Stories of the Month

March 2025

Hoover Dam Completed 1936

Construction on the enormous dam began in 1933 and was completed two years later. Built with 3.2 million cubic yards of concrete, Hoover Dam is some 726 feet high, ranking 20th in the world for height.

Salem Witch Trials - Arrests 1692

On the 1st of March, 1692, Sarah Goode, Sarah Osborne and a servant named Tituba were arrested for ''witchcraft'' in the village of Salem. The situation led to one of the darkest times in early American history.

Henri Becquerel Discovered Radioactivity 1896

Henri Becquerel accidentally discovered radioactivity on the 1st of March, 1896. Watch this video clip to see what happened.

Wellington Disaster- America's Worst Avalanche 1910

Two Great Northern Railroad trains were swept away in America's worst-ever Avalanche early in the morning on March 1, 1910. This video provides details about the disaster.

Yellowstone - The First National Park 1872

Yellowstone became America's first national park on the 1st of March, 1872. Take a look at how the park - and other areas of unspoiled beauty - appeared at the time.

King Kong - 1933 Film

The original ''King Kong'' movie was 80 years old in 2013. It opened on the 2nd of March, 1933, at New York's Radio City Music Hall. Check-out the trailer for its re-release.

Texas declared independence from Mexico, 1836

Texas was still part of Mexico, until this day in 1836. independence began when a former Spanish mission known as ''The Alamo'' was captured by rebel forces.

Dresden - ''Smashed to Atoms'' 1945

After heavy RAF bombing of Dresden, Germany, in February of 1945, America's 8th Air Force bombed the city again, on the 2nd of March. Watch the historical footage.

John Dillinger-Jail Break with a Wooden Pistol 1933

On this day in 1933 John Dillinger was in the Lake County jail. Reportedly using a homemade wooden gun, Dillinger escaped! Learn more through historical footage.

The Star-Spangled Banner

Francis Scott Key's famous poem became America's official national anthem on March 3, 1931. Learn the story and see the famous, now-restored flag.

Mount Rushmore 1933

On the 3rd of March, 1933, Mt. Rushmore was dedicated. Learn what made anyone decide to carve the heads of presidents on the side of a mountain.

Story of Helen Keller 1887

Helen Keller, overcoming blindness and deafness, learned how to communicate. On March 3, 1887, her world changed when Annie Sullivan became her teacher, showing her how to understand words with her hands and fingers.

President Roosevelt - ''Fear Itself'' 1933

On March 4th, 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt became America's 32nd president. Watch his inaugural speech in which he declared: ''The only thing we have to fear is - fear itself.''

King Charles II Grants William Penn a Land Charter 1681

King Charles II owed a debt to William Penn's father. Living above his means, while still in England, Penn (the son) called-in the debt of his father. To satisfy that debt, the King gave Penn a land charter for what became Pennsylvania.

Copernicus - On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres 1616

In 1616 Copernicus' book ''de Revolutionibus'' was placed on the Catholic Forbidden index. Watch this video, read it's description and learn more about Copernicus and his theory.

Churchill and the Iron Curtain 1946

Winston Churchill gave his famous 'Iron Curtain' speech in Fulton, Missouri, on this day in 1946. Watch the video of that famous speech.

Nosferatu - Famous Film 1922

On the 5th of March, 1922, ''Nosferatu'' - a silent film based on Bram Stoker's ''Dracula'' - premiered in Berlin. For many film scholars, the work still defines the horror genre.

Missouri Compromise - How Did It Work? 1820

The Missouri Compromise was signed into law by President Monroe on March 6th 1820. It attempted to 'fix' the problem of free states versus slave states.

Remember the Alamo 1836

On March 6th 1836, the battle of the Alamo ended as Mexicans defeated Texans. Texas State Archives, provides significant primary sources help us to study the events.

SR-71- Fastest Plane Sets a Record 1990

March 6th, 1990, an SR-71 Blackbird set a speed record when it flew across the United States in 67 minutes & 54 seconds. Have a look at this video to learn more.

Allied Bombing of Berlin - Historical Footage 1945

American bombers staged the first U.S. raid on Berlin, Germany's capital, on the 6th of March, 1945. This historic footage depicts some of the scenes.

Great Mahele - Hawaiian Land Division

Learn how foreign advisers influenced the Hawaiian King to change the law to benefit non-Hawaiians. The Great Mahele (division of land) was signed on March 7th, 1848.

Bloody Sunday - The First March and the Story behind the Movie ''Selma''

On March 7, 1965, a peaceful civil-rights march was broken-up by state and local lawmen armed with billy clubs and tear gas. Watch the historical footage to see what occurred on this day and the rest of the month as people struggled for voting rights

Insulin - A Life-Saving Discovery 1921

On March 8th, 1921, Dr. Banting requested use of lab space at the University of Toronto. He later discovered insulin, a medical breakthrough for diabetics. Learn the story how a doctor, without a medical practice, changed the world for diabetics.

