Around Kansas Constitution Hall Lecompton
Our favorite Kansas historian in exile is with us this morning. Michelle Martin is coming to us from Arizona with a story about one of my favorite places in Kansas and hers too. Good morning, Michelle.
Michelle: Good morning, Deb. From time to time, I want to use my historical adventure segments on this show to introduce our viewers to some of Kansas’ incredible historic sites and structures. Today, we're going to take a trip to the community of Lecompton and Constitution Hall. With the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act in May 1854, settlers began streaming into Kansas territory. People from all parts of the Northern, Eastern and Southern United States made their way to Kansas to settle and vote in territorial elections to decide the fate of the new territory. Would Kansas be a free or slave state?
Among the settlers who trekked to Kansas was Samuel Jefferson Jones, a Virginia native, and entrepreneur. A pro-slavery advocate, Jones was active in Kansas territorial politics. He was appointed Sheriff of Douglas County by Governor Daniel Woodson in 1855. From 1855 to 1861. The community of Lecompton formerly known as Bald Eagle served as the territorial capital of Kansas territory.
Located near the Coon river, the community was an ideal location for settlers given the rich land, access to river transportation, and its status as the territorial capital. In 1856 the enterprising Jones constructed a multi-storey wood-frame structure in Lecompton and rented its rooms to various organizations. This building would come to be known as Constitution Hall.
During the tumultuous debate of Kansas’ entry into the union, Constitution Hall was one of the busiest places in the territory. The first floor of the hall housed the United States Federal Land Office. Settlers eager to stake their claims to land in the territory registered their claims here. The Territorial Legislature used the second floor of Constitution Hall as its meeting place in 1857.
Here legislators drafted and debated the Lecompton Constitution, which called for Kansas to enter the Union as a slave state. In addition, Constitution Hall's second floor was also home to the district court, which met occasionally to enforce territorial laws and here cases brought before the bench. When Free State forces led by Charles Robinson and James Henry Lane, assumed the legislative control of the territory in the fall of 1857, Constitution Hall once again played host to the legislature.
However, given the building's connection to the pro-slavery faction, the legislature moved its meetings to the Free State stronghold of Lawrence in 1858. With Kansas’ entry into the Union in 1861, Constitution Hall took on new tenants and functions in the community. Freemasons, Odd fellows, the Rebecca Lodge and the Grand Army of the Republic, all used Constitution Hall as a meeting place.
The building also housed a hotel, dry goods store, undertaker's parlor, telephone office, public polling station, and community assembly hall. Sadly, by the 1970s, the oldest wooden structure in Kansas was showing her age. In 1974, Constitution Hall was designated a national landmark and through the tireless efforts of community historians like Paul Bond Meyer, and legislators Wind Winter and Frank Gaines, Constitution Hall was gifted to the Kansas Historical Society.
After extensive restoration, the site opened to the public and as a focal point of community pride. Constitution Hall is a touchdown to the past, where visitors can stand where history was made. The first floor features the Federal Land Office exhibit, and the wooden candle box stuffed with fraudulent election ballots in favor of the Lecompton Constitution is on display. The second floor serves as a meeting space, where educational programs like the Bleeding Kansas Lecture Series are presented for the public.
The Lecompton Reenactors, a volunteer living history organization, help bring the men and women of Lecompton and Constitution Hall also passed to life at the site. Today, Constitution Hall is a state historic site operated by the Kansas Historical Society and Site Administrator Tim Lewis. On occasion, Tim can be found shouting defiance from the front porch of Constitution Hall much like Jim Lane did so many years ago. Thanks for joining me today. I look forward to our next historical adventures somewhere around Kansas.
Deb: Well, happy Wednesday morning. As always, we appreciate you sharing part of your day with us and we'll see you somewhere around Kansas.
Lecompton, Kansas Historic Sites
Join me on a visit to Lecompton, Kansas!
