Articles by Kelli Ballard

Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams (1775–1852) was the wife of John Quincy Adams, the sixth president of the United States. She was also the first first lady born outside the US — she was born in London, England. Louisa Adams –… Read More

Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution in 1787, making it the first state in the new Union. It is the second smallest state in America and has only three counties: New Castle, Kent, and Sussex. All three… Read More

Labor Day is a time each year when Americans celebrate hard workers and their contributions to the nation’s strength, prosperity, and well-being. But labor looked a lot different when this nation first began than it does today, and none of… Read More

James Buchanan was the 15th president of the United States. He was born on April 23, 1791 to an Irish immigrant in Cove Gap, Pennsylvania. Like many of his predecessors, he attended and then studied law. Buchanan’s political career began… Read More

Connecticut was one of the first 13 colonies established in the New World, and it has a history full of famous people and sayings. This state was first inhabited by the Native Americans, then the Dutch, who got pushed out… Read More

Colorado is sometimes referred to as the “Centennial State” in honor of the one-hundredth year of the Declaration of Independence and the date it was admitted into the Union on November 7, 1876. It is the 38th state. Like many… Read More

Elizabeth Monroe (born Elizabeth Kortright) may not have had any political aspirations, but she would grow up to become a first lady to James Monroe, the fifth president of the United States. Unlike her predecessor, Dolley Madison, Elizabeth enjoyed solitude… Read More

California, the Golden State, was the 31st state to be added to the Union. It is the third-largest, after Alaska and Texas, and has a rich history in Native American life, Spanish ministry, and gold mining. Because of the differing… Read More

“No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.” – Robert Frost Robert Lee Frost (March 26, 1874 – January 29, 1963) is still today one of America’s most… Read More

The Territory of Arkansas became the 25th state of the Union on June 15, 1836. “Arkansas” is a French interpretation of the Native American Sioux tribe’s word “acansa,” which means downstream place. The Early Years Thousands of years ago, the… Read More

Franklin Pierce (1804-1869) was born in Hillsborough, New Hampshire, on November 23, 1804. He was elected to the New Hampshire state legislature at the young age of 24, and then at 26, he became the body’s speaker. Pierce was a… Read More

Arizona was the 48th state admitted into the United States, but its history spans many thousands of years. Over the past 2,000 years, the society developed and became more advanced. This more developed group, now referred to as Native Americans,… Read More