(October 25, 1800–December 28, 1859), was an English statesman, essayist, historian and poet. He was a member of Parliament, 1830–56, an eloquent debater, and he served on the Supreme Council in India. His writings were highly popular, as he made historical figures come alive with a vivid style. His works include the Lays of Ancient … Continue reading “MACAULAY,
THOMAS BABINGTON, LORD”
BANCROFT, GEORGE
(October 3, 1800–January 17, 1891), was a historian, diplomat and educator. He served as Secretary of Navy under President Polk, 1845–46, directing the establishment of the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, as well as the Naval Observatory at Washington, D.C. He served as U.S. Minister to Great Britain, 1846–49; and later Germany. In 1834, he … Continue reading “BANCROFT,
GEORGE”
MCGUFFEY, WILLIAM HOLMES
(September 23, 1800–May 4, 1873), was an American educator. He was the president of Ohio University, professor at the University of Virginia and the department chairman at the Miami University of Ohio. He was responsible for forming the first teachers’ association in that part of the nation. Considered the “Schoolmaster of the Nation,” McGuffey published … Continue reading “MCGUFFEY,
WILLIAM HOLMES”
BROWN, JOHN
(May 9, 1800–December 2, 1859), was an abolitionist, reformer and northern martyr. In his efforts to free the slaves, he opened his barn in Pennsylvania as a station on the Underground Railroad, and even lived in a black community for a time. He also took extreme steps, most notably the killing of settlers who believed … Continue reading “BROWN,
JOHN”
FILLMORE, MILLARD
(January 7, 1800–March 8, 1874), was the 13th President of the United States, 1850–53; Vice-President under Zachary Taylor, 1848–50, assuming the Presidency upon Taylor’s death; sent Commodore Perry to Japan, opening the trade routes to the Far East; signed the Compromise Act of 1850; admitted California, which had just begun the Gold Rush, into the … Continue reading “FILLMORE,
MILLARD”
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
(1800), was set up primarily to assist Congressmen in preparing laws, although it is open to all scholars. Burned by the British during the War of 1812, it was subsequently rebuilt. In 1897, it was relocated into its present building, and, in 1938, an annex was added. Numerous quotations from Scripture can be found within … Continue reading “LIBRARY
OF CONGRESS”
CHOATE, RUFUS
(October 1, 1799–July 13, 1859), was a lawyer, U.S. Representative from Massachusetts, 1831–34, and U.S. Senator, 1841–45. Before he was six years old, he had become so familiar with John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress as to repeat from memory large portions of it. Famous for his definition of a lawyer’s vacation being “the space between a … Continue reading “CHOATE,
RUFUS”
MARYLAND SUPREME COURT
(1799), decided the case of M’Creery’s Lessee v. Allender, a dispute over whether an Irish emigrant, Thomas M’Creery, had become a naturalized American citizen and was thereby able to leave an estate to a relative who still lived in Ireland. The court decided in M’Creery’s favor, based on a certificate executed before Justice Samuel Chase. … Continue reading “MARYLAND
SUPREME COURT”
KENTUCKY RESOLUTIONS
(November 16, 1798), stated: III. Resolved, that it is true as a general principle, and is also expressly declared by one of the amendments of the Constitution that “the powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively or to the … Continue reading “KENTUCKY
RESOLUTIONS”
SMITH, JEDEDIAH STRONG
(June 24, 1798–May 27, 1831), was an American trader and explorer. His expeditions were exceeded in importance only by those of Lewis and Clark. He help lead expeditions up the Missouri River, with characters such as keelboatmen Mike Fink, Talbot, and Carpenter. He led expeditions across the Rocky Mountains, 1822–26; from California to the Oregon … Continue reading “SMITH,
JEDEDIAH STRONG”