Constitution Hall State Historic Site:
Lane University & Territorial Capital Museum:
Battle of Fort Titus:
Democratic Headquarters:
Lecompton, Kansas:
Around Kansas - State and National Historical Sites in KS - Nov. 18, 2015
(Deb) Welcome back and Frank and I are always encouraging you to get out and see the state and there's so much to see and do of course. And again, following up on a theme of what to get people for Christmas, there are memberships available at the friends' groups that support a lot of our state and national historic sites. But there's a few in particular I wanted to share with you today. And the Parks and Tourism asked me to write a blog for them a while back and we'll share that link for you. They wanted me to name my ten favorite sites and I thought, well that's the way to make enemies, you know, win friends and influence people. So, what I did was preface what I wrote about by saying if it's a state site or if it's a national site, it's so designated for a good reason. And those are places that you just ought to see. Period. So, with that being said, what's your favorite state or national site? (Frank) Oh boy... (Deb) What's one you love to go see? (Frank) Well I think, the Tall Grass Prairie. (Deb) Oh yea. (Frank) I mean it's a beautiful, beautiful place. It's been well preserved. And you can go there and just kind of spend a couple hours or you can go there and actually spend a week if you want because of all the hiking and camping trails and all that. And any time of the year is a good time to go there because it changes with the seasons. So, Tall Grass Prairie, I think is...now that's a national site... (Deb) It's beautiful. (Frank) It's a beautiful place. (Deb) It's beautiful. When my sister came out to visit a few years ago, that's one of the places I took her to because it so much exemplifies the prairie and that era, when the farmhouse was built there. So that's a beautiful, beautiful site. Now, one of my favorite state sites is the Pawnee Indian site, in Republic County, because it's on an actual site of an Indian Village. It's so unique. It's one that is sort of off the beaten path So, a lot of people don't pass it every day. You have to sort of be on your way to get there. But that's one, everybody's got to see that one at some point. So, let's take a look at a few others. The story of Kansas is interpreted through dozens of historic sites around the state. Each tells one piece of the story whether it is westward expansion, the struggle for statehood, or the rich and varied cultures that have called Kansas home. There are four National Park Service sites: Forts Scott and Larned, Brown V Board, and Nicodemus. In addition, the Tallgrass Prairie Natural Preserve celebrates the grassland ecosystem of the Great Plains. Five nationally recognized trails cross Kansas: the Santa Fe , with more miles in Kansas than any other state; the Pony Express; the Oregon; the California; and Lewis and Clark. Signage and sites along the way, in addition to pre-recorded audio tours, are available for the explorer. The Kansas State Historical Society administers several sites including its museum and the newly restored statehouse. They are Constitution Hall in Lecompton, Fort Hays, Grinter Place, Hollenberg Station, Kaw Mission, Shawnee Indian Mission, Pawnee Indian Museum, Red Rocks, Home of William Allen White, and Mine Creek Battlefield. Self-guided sites are Iowa and Sac & Fox Mission, Pawnee Rocks, and Marais des Cygnes Massacre site. Partner sites are Cottonwood Ranch, the First Territorial Capital, Goodnow House, and the John Brown Museum. Merely listing these names gives you an idea of the variety of eras and stories represented at each of these places. Many of them have Friends Organizations and gift shops. Support those with your dollars. Take the kids. Take the grandkids. Pick up a National Park Service passport and encourage your family to begin collecting the stamps from across the nation, Kansas first. Often, we plan trips to experience something new when we haven't even experienced what we have here at home. Click your heels and repeat, There's no better history than in Kansas, There's no better history than in Kansas, there's no better history than in Kansas! (Frank) Gee, we're out of time again. So well, I'm Frank. (Deb) I'm still Deb. (Frank) And we'll see you, somewhere... (Both) Around Kansas.
Lecompton Historic Marker
The sign reads..
“ LECOMPTON
CAPITAL OF KANSAS TERRITORY
In 1855 the new town of Lecompton was named the capital of Kansas Territory. President James Buchanan appointed a governor and officials to establish government offices in Lecompton, and construction began on an elegant capitol building. In the fall of 1857 a convention met in Constitution Hall and drafted the famous Lecompton Constitution, which would have admitted Kansas as a slave state. The constitution was rejected after intense national debate and was one of the prime topics of the Lincoln-Douglas debates. The controversy contributed to the growing dispute soon to erupt in civil war.
The Lecompton Constitution failed, in part because the antislavery party won control of the territorial legislature in the election of 1857. The new legislature met in Constitution Hall, now a National Historic Landmark, and immediately began to abolish the proslavery laws. The victorious free-state leaders chose Topeka as capital when Kansas became a state in 1861.”
More info about Lecompton, Kansas;
The Lecompton Constitution by Stephen Levesque (C Period 10-11)
A two-minute video about the creation of the Lecompton Constitution during the period when Kansas was trying to become a state. The Lecompton Constitution would have made Kansas a slave state, which was against the wishes of the majority of Kansans.