Russian Revolution - Strikes in St Petersburg 1917

The events, which took place on March 8, 1917 started the ''Russian Revolution.'' This video clip combines historical footage and recreated events to depict what happened.

Fire Bombs over Tokyo 1945

American B-29 bombers began to fly bombing missions over Tokyo in March 1945. See what happened to the Japanese people, and their capital, on the night of March 9th.

Amistad Captives are Freed 1841

On the 9th of March, 1841, the U.S. Supreme Court set the Amistad captives free. The verdict was controversial and not applauded by all.

Harriet Tubman

On the 10th of March, in a disputed year, Harriet Tubman was born ''Araminta Ross.'' She became one of the most famous ''conductors'' of the Underground Railroad.

Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter-Arrival at Mars 2006

The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter - known as the MRO - arrived at Mars on March 10th, 2006. Learn what the MRO is and how it works

Alexander Fleming - Discovery of Penicillin

The story of the ''wonder drug,'' penicillin, begins with Dr. Alexander Fleming who died on the 11th of March, 1955. Learn more from this video clip.

Spanish Flu - ''We Heard the Bells'' 1918-19

On this day, in WWI, a cook at Ft. Riley, became ill, the first-known person to contract the ''Spanish Flu.'' The pandemic ultimately caused more deaths than the war itself.

Sendai Earthquake- Chaos in a Grocery Store 2011

Watch a video that incorporates the everyday-life moments in a grocery store as the Sendai earthquake shakes Japan on March 11, 2011.

Sendai Earthquake and Tsunami 2011

After a massive 8.9 earthquake occurred near Sendai, Japan - on March 11, 2011 - a deadly tsunami came ashore. Click on the video to watch.

Spanish Flu Pandemic

With the world already at war, something even more terrible developed in March, 1918. Soldiers in Kansas got sick, very sick. The illness is now known as ''Spanish Flu.''

The ''Anschluss" of Austria Begins 1938

The ''Anschluss'' of Austria begins as German troops enter that country. Adolf Hitler annexes his homeland of Austria, making it a Third-Reich province, the next day.

Les Miserables - The Story and The Stage Production

Victor Hugo's novel, transformed into a musical, opened on Broadway March 12, 1987. Learn about the back story of ''Les Miserables'' and hear a dramatization of key chapters.

Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Explosion 2011

The day after a 8.9-magnitude earthquake impacted Japan in 2011, a nuclear power plant at the Fukushima complex exploded. This video clip shows what happened.

Andrew Johnson - An American President Faces Impeachment 1868

Not content to wait for Congressional input and action, U.S. President Andrew Johnson moves forward with his Reconstruction Plan for the American South. He faces an impeachment trial which he won by a single vote.

Uncle Sam and His First Appearance as a Character 1852

''Uncle Sam'' first came to symbolize the United States government on the 13th of March, 1852, when he debuted as a character in the New York Lantern. That image was created by an artist named Frank Bellew.

Eli Whitney Gets a Patent for the Cotton Gin 1794

After Eli Whitney invented his cotton gin, making it much easier to separate cotton seeds from the cotton bolls, cotton growers in America's South planted more and more cotton. This had a direct impact on increasing the number of slaves.

Verdun - Mort-Homme Ridge 1916

During World War I, the battle for France was costly beyond all measure. One of the worst battles of all took place at Verdun. On the 14th of March, 1916.

How to Celebrate ''Pi''

This STEM-themed holiday is an ideal time to plan some Pi-filled activities for your classroom or for children at home.

Discovery of Anti-Matter 1962

On the 15th of March, 1962, five research groups announced the discovery of anti-matter. What is anti-matter? Can scientists create it? Learn more in this video.

Julius Caesar and the Ides of March 44 B.C.

March 15th, 44 B.C. - Julius Caesar was assassinated by some of his closest and trusted associates. This animated version, of Shakespeare's play, summarizes the events of a world-changing day.

Nathaniel Hawthorne and ''The Scarlet Letter'' 1850

Nathaniel Hawthorne published his famous novel, ''The Scarlet Letter,'' on the 16th of March, 1850. Was the author writing about his family?

Magellan Reaches The Philippines 1521

Ferdinand Magellan, whose voyage of discovery circumnavigates the globe, reaches The Philippines (where he dies a month later). Only 1 of his 5 ships makes it back to the starting point after a very difficult 3-year journey.

Dr. Robert Goddard - ''The Moon Man'' 1926

This rare footage depicts a young Dr. Goddard, aka ''Father of Modern Rocketry'', launching the first liquid-fueled rocket on the 16th of March, 1926.

Hilarious Story about St. Patrick

Irish school children, in the 1960s, tell the story of St. Patrick. The soundtrack is coupled with a great animation.

