Friday, May 1

Good morning!! Today is May Day -

Today in History

1707

The Act of Union joined England and Scotland to form Great Britain.

1931

The Empire State Building opened in New York City. At 102 stories, it would be the world's tallest building for the next 41 years. Click to see the current tallest.

1941

Orson Welles's Citizen Kane, considered by many the greatest film ever made, premiered in New York.

1948

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) was established with Kim Il Sung as president.

1960

The Soviet Union shot down an American U-2 reconnaissance plane over Soviet territory.

1967

Elvis Presley married Priscilla Beaulieu. (They divorced in 1973.)

1991

44-year-old Texas fireballer Nolan Ryan hurled his seventh and final no-hitter in a 3-0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. That same day, Oakland's Rickey Henderson broke Lou Brock’s stolen base record.

2003

President Bush made a speech aboard an aircraft carrier proclaiming “major combat operations in Iraq have ended.”

2009

For the first time in 341 years, a woman is appointed as poet laureate of the United Kingdom. Carol Ann Duffy, 53, will take over the post from current poet laureate Andrew Motion.

Thursday, April 30

Good morning!

REMINDER - US HISTORY REGENTS REVIEW today, Period 9, in Room 624

We will finish looking at the effects of World War II

Today in History:

1803

France sold Louisiana and adjoining lands to the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase.

1812

Louisiana became the 18th state in the United States.

1939

U.S. commercial television made its official debut at the New York World’s Fair.The signal was transmitted from the Empire State Building.

1945

Adolf Hitler and his newly married mistress Eva Braun committed suicide.

1948

The Organization of American States held its first meeting in Bogotá, Colombia.

1975

The Vietnam War ended with South Vietnam's surrender to North Vietnam.

1991

Over 131,000 were killed and as many as 9 million left homeless when a cyclone struck Bangladesh.

2003

Libya accepted responsibility for the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland.

Wednesday, April 29

Good morning!

Today we will begin looking at the causes/effects of World War II

Today in History:

1429

Joan of Arc entered the city of Orléans. She would end its months-long siege and would become known as the "Maid of Orléans."

1916

The Easter rebellion in Ireland ended with the surrender of Irish nationalists.

1945

American soldiers liberated the Dachau concentration camp.

1978

Japan's Naomi Uemura, traveling by sled dog, became the first person to reach the North Pole alone.

1980

Film director Alfred Hitchcock died at age of 80.

1986

Pitcher Roger Clemens set a major league baseball record by striking out 20 batters in a regular nine-inning game. He repeated his feat in 1996.

1992

A Los Angeles jury acquitted four police officers accused of beating Rodney King. Massive rioting and looting ensued.

1997

The first joint U.S.-Russian space walk was made by Jerry Linenger and Vasily Tsibliyev from space station Mir.

Tuesday, April 28

Good morning!

Today we will continue to study the Great Depression and Germany's rise from the ashes to begin the 2nd war in Europe.  Power point - Great Depression

Today in History:

1788

Maryland became the 7th state in the United States.

1945

Benito Mussolini was executed.

1967

Boxing champion Muhammad Ali refused to be inducted into the Army.

1992

The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture unveiled its first “food pyramid.”

2001

Dennis Tito became the first space tourist.

2004

The Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandal first comes to light when graphic photos of U.S. soldiers physically abusing and humiliating Iraqi prisoners were shown on CBS's 60 Minutes II.

Friday, April 24

Good morning!!

Yesterday was the 10th anniversary of YOU TUBE - what did we ever do before it came on the scene??

Regents Prep - GREAT SITE - regentsprep.org - REMEMBER, the exam is JUNE 16, 2015!!!!

This date in History:

1800

Library of Congress was established.

1898

Spain declared war on the U.S..

1915

Turks began deportation of Armenians that led to the massacre of between 600,000 and 1.5 million Armenians.

1916

The Easter Rebellion begins in Dublin, Ireland. Although unsuccessful, the uprising was an important symbolic event leading to the establishment of the Republic of Ireland.

1953

Winston Churchill was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.

1990

The shuttle Discovery blasted off with the Hubble Space Telescope.

Thursday, April 23

Good morning!

Guidance will be working with my US History classes today.

Today in History:

1616

Playwright William Shakespeare died in Stratford-on-Avon, England.

1954

Hank Aaron hit the first of his 755 home runs.

1969

Sirhan Sirhan was sentenced to death (later reduced to a life sentence) for the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy.

1985

Coca-Cola announced that it was changing its formula and introduced New Coke.

1998

James Earl Ray, convicted of assassinating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., died.

2004

The U.S. resumed diplomatic relations with Libya.

Wednesday, April 22

Good morning!