MOOC | The Lecompton Constitution | The Civil War and Reconstruction, 1850-1861 | 1.7.6
Discover how the issue of slavery came to dominate American politics, and how political leaders struggled and failed to resolve the growing crisis in the nation.
A House Divided: The Road to Civil War, 1850-1861, is a course that begins by examining how generations of historians have explained the crisis of the Union. After discussing the institution of slavery and its central role in the southern and national economies, it turns to an account of the political and social history of the 1850s. It traces how the issue of the expansion of slavery came to dominate national politics, and how political leaders struggled, unsuccessfully, to resolve the growing crisis. We will examine the impact of key events such as Bleeding Kansas, the Dred Scott decision, the Lincoln-Douglas debates, and John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry, and end with the dissolution of the Union in the winter of 1860-1861.
This course is part of the series, The Civil War and Reconstruction, which introduces students to the most pivotal era in American history. The Civil War transformed the nation by eliminating the threat of secession and destroying the institution of slavery. It raised questions that remain central to our understanding of ourselves as a people and a nation — the balance of power between local and national authority, the boundaries of citizenship, and the meanings of freedom and equality. The series will examine the causes of the war, the road to secession, the conduct of the Civil War, the coming of emancipation, and the struggle after the war to breathe meaning into the promise of freedom for four million emancipated slaves. One theme throughout the series is what might be called the politics of history — how the world in which a historian lives affects his or her view of the past, and how historical interpretations reinforce or challenge the social order of the present.
Eric Foner, DeWitt Clinton Professor of History at Columbia University, is one of the most prominent historians in the United States. Professor Foner is the author or editor of over twenty books concentrating on the intersections of intellectual, political and social history and the history of American race relations. His recent book, The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery, was awarded the Pulitzer Prize, the Bancroft Prize, and the Lincoln Prize. He is the author of Give Me Liberty!: An American History, a widely-used survey textbook of U. S. history published by W. W. Norton. Additionally, he is the recipient of the Presidential Award for Outstanding Teaching from Columbia University. He is one of only two persons ever to serve as president of the three major professional organizations: the American Historical Association, Organization of American Historians, and Society of American Historians. As co-curator of two award-winning historical exhibitions, and through frequent appearances in newspapers and magazines and on radio and television discussion programs, he has also endeavored to bring historical knowledge to a broad public outside the university.
Enroll today!
See other courses in this series:
The Civil War and Reconstruction - 1861-1865
The Civil War and Reconstruction - 1865-1890
Credits: Many images courtesy of Eric Foner and Blackpast.org; the Chicago Historical Society; Colby College; Columbia University; Cornell University; Paul J. Cronin; HarperCollins; LaborArts.org; Library of Congress; Museum of Modern Art; New York University; the Roam Agency; Wikipedia; W. W. Norton & Co.; and additional cultural and educational institutions. The design, production, and distribution of The Civil War and Reconstruction” series is generously supported by the Office of the Provost at Columbia University.
The Civil War and Reconstruction course series is Copyright © 2014, Eric Foner and the Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York. Except where otherwise noted. Professor Foner’s course lecture videos in the series are licensed with the Creative Commons license BY-NC-SA 4.0, which means that anyone anywhere may copy, share, adapt, and remix the videos and the videos’ key media components, including transcripts, without having to ask for prior permission, as long as such sharing is done for noncommercial purposes and the original author, work, and copyright and Creative Commons notice above are cited. For more information, visit:
Visit Lecompton, Kansas!
Lecompton, Kansas has a lot to offer! Museums, historic sites, shopping, eating, beautiful scenery! Capital of Kansas during territorial days 1855-1861. This video was made in the Fall of 2013--we have even more here in town since the video was made!
