Fun and Amazing Facts About the United States!
These facts contain some little-known and curious facts about the United States and its history! Feel free to read and enjoy them all. All facts have been taken from various sources and have been checked for accuracy as much as possible.
The oldest capital city in the U.S. is Santa Fe, New Mexico, founded in 1610.
Grand Canyon of the Snake River, Idaho, is deeper than the Grand Canyon in Arizona.
Blackbeard, the infamous pirate, was killed in an inlet near Ocracoke Island, North Carolina, in 1718.
George Washington was in command of the first U.S. "navy," created in 1775. It started with 4 ships. The ships were sold after the war and the "real" navy began in 1798.
The 33rd president was Harry S. Truman. What is his middle name? His parents were going to give him the name Shippe or Solomon, the names of his grandfathers. They could not agree, so they gave him just an initial, "S."
In 1918 a flu epidemic killed 548,000 people in the U.S.
The tallest point in Florida is only 345 feet.
Ever hear of the American Girl Guides ? Probably not. They are now known as the Girl Scouts.
Ford Motor Company paid its auto workers $5 per day in 1914.
American Indians were not made citizens of the U.S. until congress acted in 1924.
Neil Armstrong was the first man on the moon, everyone knows that. But did you know that he was almost the first man "lost" in space ? He was aboard Gemini 8 when it began spinning out of control while attempting a docking maneuver. Armstrong almost blacked out before correcting the problem.
The last known passenger pigeon, Martha, died in 1914 at a Cincinnati zoo. They were then extinct.
Peanut butter was invented by the brilliant African-American scientist George Washington Carver. (1864-1943)
Zamboni machines, the ice rink resurfacers, were invented and still being manufactured near Los Angeles, California. Sonja Henie had one made for her.
Skylab, the first American space station, fell to the earth in thousands of pieces in 1979. Thankfully most over the ocean.
1816 has been called the "Year Without Summer." Canada and the northeastern U.S. experienced cold and snow throughout the summer months. An erupting volcano in the Dutch East Indies was to blame.
The tomato was put "on trial" on September 25, 1820 in Salem, New Jersey. In front of a courthouse, Robert Johnson ate a basket of tomatoes to prove they were not poisonous. The crowd waited for him to keel over dead. He never did.
The streets in Virginia City, Nevada, were once unknowingly paved with silver ore. When the locals found out what it was, they tore up the streets in a frenzy in less than 2 days.
The first rockets in America were deployed by the British against Fort McHenry in the War of 1812. This attack was witnessed by Francis Scott Key who immortalized them in what is now our national anthem.
President Trump is listed as our 45th president, but only 44 men have held the office. Why? Grover Cleveland held office during 2 nonconsecutive terms. He was our 22nd and 24th president. Incidentally, his full name is Stephen Grover Cleveland.
The Missouri River is 2,466 miles long and the Mississippi River is 2,348 miles. Why is the Mississippi called our longest river? The Missouri is not continuous. More correctly, the Mississippi should be referred to as the longest continuous river.
In 1811, earthquakes hit an area near Tiptonville, Tennessee, and created what was to become Reelfoot Lake. It is 14 miles long.
The United States captured Mexico City in 1847.
John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died on July 4, 1826. This was 50 years to the day after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Roger Sherman, was the only shoemaker to sign the Declaration of Independence.
The Rolling Stones gave their first official concert in the United States in San Bernardino, California, June 1964.
