Articles by Kelli Ballard

“I’ve been completely fascinated with history because it tells everything about what’s going to happen next because it’s cyclical, everything repeats in general.” ~ Emile Autumn January 15, 1870: The Democratic Party Gets Its Donkey Symbol Have you ever wondered… Read More

“There runs a strange law through the length of human history – that men are continually tending to undervalue their environment, to undervalue their happiness, to undervalue themselves.” ~ G.K. Chesterton January 8, 1815: The Battle of New Orleans It… Read More

“Memoirs are the backstairs of history.” ~ George Meredith January 8, 1790: George Washington Delivers First State of the Union Address America’s Founding Father and first president, George Washington, had a very difficult task ahead of him. Not only was… Read More

“If history repeats itself, and the unexpected always happens, how incapable must Man be of learning from experience.” ~ George Bernard Shaw December 27, 1831: Charles Darwin Sets Out on His Expedition Around the World Charles Darwin is history’s most… Read More

Just about everyone who celebrates Christmas these days have at least one beautifully decorated Christmas tree. The tree is such a prominent part of the holiday, there’s a song all about it – “O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree, How… Read More

“Hindsight is the historian’s necessary vice.” ~ Hilary Mantel December 20, 1606: Expedition to America and Establishment of Jamestown In 1492, Christopher Columbus reached the New World and began a race between countries to establish colonies in the unclaimed territory…. Read More

The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights are the founding documents of the United States. A good deal of work – and debate – went into each, and so the Bill of Rights we know today… Read More

“Certain periods in history suddenly lift humanity to an observation point where a clear light falls upon a world previously dark.”  ~ Anne Sullivan December 13, 1577: Sir Francis Drake Started His Trip Around the World Francis Drake was the… Read More

“I go into my library and all history unrolls before me.” ~ Alexander Smith December 6, 1877: Thomas Edison Makes First Recording on Phonograph There have been a lot of great technological advancements just in the last couple of decades,… Read More

“A library is the delivery room for the birth of ideas, a place where history comes to life.” ~ Norman Cousins November 28, 1520: Ferdinand Magellan Sails Around the World Centuries ago, people used to believe that the world was… Read More

“The historian will tell you what happened. The novelist will tell you what it felt like.” ~ E.L. Doctorow November 21, 1783: The First Hot-Air Balloon Flight Today, it might not seem like a big deal to fly in a… Read More

“What is history? An echo of the past in the future; a reflex from the future on the past.” ~ Victor Hugo November 14, 1889: Nellie Bly Started Her Around the World Trip When Jules Verne wrote Around the World… Read More