Archived Stories
Thomas Jefferson: A Man of Many Talents
He was a lawyer. He was a farmer. He was an architect who designed beautiful buildings. And, he was a politician who served in the Virginia legislature. He wrote the Declaration of Independence. He founded the University of Virginia. He was the 3rd...
Mark Twain: A Good Riverboat Pilot and a Great Writer
His real name was Samuel Langhorne Clemens, but he's best known by his pen name: Mark Twain. Sam Clemons grew up in Hannibal, Missouri, which is a town located along the Mississippi River. So, it's no surprise that as a young boy, Sam dreamed of becoming...
July 4th, 1776: The Declaration of Independence
Each year, on the 4th of July, Americans celebrate the signing of The Declaration of Independence. So what, exactly, is it? The Declaration of Independence is a document signed by members of America's Second Continental Congress. The document stated that the colonies...
The Mighty Mississippi: It’s a Mighty Big River
No wonder they call it, "The Mighty Mississippi." The Mississippi River is America's largest river by far. It's about 2,320 miles long. It passes by 10 states. And, water from 31 states drains into it. It is also one of the world's most important...
Ida B. Wells: She Fought for Fairness
It took courage for Ida B. Wells to speak out against hate and prejudice, but that's exactly what she did. Wells was born in Holly Springs, Mississippi in 1862. Her parents were slaves, so she was a slave, too. But before her first birthday, Ida was freed...
Ben Franklin, Publisher of Poor Richard’s Almanac
Ben Franklin was one of America's Founding Fathers, and he was also a talented inventor. But he achieved his first success as the writer and publisher of a very popular once-a-year book entitled Poor Richard's Almanac. When Franklin got his start in publishing,...