Dave Does History

We have this… myth… in our heads. It’s born from a combination of Manifest Destiny and the desire to see ourselves in a certain light, but the truth is that the Constitution of the United States was highly radical, highly controversial and absolutely not universally proclaimed as the best way of governing ourselves in 1787. Not only were there vicious and lengthy diatribes in newspapers and town m...

Among the memories I have from my time in New London, CT, at US Navy Submarine School, is a few moments on a bright but very cold January afternoon, listening to an audio tape. The problem with such memories is that I remember the sounds more than I recall the technical details. We were told that this was a highly classified recording of the direct loss of USS Scorpion on May 22, 1968. For all I k...

Around three in the morning on May 13, 1862, the lookouts aboard a Union Naval vessel blockading Charleston Harbor was surprised to see a vessel bearing down upon his ship. Sounding the alarm, the gun ports were opened and all was brought to preparation to open fire. It was then that the lookout noticed that the ship approaching wasn’t coming on too fast and flying from it’s mast appeared to be a...

Perhaps the most prescient act of the framers of the US Constitution was the establishment of an amendment process by which the document could be modified. Not in some instant, light and transient way, but with involvement of the peoples representatives, the States and the people themselves. It’s not easy to do, and, in fact, it should not be. As George Washington himself once said, any amendment...

Today, we embark on a journey back to the dawn of the American experiment. Our spotlight shines on the  first presidential term of George Washington , a time when the nation’s destiny hung in the balance. On  April 30, 1789 , amidst the grandeur of Federal Hall in New York City, Washington stepped onto a second-floor balcony to take the oath of office. His inaugural address, delivered with humilit...

On  April 24, 1183bce  (as determined by Eratosthenes the Beta), the City of Troy fell to the Greeks after nine years of devastating siege and bloody war. Few people today realize how many of our cultural values have been inculcated into us by the events of that day. The defeated Trojans would wander west and finally resettle in another city, this time one with seven hills. The Greeks would soon f...

The ocean is a dangerous place. I have always said to you that the ocean is always trying to kill you. And if you let your guard down, even for a second, it will. This week in 1900, the US Navy began its experience in challenging some of those dangers, as the USS Holland SS-1 was commissioned as the first submarine in the US Navy. It’s why we celebrate numerous Submarine Balls this week – to recal...

On the evening of  April 2, 1917 , President Woodrow Wilson stood before an excited Congress and Gallery, and asked that the nation declare war on Imperial Germany. In a strange way, this was the penultimate Wilson moment. He would ask – already knowing the answer – the nation to follow his leadership into a war to make the world safe for democracy. We are told that he had spent the night before i...

What if… we had a President who disagreed with Congress on everything? And when I say, “everything,” I mean… “everything?” What if the Congress passed a law that was so important to the national development of our society that it was deemed in many places, and a “new birth of freedom,” and the President, vetoed it? What would the reaction be? If this were to happen, how would it change the course...

Many people say that they “hate” Daylight Savings Time. Is that actually the case? Or is what they actually hate the twice a year fiddling with digital clocks in their cars? So it was that on March 19, 1918, the United States enacted the Standard Time Act, much of which remains on our law books today. But, was it just a war measure designed to held beat the Huns? Or was it a vast conspiracy by US...

One of the least discussed and acknowledged periods in US History got its start on March 11, 1880, with the birth of the man, Harry L. Laughlin, who would be among the driving figures in the eugenics movement in the United States. The ideas for which he would advocate included sterilization and would not actually end until well into the 1970s. It all sounds good on the surface – to improve humans...

On February 27, 1951, the United States ratified the 22nd Amendment, a pivotal moment in American constitutional history that imposed term limits on the presidency. This landmark amendment was the culmination of decades of debate over the concentration of power in the executive branch and reflected the nation’s evolving attitudes toward leadership and democracy. The genesis of the 22nd Amendment c...

Welcome to “Dave Does History,” on Bill Mick Live, this week we have a journey through the annals of history to the heart of the American Civil War, focusing on one of its lesser-known yet pivotal figures, General Joseph Finegan, and the defining moment of his military career: the Battle of Olustee. We will delve into the life of General Finegan, from his early days to his strategic triumph in Flo...

