Fountain Pen Patent
Fountain pen improvement was patented by William B. Purvis in 1890. His improvement, patent number 419,065, provided an ink reservoir inside the pen so that writers did not have to carry a bottle of ink around. Children can check out his design at: William B. Purvis.
Kay Chorao (born Ann McKay Sproat in Elkhart, Indiana, 1936) writes and illustrates books for children. In addition to writing and illustrating her own books, she has illustrated books for other authors, including Jane Yolen, Judith Viorst, and Marjorie Weinman Sharmat. Chorao’s books include Cathedral Mouse and Here Comes Kate.
Eleanor Clymer (born New York, New York, 1906; died Haverford, Pennsylvania, March 31, 2001) wrote at least 58 children’s books. She is best known for The Trolley Car Family and The Tiny Little House. Children can learn more at: Eleanor Clymer.
Millard Fillmore
Millard Fillmore (born Cayuga County, New York, 1800; died Buffalo, New York, March 8, 1874) was the thirteenth president (1850-1853) of the United States. He succeeded Zachary Taylor in 1850 when the latter died. Prior to being president, he had been a congressman for four terms. His party did not nominate him for the 1852 presidential contest. He campaigned during the 1856 race for the “Know-Nothing Party,” but he lost. Children could visit a website at: Millard Fillmore.
Minfong Ho (born Yangon, Myanmar, 1951) writes books, usually about life in Asia, for children. Her book Hush! A Thai Lullaby, illustrated by Holly Meade, received a 1997 Caldecott Honor Award.
Zora Neale Hurston (born Notasulga, Alabama, 1891; died Fort Pierce, Florida, January 28, 1960) was a writer. Perhaps her most famous work is Their Eyes Were Watching God. Older readers could visit a website devoted to her at: Zora Neale Hurston.
Jacques Etienne Montgolfier (born Vidalon-lez Annonay, Ardeche, France, 1745; died Serrieres, France, August 2, 1799) was an inventor and a balloonist. He and his brother, Joseph Michael, experimented with fabric balloons and smoke. Eventually they conducted the first hot air balloon flight. Idea: children could conduct experiments with balloons. Consider having balloon races.
George Washington
George Washington gave the first State of the Union message in 1790. The Constitution requires that the president “shall from time to time give to the Congress information of the state of the union, and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.” Washington chose to deliver this message via a speech. So did John Adams. However, from Jefferson to Taft the messages were reports, often lengthy and detailed, delivered to Congress. Washington’s State of the Union message suggested that the military be strengthened and that a standard set of weights and measures be developed. Children can read his message, and find all the other State of the Union messages, at an amazing website: http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=29431
Amendment Eleven to the Constitution was adopted in 1798. States could not be sued by people from another state or by other countries.
Battle of New Orleans
Battle of New Orleans took place in 1815. Great Britain and the United States were still fighting in the War of 1812. The battle began around December 12, 1814. The British wanted to seize New Orleans and control the Mississippi River region. Of course, the Americans wanted to retain ownership of the city and the river. General Andrew Jackson’s American troops crushed the British. However, both sides later found out that a peace treaty had been signed two weeks prior to the battle. Andrew Jackson became a real hero! Older children can read copies of original documents at: Archives. Here is an interesting note about history. This battle was so popular in the United States, and Andrew Jackson became so popular in the United States, that January 8th was actually a national holiday as important as July 4th until around 1845!
Herman Hollerith’s 1890 Tabulating Machine
Herman Hollerith patented his tabulating machine in 1889. This machine, instrumental in calculating census data, was a precursor to today’s computers. Children can view his patent at: http://www.google.com/patents/US395782. Idea: Children could make a timeline of inventions important to the development of the computer.
Lee J. Ames (born New York, New York, 1921; died Huntington, New York, June 3, 2011) was an artist and an illustrator. He illustrated and/or wrote about 180 books. Famous for his Draw 50…books, he also illustrated books written by many authors, including Isaac Asimov, Alvin Silverstein, and Herbert Spencer Zim.
Floyd Cooper (born Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1956; died Easton, Pennsylvania, July 16, 2021) wrote and/or illustrated 110 books for children. He received the 2009 Coretta Scott King Medal for illustrating The Blacker the Berry. He has also earned Coretta Scott King Honor Awards for illustrating Meet Danitra Brown by Nikki Grimes, Brown Honey in Broomwheat Tea by Joyce Carol Thomas, and I Have Heard of a Land also by Joyce Carol Thomas.
Judith Bloom Fradin (born Chicago, Illinois, 1945) writes nonfiction books for children. Her books include The Power of One: Daisy Bates and 
the Little Rock Nine and Jane Addams: Champion of Democracy. She co-wrote many books with her husband, Dennis Brindel Fradin. He passed away not long ago. I hope she continues to write books that children so desperately need.
Stephen Hawking (born Oxford, United Kingdom, 1942; died Cambridge, United Kingdom, March 14, 2018) was a theoretical physicist studying concepts on relativity and black holes. One of his most famous books is A Brief History of Time. He wrote with his daughter, Lucy Hawking, three books for children, George and the Big Bang, George’s Secret Key to the Universe, and George’s Cosmic Treasure Hunt. Children can read more about him at a website devoted to him: http://www.hawking.org.uk/.
Stephen Manes (born Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1949) writes books for children. A former writer on computers and technology, Manes has written over 30 books for children. His books include How to Be a Perfect Person in Three Days and Where Snowflakes Dance and Swear. Older children can read more about him at: Stephen Manes.
Elvis Presley Meets Richard Nxon
Elvis Presley (born Tupelo, Mississippi, 1935; died Memphis, Tennessee, August 16, 1977) was a rock and roll star and actor. His works include Jailhouse Rock and Heartbreak Hotel. He also acted in 27 movies. Idea: Have an Elvis impersonation event.
Marjorie Priceman (born Long Island, New York, 1958) has written and/or illustrated at least 30 books for children. She has earned two Caldecott Honor Awards: in 2001 for Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin and in 2006 for Hot Air!: The (Mostly) True Story of the First Hot-Air Balloon Ride.
Elisabetta Sirani (born Bologna, Italy, 1638; died Bologna, Italy, August 28, 1665) was one of a handful of women painters of the time. She painted almost two hundred works of art and established a painting school for women. Children can view two of her works at: Elisabetta Sirani.
Connecticut State Flag
Connecticut became the fifth state in the United States by ratifying the Constitution in 1788. The state’s name means, “beside the long tidal river.” Connecticut is forty-eighth in size, but it is the twenty-ninth most populous state. Hartford is the state capital, but Bridgeport is the state’s largest city. Idea: The state’s song is Yankee Doodle. Children could play the song on kazoos.
Jean Pierre Blanchard made the first balloon flight in the United States in 1793. President George Washington and other officials watched the 46 minute flight, staged in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Blanchard landed in New Jersey. Children can read an extensive article on the flight at: Blanchard. Children could also read The First Air Voyage in the United States: The Story of Jean-Pierre Blanchard by Alexandra Wallner.
Fisk School
Fisk School opened in 1866. The school’s population was comprised of African Americans because at the time most of them were being denied access to education. General Clinton B. Fisk provided the building in Nashville, Tennessee. The first students ranged in age from 7 to 70. Fisk School became Fisk University in 1867.