Today is Earth Day! The first Earth Day was observed in 1970.

We will wrap up "Cinderella Man" - it's a great film, isn't it!!

Today in History:

1616

The Spanish poet Cervantes died in Madrid. (Some sources say April 23.)

1864

Congress authorized the inscription "In God We Trust" on coins minted as U.S. currency.

1889

The land rush in Oklahoma began when it was opened to settlers.

1994

Richard M. Nixon died of a stroke at the age of 81.

2000

Armed immigration agents took Elian Gonzalez from the Miami home of his relatives to reunite him with his father.

Tuesday, April 21

Good morning!!

**US History Regents Review begins on 4/23, Period 9 in my room**

Today we will finish "Cinderella Man" and you will work on questions related to the film and the Great Depression.

Today in History

1836

Texan army under Sam Houston defeated Mexicans in the Battle of San Jacinto.

1910

Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain), author of the novel Huckleberry Finn, died at the age of 74.

1918

Baron Manfred von Richthofen, the notorious World War I German flying ace known as the "Red Baron," was killed in action today.

1980

Rosie Ruiz was the first woman to cross the finish line at the Boston Marathon. She was later disqualified for cheating.

1995

Timothy McVeigh was arrested in connection with the Oklahoma City bombing.

1997

The ashes of Timothy Leary, Gene Roddenberry, and 22 others blasted into space for the first space funerals.

Monday, April 20

Good morning!!!

We will continue viewing "Cinderella Man" on the Great Depression today.

Today in History

1769

Ottawa Indian chief Pontiac murdered.

1841

The first detective story, Edgar Allen Poe's Murders in the Rue Morgue was published.

1912

The Boston Red Sox played their first game at Fenway Park. They beat the N.Y. Highlanders (who in 1913 would become known as the Yankees) 7-6.

1971

The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the practice of busing for racial desegregation.

2008

Danica Patrick won the Indy Japan 300, becoming the first woman to win an IndyCar race.

2010

An explosion on a BP oil drilling rig off the coast of Louisiana kills 11 people and injures 17. Experts estimate that 13,000 gallons of crude oil per hour are pouring into the Gulf of Mexico.

Friday, April 17

Good morning!

Today we will begin viewing "Cinderella Man" a real-life story about 1 family's struggle during the Great Depression.

Today in History

1790

Benjamin Franklin, U.S. patriot, diplomat, and a signer of the Declaration of Independence, died in Philadelphia.

1937

Daffy Duck made his debut in Porky's Duck Hunt.

1961

Supported by the U.S. government, 1,500 exiles made the unsuccessful Bay of Pigs invasion in Cuba.

1964

Geraldine Mock became the first woman to fly solo around the world.

1969

Sirhan Sirhan was convicted for the murder of Robert F. Kennedy.

1970

The Apollo 13 astronauts safely splashed down after their near-disastrous flight.

Thursday, April 16

Good morning!

Today we will begin studying the causes/effects of the Great Depression.

Today in History

1917

Lenin returned to Russia after 10 years in exile in Switzerland.

1947

Financier Bernard Baruch coined the term “cold war” in a speech in South Carolina.

1947

Most of Texas City, Tex., destroyed when French ship Grandcamp exploded.

1972

China sent President Nixon two giant pandas as a gift.

1999

Hockey great Wayne Gretzky announced his retirement.

2007

A male student, Cho Seung-Hui, killed two in a Virginia Tech dorm, then killed 30 more 2 hours later in a classroom building. His suicide brought the death toll to 33, making the shooting rampage the most deadly in U.S. history. Fifteen others were wounded.

Wednesday, April 15

Good morning! Today is Income Tax Day in the US - filers have until midnight tonight to send in their tax forms.

We will be viewing America, The Story of US today on the Great Depression.  Also, check out this link - Daughter sends Astronaut Dad a message

Today in History

1817

Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet opened the first free American school for the deaf in Hartford, Conn.

1861

In response to the attack on Fort Sumter three days earlier, President Abraham Lincoln declared a state of insurrection and called out Union troops.

1912

Titanic sank off the coast of Newfoundland on its maiden voyage after it struck an iceberg.

1920

A paymaster and guard were murdered in Braintree, Mass. Sacco and Vanzetti were accused of the crime.

1947

Jackie Robinson made his Brooklyn Dodger debut and scored the game-winning run. On April 15, 1997, his number, 42, was retired.

1955

Ray Kroc acquired McDonald's and opened his first restaurant in Des Plaines, Ill., today the official McDonald’s Corporate Museum.

2013

Two bombs exploded at the Boston Marathon in Boston, Massachusetts, killing 3 and injuring at least 170 others.

