On October 12, 1492, Christopher Columbus’s expedition finally reached the Americas and landed in the Bahamas. This made him one of the first Europeans to journey to the Americas, a pivotal moment in world history. This can be seen in Columbus’ report to Spain, outlining his discovery and how it has the potential to change… Read More »Columbus’ Report to Spain: The Letter That Launched the Age of Exploration
In 1962, the Second Vatican Council, also known as Vatican II, was opened by Pope John XXIII to discuss how the Roman Catholic Church could be modernized. As part of this event, Pope John XXII created the Humanae Salutis, which he had written several months prior. In this letter, he discussed the need for the… Read More »Pope John XXIII’s Humanae Salutis: The Letter That Changed the Catholic Church Forever
On October 8, 1871, the Great Chicago Fire began. What was rumored to have been caused by a single oil lamp that was left too close to a cow quickly grew to become one of the most devastating urban fires in U.S. history? The ensuing inferno lasted for over two days and spread across the… Read More »The Night of the Great Chicago Fire: What Really Happened on October 8, 1871
As the dust settled on the battle of Gettysburg, Abraham Lincoln would visit the cemetery to discuss the future of the war. Here he would give the famous Gettysburg Address. This short speech, with only 272 words, was written on the back of an envelope. This short letter reaffirmed America’s values of freedom and how… Read More »Gettysburg Address: 272 Words Changed the Course of History!
With accusations of misappropriating public funds, Richard Nixon needed something big to save his career. This came in the form of a dog and his televised letter. In this address, he successfully won the public’s hearts and showed them a different side of him. Rather than resigning in disgrace, Richard Nixon was able to survive… Read More »How A Televised Letter And A Dog Saved Nixon’s Career
Before Paul Revere’s famous Midnight Ride on April 18, 1775, there was a lesser-known revolutionary crisis that led to the battle. This was when the British attempted to capture the colonial stockpiles in Concord, Massachusetts. This was caused by Joseph Warren who warned Paul about the British plan and allowed the colonial militias to make… Read More »A Revolutionary Crisis: The Letter That Warned the Colonies
During his exploration across the Pacific, Ferdinand Magellan recruited Antonio Pigafetta, as a chronicler for his expedition. This conquistador’s letters and documents soon became known as “The First Voyage Around the World”. His writings tackle the journey across the world including the hardships and struggles they faced that led to the death of most of… Read More »The Shocking Conquistador’s Letter Reporting Magellan’s Death
As the Allied Forces planned their dramatic return to Europe in WWII, General Dwight Eisenhower hoped to inspire the troops who would spearhead this invasion. Before the D-Day operation began, he read his famous Order of the Day letter. This was a letter he had created years before in preparation for their invasion of Nazi-occupied… Read More »Eisenhower’s Order of the Day: The Letter Which Rallied the Troops During D-Day
The letter by Esther Hart, a famous Titanic survivor remains one of the most well-known documents about the Titanic. Esther’s letter was written just hours before the fateful incident and provides a rare glimpse of the Titanic before the incident happened, the peaceful description contrasting sharply with the disaster that unfolded. It remains one of… Read More »Esther’s Letter Before the Titanic Sunk: A Chilling Prelude to A Disaster
On September 18, 1793, the first cornerstone of what would become Washington DC was placed on the ground. This marked the beginning of the construction of the capital and the US Congress. To celebrate this occasion, George Washington would write his Capitol Letter, celebrating this event. Almost two and a half centuries later, that same… Read More »The Capitol Letter: What Laid the Foundation for Washington DC