Around Kansas - 2016 AASLH Award of Merit Winner - August 31, 2016
(Frank) Are you going to say, We're back or what? (Deb) We're back. (Frank) We're back. (Deb) We're back, and we want to give a shout out, today, to Lecompton. Historic Lecompton, of course, is one of our sponsors. There's always something great going on in Lecompton, and we appreciate their supporting our show. If you'd like to support our show too, you can just get in touch with us and go to our website, find us on Facebook, whatever. Just let us know. We'd love to have you here too. There's one of our fans now. Ross Freeman, who's the proprietor of this establishment. See, a few more like him and the Emmy would be ours, Frank. It would be ours. Back to people who really won an award-- (Frank) Well, Lecompton not only is historic but there along the river, it is a recreational area. That's where bald eagles also nest. It's something else to go and see over in Lecompton. (Deb) There's so much, and now that they've got the restaurant open and the shops, it's just—I cannot say enough good about Lecompton. (Frank) The thing is, though, I know I'm strange but, times that I go to visit Lecompton I kind of look around and say this could have been the capital of Kansas. (Deb) Almost was. (Frank) Okay, so it's a very small town now, but what if the capital was over there, I don’t know. (Deb) Almost was. (Frank) It's just my little strange mind that goes, I can't imagine, had this become the capital, what it would look like? (Deb) Yes, and it almost was the capital. We are so proud of the folks in Lecompton. Let’s take a look at what they've done. (Frank) The American Association for State and Local History has announced that Sandy Gantz, 4th grade teacher in the Perry-Lecompton School District, along with her school colleagues and Lecompton's museums, are the recipients of the prestigious Award of Merit for 4th Graders' QR Codes for Historic Lecompton Walking Tour. Sandy received a grant from Thrivent Life Insurance Company and contacted Constitution Hall, operated by Kansas Historical Society, and the Territorial Capital Museum, operated by the Lecompton Historical Society. At the beginning of the project, school buses took the students on a tour of the town with museum staff and volunteers providing the narration. The students explored and photographed the sites. Fifteen volunteers from the community were gathered to go to the school once a week for 6 weeks to help the kids do research on the15 different sites to be included on the Walking Tour. The students with their community volunteers researched by interviewing locals, searching period newspapers, and reading articles. The students produced a 1-3 minute video on the history of their assigned site. They also designed artwork in the shape of quilt blocks to identify their site, and put a QR code at each site so that visitors to the town could easily access the videos with their smartphones. The walking tour with a map and scavenger hunt was printed and distributed to local businesses. The grant Sandy received paid for the QR code signs and map printing. The project debuted in 2015 during Territorial Days, the town’s yearly June celebration when residents and visitors come to Lecompton for a parade, reenactments, festivities, and food. This year the only award presented in Kansas was to our Lecompton project. Presentation of the awards will be made in Detroit, Michigan, this September. Receiving the award for Lecompton will be Rev. Bob Dulin and his wife Alrutha of Detroit. Rev. Dulin is a life member of the Lecompton Historical Society and a 1959 graduate of the Lecompton High School.
John C. Breckinridge | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
John C. Breckinridge
00:03:50 1 Early life
00:06:39 2 Early legal career
00:09:04 3 Mexican–American War
00:11:47 4 Political career
00:11:56 4.1 Early political career
00:13:19 4.2 Kentucky House of Representatives
00:17:00 4.3 U.S. Representative
00:17:05 4.3.1 First term (1851–1853)
00:21:03 4.3.2 Second term (1853–1855)
00:24:34 4.3.3 Retirement from the House
00:26:24 4.4 Vice Presidency
00:32:55 4.5 Presidential campaign of 1860
00:39:24 4.6 U.S. Senator
00:44:15 5 Civil War
00:44:24 5.1 Service in the Western Theater
00:52:41 5.2 Service in the Eastern Theater
00:58:10 5.3 Confederate Secretary of War
01:02:31 6 Escape and exile
01:07:53 7 Return to the U.S. and death
01:12:13 8 Legacy
01:12:22 8.1 Historical reputation
01:13:18 8.2 Monuments and memorials
01:15:05 9 See also
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
Learning by listening is a great way to:
- increases imagination and understanding
- improves your listening skills
- improves your own spoken accent
- learn while on the move
- reduce eye strain
Now learn the vast amount of general knowledge available on Wikipedia through audio (audio article). You could even learn subconsciously by playing the audio while you are sleeping! If you are planning to listen a lot, you could try using a bone conduction headphone, or a standard speaker instead of an earphone.
You can find other Wikipedia audio articles too at:
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The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
John Cabell Breckinridge (January 16, 1821 – May 17, 1875) was an American lawyer, politician, and soldier. He represented Kentucky in both houses of Congress and became the 14th and youngest-ever Vice President of the United States, serving from 1857 to 1861. He was a member of the Democratic party. He served in the U.S. Senate during the outbreak of the American Civil War, but was expelled after joining the Confederate Army. He was appointed Confederate Secretary of War in 1865.
