, or the Birmingham Campaign, began in the spring of that year. -
Q: Who ran against Kennedy in the 1960 election?
A: John F. Kennedy's opponent in the 1960 presidential election was Richard Nixon. In the Democratic primaries, Kennedy faced a number of candidates, of whom the most formidable were Lyndon B. Johnson, Hubert Humphrey and Stuart Symington. -
Q: How old was Rosa Parks when she was arrested?
A: Civil Rights icon Rosa Parks was 42 years old when she was arrested on December 1, 1955, just a few weeks shy of her February 4 birthday. While riding on a segregated public bus in Montgomery, Alabama, Mrs. Parks was seated directly behind the front section designated for white passengers; that section filled up, and when a bus driver ordered Mrs. Parks to move to allow a white passenger to take her seat, she refused. She was arrested for this action, which violated a Montgomery city law that enforced the practice of racial segregation on public transportation. -
Q: What was the average weekly pay for a female factory worker in 1944?
A: In 1944, a female worker in a factory earned approximately $32.21 per week. In contrast, a male factory worker made around $54.65 weekly. In modern times, that equals about $430 per week for women and $730 weekly for men. -
Q: What are some similarities between Martin Luther King Jr., Gandhi and Thoreau?
A: Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Ghandi and Henry David Thoreau all advocated for civil disobedience through non-violent means. Also, each of these individuals was, at one time or another, imprisoned for his own non-violent civil disobedience. -
Q: Which president had a pet hippo?
A: Calvin Coolidge had a 'pet' pygmy hippopotamus named Billy, which was short for William Johnson Hippopotamus. However, this pet didn't live in the White House with Coolidge in his family, but rather resided at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. Billy lived for about 30 years. -
Q: What happened at Wounded Knee?
A: There were two main events that took place in or near Wounded Knee, the last one in 1973. This event occurred as members of the Oglala Lakota and American Indian Movement seized Wounded Knee, a town in South Dakota. The Wounded Knee Massacre, the more historic of the two events, took place on December 29, 1890. -
Q: Why was the Battle of Yorktown important?
A: The Battle of Yorktown was important because it triggered the point of final surrender for British forces. The battle was the last major conflict during the American Revolution, and its outcome in favor of the Americans effectively sealed the British loss. British casualties in this battle were nearly twice those of the Americans. -
Q: What year did the Civil War end?
A: The American Civil War officially ended on April 9, 1865. On this day, Confederate General Robert E. Lee formally surrendered to Union leader Ulysses S. Grant. -
Q: What made Martin Luther King famous?
A: Martin Luther King's leadership and belief in peaceful protesting during the Civil Rights Movement made him famous. In addition, King is famous for his "I Have a Dream" speech. Dr. King is also known for organizing the Selma to Montgomery March and the March on Washington. These events proved to be pivotal moments in the Civil Rights Movement. -
Q: Why was Ronald Reagan called "The Great Communicator"?
A: Ronald Reagan's nickname "The Great Communicator" arose from his many public speeches in favor of political conservatism, as well as his ability to connect with his audiences. His 1964 speech "A Time for Choosing," delivered during the 1964 presidential campaign on behalf of Republican nominee Barry Goldwater, is considered the event that launched Reagan's political career. -
Q: What is Malcolm X famous for?
A: Malcolm X was known as an outspoken activist who was highly vocal about the poor treatment of blacks in the United States. He lived from 1925 to 1965 and was involved in one of the most important pushes for equal rights in American history. -
Q: Has the president become too powerful?
A: The President has not become too powerful, at least in relation to the powers delegated in the Constitution. The original Constitution gives the President enough power to be a strong leader, but also is open enough to interpretation so that a weaker President is also possible. -
Q: Why did men wear powdered wigs?
A: Men wore powdered wigs in the 1700s as a symbol of status. The practice was initiated by King Louis XIII of France, who wore the hairpiece because of premature balding. Powdered wigs soon bore a strong association with royalty and nobility in the country, and this attitude spread throughout Europe and followed early settlers to the New World. -
Q: What was the outcome of the first Continental Congress?
A: The First Continental Congress resulted in an agreement that led to an effective boycott of Great Britain and a Second Continental Congress in 1775. The First Continental Congress met between September 5 and October 26, 1774. -
Q: How tall was Abraham Lincoln's hat?
A: The traditional stovepipe hat Abraham Lincoln favored was 7 to 8 inches tall. Lincoln wore his instantly recognizable hat in both casual and formal situations. -
Q: Who gave the Statue of Liberty to the United States?
A: The Statue of Liberty was given to United States by France. It was originally named "Liberty Enlightening the World." It was created by the French sculptor Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi. -
Q: What did Martin Luther King, Jr. fight for?
A: Martin Luther King, Jr. was a humanitarian and social reformer who fought for African-American civil rights during the 1950s and 60s. He was assassinated in 1968. -
Q: How did Arizona become a state?
A: The road to statehood was not easy for Arizona, which was signed into the union on February 14, 1912, by President William Howard Taft. For 49 years, Arizona had been a territory before its admission into statehood in 1912. -
Q: Who were James Madison's parents?
A: The parents of James Madison were Nelly Conway Madison and Col. James Madison, Sr. James Madison was born in 1751. James Madson, Sr. married Nelly Conway in 1749, and the couple had 12 children. James, who was the first born child, was the fourth Presidant of the United States. -
Q: What are some of the notable accomplishments of the Progressive Era?
A: The Progressive Era is notable for the advent of regulation and reform on issues like child labor, race and gender equality, public health and safety, immigration, corporate greed and labor conditions. Occupying an important place in history during the first two decades of the 20th century, the Progressive Era kicked off major reforms that shaped America's development into a modern nation.