St. Patrick of St. Patrick's Day

Who was the real St. Patrick? We take a trip back in time to better understand the man and the legends.

Bobby Jones and the Game of Golf 1902

Born on St Patrick's Day, in 1902, Bobby Jones became one of the world's best golfers. He had a dream to build a stunning golf course which became the Augusta National. It's where ''The Masters'' is played every spring.

Aleksei Leonov and the World's First Space Walk 1965

Aleksei Leonov became the first person to walk in space. The achievement nearly turned into a disaster when Leonov’s space suit unexpectedly inflated more than anyone expected. For a time, he couldn’t get back into the space capsule.

Parliament Repeals the Stamp Act 1766

After many complaints about the Stamp Act, and a direct appeal to Parliament by Benjamin Franklin, the unpopular law was repealed on March 18, 1766. However, Parliament passed the Declaratory Acts the same day, leading to more discord in the Colonies

Japanese-Americans - Relocated 1942

March 18, 1942, the U.S. government established the War Relocation Authority to take Japanese-Americans into custody. Watch a film to learn the reasons why President Roosevelt signed the Executive Order causing this to happen.

Tuskegee Experiment - 99th Pursuit Squadron 1941

The first African-American pilot squadron - known as the 99th Pursuit - became active on the 19th of March, 1941. It was known as the ''Tuskegee Experiment.''

Falklands War - Argentina Invades South Georgia Island 1982

On March 19, 1982, Argentina invaded South Georgia Island, part of the Falklands. This video clip gives background about the British-Argentinian dispute.

FDR - Attempted Assassination as President-Elect 1933

Giuseppe Zangara was executed in Florida for the attempted assisination of FDR on March 20, 1933. Click on the link to watch historic footage, including an interview with Zangara.

"Uncle Tom's Cabin" Published 1852

''Uncle Tom's Cabin'' - a book by Harriet Beecher Stowe - was published on March 20, 1852. It was an important American anti-slavery tool during pre-civil war years.

Einstein's Theory of General Relativity 1916

Watch a video explanation of Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity (which he published on March 20, 1916).

Sharpeville Massacre 1969

On March 21, 1969, unarmed people, protesting Apartheid laws, were fired-on by local police. The massacre which followed is remembered as ''Human Rights Day'' in South Africa.

Battle of the Somme - Historic Footage

During WW II, German troops launched the second battle of the Somme on March 21, 1918. This clip, from the first battle of the Somme, depicts what it was like to be in the trenches.

Selma-to-Montgomery March 1965

On March 21, 1965 civil-rights activists led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., began a successful march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. See the documentary about the march.

Stamp Act - A Surviving ''Stamp'' from 1765

Parliament passed the ''Stamp Act,'' which infuriated the American colonists, on the 22nd of March, 1765. This photo depicts one of the much-despised stamps which required people to pay a tax on all kinds of items including newspapers & playing cards

Martin Luther King, Jr., Convicted in Bus-Boycott Case 1956

When Rosa Parks was arrested for not giving-up her seat on a Montgomery bus, MLK was not-yet nationally known. He organized a long-lasting bus boycott, leading to his 22 March 1956 conviction (and 386-day sentence) under an archaic Alabama law.

Patrick Henry's Speech - Were the Words Really His Words? 1775

A brilliant orator, Patrick Henry often gave his speeches extemporaneously. Dig a little deeper into his ''Liberty or Death'' speech to learn whether all those famous words were really his. You might be surprised at what the evidence reveals.

Patrick Henry - "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death" 1775

One of the most-famous quotes, from the American Revolutionary War, comes from Patrick Henry's speech on March 23, 1775. Mr. Reedus voices those words in this video clip.

Invention of Coca Cola 1886

In March of 1886, Dr. John Pemberton created a secret formula for a drink he called Coca-Cola. Until 1905, the drink contained the cocaine alkaloid. Learn more in this story.

Poll Tax - Riots in Britain 1990

Riots erupted throughout Britain in March of 1990 in response to the ''Poll Tax.'' The video clip tells us more about it.

Tuberculosis - What is It 1882

On the 24th of March, 1882, Dr Robert Koch announced the discovery of the bacteria which causes tuberculosis, TB. Explore an old-fashioned video to learn more about TB.

A Visit to Titan - Saturn's Largest Moon

Christiaan Huygens discovered Saturn's largest moon - known as Titan - on the 25th of March, 1655. Learn more from a video of a probe descent onto Titan's surface.

Triangle Shirtwaist Fire 1911

March 25, 1911 was the day of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, in New York City. Watch this video and read the accompanying story to learn more about this terrible disaster.

Discovery of Titan - Saturn's Largest Moon 1655

A Dutchman named Christiaan Huygens made a remarkable discovery on March 25, 1655. With the use of his relatively powerful telescope, he ''found'' Titan, Saturn's largest moon.