Tuesday, April 14

Good morning!!  Today is the 150th anniversary of Lincoln's death.

Chapter 20-21 test today!! When you are finished, you will begin working on Chapter 22 Key Terms.

Today in History

1775

Benjamin Rush was among those who founded the first American antislavery society.

1828

Noah Webster copyrighted the first edition of his dictionary.

1860

The first pony express rider reached his destination of San Francisco. He left St. Joseph, Mo., on April 3.

1865

Abraham Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth.

1912

Titanic hit the iceberg that would sink her the next morning.

1969

In a record breaking night at the Academy Awards, a tie between Katherine Hepburn and Barbra Streisand resulted in the two sharing the the Best Actress Oscar and Hepburn broke the record as the only actress to win three Best Actress Oscars.

2010

An explosion in the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland results in a volcanic ash plume in the atmosphere over northern and central Europe. Air travel in the region is halted for several days.

Monday, April 13

Good morning!!! Reminder - Test tomorrow - Chapter 20/21

Power point on the  - Harlem Renaissance

Power point on  - Prohibition

Today in History

1964

Sidney Poitier became the first African American to win the Academy Award for best actor.

1970

Apollo 13 announced "Houston, we've got a problem," when an oxygen tank burst on the way to the Moon.  See a clip; here from the film, Apollo 13 - Apollo 13 - Houston, we have a problem

1997

Tiger Woods became the youngest person to win the Masters Tournament and the first of African descent to win a major golf title.

2004

Barry Bonds hit his 661st homer, passing Willie Mays to take third place on the lifetime list.

Friday, April 10

Good morning!!
 Today we will continue to study the Roaring 20's. There will be a test on Tuesday.
***We will begin Regents Review next Friday and continue every Friday thereafter. A great source if you want to get ahead is regentsprep.org***

Enjoy the weekend!

This date in history:

1790

The U.S. patent system was formed.

1849

The safety pin was patented by Walter Hunt, in New York.

1866

The American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) was chartered.

1912

Titanic set sail on its fateful voyage.

1947

Branch Rickey of the Brooklyn Dodgers announced that Jackie Robinson had signed with the team.

1970

Paul McCartney announced the official split of the Beatles.

2003

The U.S. House passed the "Amber Alert" bill. It provided a system for alerting the public about missing or abducted children.

Thursday, April 9

Good Morning!

TODAY IS THE 150th ANNIVERSARY OF THE END OF THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR

Today we will review the Politics of the Roaring Twenties - Roaring 20's power point

1865

Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered to Gen. Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House, ending the US Civil War.

1914

The first full-color film, The World, The Flesh and the Devil, was shown in London.

1939

Contralto Marian Anderson, after being denied performing at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C., gave a concert at the Lincoln Memorial.

1942

American and Philippine troops on Bataan were overwhelmed by Japanese forces during World War II. The "Bataan Death March" began soon after.

1959

NASA announced the selection of America’s first astronauts, including Alan Shepard and John Glenn.

1963

Winston Churchill became the first honorary U.S. citizen.

1992

Former Panamanian ruler Manuel Noriega was convicted of drug and racketeering charges.

2003

American Marines pulled down Saddam Hussein’s statue in Baghdad after U.S. commanders declared his rule ended

Wednesday, April 8

Good morning! Today we will finish up yesterday's power point (if we didn't already) and you will work on notes from Chapter 19 Section 3 & 4 on World War I.

Today in History

1513

Ponce de León claimed Florida for Spain.

1913

The 17th Amendment was ratified, requiring the direct election of U.S. senators by popular vote rather than by the state legislators.

1935

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) was approved by Congress to help alleviate joblessness during the Great Depression.

1946

The League of Nations assembled for the last time.

1973

Artist Pablo Picasso died.

1974

Henry "Hank" Aaron hit the 715th home run of his career, breaking Babe Ruth's record. CLICK HERE TO SEE  Hank Aaron's Record-breaking home run

1992

Tennis ace Arthur Ashe announced that he had AIDS.

Tuesday, April 7

Good morning!! Welcome Back!! I hope everyone had a wonderful Spring Break!! Today we will look at the causes of World War I Causes of World War I

Today in History:

1862

Gen. Ulysses S. Grant defeated the Confederates at the battle of Shiloh.

1913

5,000 suffragists march to the Capitol in Washington, D.C. , seeking the vote for women.

1927

U.S. secretary of commerce Herbert Hoover’s Washington speech was seen and heard in New York in the first long-distance television transmission.

1948

The World Health Organization, a UN agency, was founded.

1949

Rodgers’ and Hammerstein’s Pulitzer Prize winner, South Pacific opened on Broadway.

2009

Vermont becomes the fourth U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage, just days after Iowa becomes the third.