| Monday, May 9, 2005 |
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| John Brown's Fort in Harper's Ferry |
SpotlightAbolitionist John Brown was born on this day in 1800. In 1859, Brown and a small band of followers seized the U.S. arsenal at Harpers Ferry, now in West Virginia, in an attempt to free slaves by force. A detachment of marines reclaimed the arsenal and captured Brown, who was tried for treason, convicted, and hanged on December 2, 1859.
Quote"The Civil War divided a nation, whereas the American Revolution created and unified it. The Civil War exposed our vilest flaws, whereas the Revolution shaped our character and (we generally assumed) displayed our courage, principles, and high-mindedness for all the world to see." -- Michael Kammen
Today in History
- the Pill: oral contraceptive approved by FDA (1960)
- Tom Cruise: married Mimi Rogers (1987)
- Vietnam: Former POW Douglas Peterson became US ambassador to Hanoi (1997)
Today's Birthdays
- James Barrie: Peter Pan playwright (1860-1937)
- actors: Albert Finney (69), Candice Bergen (59)
- Billy Joel: singer/songwriter (56)
Word of the Dayasterism: in astronomy, a recognizable pattern of stars; slaves who escaped through the Underground Railroad used a code referring to the asterism within the Big Dipper, pointing due North, to freedom.
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