Beethoven's Music - 2nd Movement, 7th Symphony

See Beethoven's 7th Symphony performed by the Berlin Philharmonic (under the direction of Herbert Von Karajan who never looks at a score and keeps his eyes shut throughout).

Understanding Beethoven's 5th Symphony

Beethoven died on the 26th of March, 1827. Go back in time, to the early days of television, to watch Leonard Bernstein explain Beethoven's 5th Symphony.

Death of Beethoven 1827

On the 26th of March, 1827, Ludwig van Beethoven died a very painful death. What happened to cause his death - and - how did he spend his last months?

"Typhoid Mary" - Healthy Carrier of Disease 1915

Dubbed ''Typhoid Mary,'' a young woman was quarantined on March 27, 1915 for being a carrier of the disease. Click through to the video to learn her improbable story.

Thomas Jefferson - ''The Silent Member'' 1775

On March 27, 1775, a man who did not enjoy public speaking, Thomas Jefferson, was elected to the Continental Congress. Who was he? Why was he called ''The Silent Member'' of Congress?

Disaster at Tenerife 1977

The world's worst airline accident happened on the island of Tenrife, on March 27, 1977. This video includes stories of the few survivors of the plane collision.

Virginia Woolf - Only Surviving Voice Recording

Virginia Woolf, the famous British author, drowned in a river near her home on the 28th of March, 1941. A single recording of her voice survives.

Byzantium, Constantinople & Istanbul - Naming a City 1930

Starting as a town founded by Greek colonists, circa 657 BC, Byzantium becomes Constantinople, then Instanbul - all depending on who conquers the strategically located city. The Turks made ''Istanbul'' official on 28 March 1930.

WWII - Food Rationing in the U.S. 1943

As World War II dragged on, rationing of certain food products began on the 29th of March, 1943. Read more about it in this chapter of ''Children in War.''

Man o' War - Great 20th-Century Thoroughbred - Born 1917

Man o' War - one of the 20th-century's greatest thoroughbreds - was foaled, in Kentucky, on 29 March 1917. Not just a major champion in his own right, Man o' War sired War Admiral and grand-sired Seabisuit. He lived for 30 years.

President Reagan Describes the Shooting

President Reagan describes what happened during the attempted assassination and its ensuing events (including jokes he made in the hospital). Watch a part of that video interview.

Eiffel Tower Officially Opens 1889

The Eiffel Tower, which officially opened on March 31, 1889, draws 7 million annual visitors, but most may not realize it was originally slated for a very short lifespan. Learn more about the tower and its planned 20-year life in this video clip.

Alaska Purchase 1867

On the 30th of March, 1867, America purchased Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million. Some people felt that buying Alaska did not make sense, and called the purchase ''Seward's Folly.''

Attempted Assassination of President Reagan 1981

President Reagan survived an attempted assassination on March 30, 1981. This clip, of that event, depicts the chaotic situation which ensued immediately after the shooting. Decades later, Jim Brady, Reagan’s press secretary, died from his wounds.

Van Gogh's ''Vase with 15 Sunflowers''

On March 30, 1987, a single van Gogh painting - ''Vase with 15 Sunflowers'' - sold for $39.5 million. Have a look, and learn about the artist who couldn't find buyers for his art work during his own lifetime.

President Johnson - Announces He Will not Seek Reelection 1968

When President Johnson requested broadcast time on March 31, 1968, Americans expected a briefing on Vietnam, not on LBJ. This video contains some of that historic footage. More turmoil followed when Dr. King (MLK) was assassinated 5 days later.

''Remember the Ladies'' - Abigail Adams 1776

On the 31st of March, 1776, Abigail Adams wrote a letter to her husband, John Adams. She urged him to ''remember the ladies'' in the colonies' Declaration of Independence. He, and his colleagues, did not follow her advice.

World's First Jet Fighter 1945

On the last day of March, in 1945, a defecting German pilot turned over his Messeschmitt Me 262A-1 - the world's first operational jet-powered fighter aircraft - to Allied forces. Take a look in this video.

Mar 1: Hoover Dam Completed 1936

Mar 1: Salem Witch Trials - Arrests 1692

Mar 1: Henri Becquerel Discovered Radioactivity 1896

Mar 1: Wellington Disaster- America's Worst Avalanche 1910

Mar 1: Yellowstone - The First National Park 1872

Mar 2: King Kong - 1933 Film

Mar 2: Texas declared independence from Mexico, 1836

Mar 2: Dresden - ''Smashed to Atoms'' 1945

Mar 3: John Dillinger-Jail Break with a Wooden Pistol 1933

Mar 3: The Star-Spangled Banner

Mar 3: Mount Rushmore 1933

Mar 3: Story of Helen Keller 1887