Yesterday was the birthday of Abraham Lincoln. Today on Bill Mick Live, Dave takes a very brief overview look at the life and legacy of one of the great Presidents of the United States. from his days in the Illinois Legislature to the US Congress, to the stump debating Stephen A. Douglas. His election as the first republican Party candidate for President would lead to the split of the nation and t...

Today, we turn back the pages to the era of revolutions and explore the life of a man whose pen ignited the flame of liberty across continents. Thomas Paine, a name synonymous with the struggle for freedom and democratic ideals, was more than just a writer; he was a visionary whose words laid the groundwork for modern democracies. From the humble beginnings in England to the battlefields of the Am...

In 1916, the United States Supreme Court delivered a landmark decision in the Brushaber v. Union Pacific Railroad Co. case, a ruling that profoundly shaped the legal landscape of federal income taxation in America. This case, brought forth by Frank Brushaber, a shareholder in the Union Pacific Railroad Company, challenged the constitutionality of the recently enacted federal income tax imposed by...

On January 17, 1920, the United States embarked on a bold and unprecedented social experiment with the enactment of Prohibition via the Volstead Act. This act, named after Congressman Andrew Volstead, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, who managed the legislation, was designed to enforce the 18th Amendment, effectively outlawing the manufacture, sale, and transportation of intoxicating liq...

There is perhaps, no single American Founding Father who has as much influence on your life today as does Alexander Hamilton. Born in obscurity, risen to glory, and fallen tragically, Hamilton’s story is one of relentless ambition, immense intellect, and enduring legacy. From the Caribbean isles to the heights of American politics, his life was a whirlwind of controversy, innovation, and drama. Jo...

Born on December 18, 1913, David M. Jones’s journey from a young dreamer to a revered military figure is a tale of bravery, innovation, and unwavering dedication. Today, we delve into the multifaceted life of this remarkable individual, from his early years and pivotal role in the daring Doolittle Raid, through his harrowing experiences in World War II to his post-war service as a test pilot and h...

In September 1787, after months of deliberation, the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia presented a new Constitution to the states for ratification. Pennsylvania, hosting the convention, was poised to play a critical role in the unfolding drama. The state was a microcosm of the broader national debate, encapsulating the tension between the desire for a strong central government and the fear...

For the anniversary of the Peal Harbor attack, Dave made an appearance on the Florida Round Table show with Bill Mick to talk about the USS Utah, a Florida Class Battleship, lost in the attack… On the morning of December 7, 1941, lying at berth F-11 on the west side of Ford Island, the USS Utah BB-31, a  Florida Class  battleship that had been disarmed and was now used as a training ship, awoke to...

Born on  December 5, 1782 , Martin Van Buren was the first American President who had been born a citizen of the United States. That said, his first language was  NOT  English! He would go on to start a major political party and was long noted for his spectacular ability to conduct politics, leading to one of his nicknames, “The Little Magician.” Long distrustful of the banks, he found a home in t...

Sixty years ago this week, President Lyndon Johnson announced the formation of the Warren Commission to investigate the assassination of John Kennedy. The Nation was deep in shock and needed some reassurance. One year and eight hundred and eighty-eight pages later, the commission announced its findings. Those can be boiled down to this: Lee Harvey Oswald fired the Magic Bullet that killed Presiden...

Over the course of eight days, beginning on the 25th of Kislev (this year, the evening of December 7th), Jews around the world will light the  Hanukkiah, or Hanukkah Menorah . Each night, a new candle is added, until the light from the Menorah is brilliant and fills the home with its life and luster. Almost twenty-two hundred years ago, the Jews sought to rededicate the Temple in Jerusalem. The Te...

In the annals of American history, few figures have stirred as much controversy and debate as Senator Joseph McCarthy. Known for his relentless pursuit of alleged communists within the United States government during the early 1950s, McCarthy’s actions and the era named after him, “McCarthyism,” have become synonymous with witch hunts and unfounded accusations. But who was Joseph McCarthy beyond t...