Breckinridge was born near Lexington, Kentucky to a prominent local family. After non-combat service during the Mexican–American War, he was elected as a Democrat to the Kentucky House of Representatives in 1849, where he took a states' rights position against interference with slavery. Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1850, he allied with Stephen A. Douglas in support of the Kansas–Nebraska Act. After reapportionment in 1854 made his re-election unlikely, he declined to run for another term. He was nominated for vice-president at the 1856 Democratic National Convention to balance a ticket headed by James Buchanan. The Democrats won the election, but Breckinridge had little influence with Buchanan and, as presiding officer of the Senate, could not express his opinions in debates. In 1859, he was elected to succeed Senator John J. Crittenden at the end of Crittenden's term in 1861. As vice president, Breckinridge joined Buchanan in supporting the pro-slavery Lecompton Constitution for Kansas, which led to a split in the Democratic Party.
After Southern Democrats walked out of the 1860 Democratic National Convention, the party's northern and southern factions held rival conventions in Baltimore that nominated Douglas and Breckinridge, respectively, for president. A third party, the Constitutional Union Party, nominated John Bell. These three men split the Southern vote, while more anti-slavery Republican candidate Abraham Lincoln won all but three electoral votes in the North, allowing him to win the election. Breckinridge carried most of the Southern states. Taking his seat in the Senate, Breckinridge urged compromise to preserve the Union. Unionists were in control of the state legislature, and gained more support when Confederate forces moved into Kentucky.
Breckinridge fled behind Confederate lines. He was commissioned a brigadier general and then expelled from the Senate. Following the Battle of Shiloh in 1862, he was promoted to major general, and in October he was assigned to the Army of Mississippi under Braxton Bragg. After Bragg charged that Breckinridge's drunkenness had contributed to defeats at Stone River and Missionary Ridge, and after Breckinridge joined many other high-ranking officers in criticizing Bragg, he was transferred to the Trans-Allegheny Department, where he won his most significant victory in the 1864 Battle of New Market. After participating in Jubal Early's campaigns in the Shenandoah Valley, Breckinridge was charged with defending supplies in Tennessee and Virginia. In February 1865, Confederate President Jefferson Davis appointed him Secretary of War. Concludi ...
Slaves seek freedom through NE Kansas underground railroad
KSNT News at 5 p.m.
Topeka, Kansas | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
Topeka, Kansas
00:01:39 1 History
00:01:48 1.1 Early history
00:02:38 1.2 19th century
00:07:40 1.3 20th century
00:12:48 1.4 21st century
00:13:45 1.4.1 Google, Kansas
00:14:58 2 Geography
00:16:01 2.1 Climate
00:18:41 3 Demographics
00:18:50 3.1 2010 census
00:21:13 3.2 2000 census
00:24:08 3.3 Crime
00:25:59 3.4 Religion
00:27:50 4 Economy
00:30:14 5 Arts and culture
00:30:23 5.1 Arts
00:30:44 5.2 Points of interest
00:32:15 5.3 Sports
00:32:23 5.4 Cuisine
00:33:06 6 Government
00:33:14 6.1 City
00:33:57 6.2 State
00:34:05 7 Education
00:34:14 7.1 Elementary and secondary education
00:35:21 7.2 Post-secondary education
00:36:04 8 Media
00:36:12 8.1 Print
00:36:36 8.2 Radio
00:37:04 8.3 Television
00:37:17 9 Infrastructure
00:37:26 9.1 Transportation
00:39:43 9.2 Utilities
00:40:05 9.3 Health care
00:40:26 10 Notable people
00:40:35 11 See also
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
Learning by listening is a great way to:
- increases imagination and understanding
- improves your listening skills
- improves your own spoken accent
- learn while on the move
- reduce eye strain
Now learn the vast amount of general knowledge available on Wikipedia through audio (audio article). You could even learn subconsciously by playing the audio while you are sleeping! If you are planning to listen a lot, you could try using a bone conduction headphone, or a standard speaker instead of an earphone.
You can find other Wikipedia audio articles too at:
You can upload your own Wikipedia articles through:
The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
Topeka (; Kansa: Tó Pee Kuh) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the seat of Shawnee County. It is situated along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 127,473. The Topeka Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Shawnee, Jackson, Jefferson, Osage, and Wabaunsee counties, had a population of 233,870 in the 2010 census.
The name Topeka is a Kansa-Osage sentence that means place where we dug potatoes, or a good place to dig potatoes. As a placename, Topeka was first recorded in 1826 as the Kansa name for what is now called the Kansas River. Topeka's founders chose the name in 1855 because it was novel, of Indian origin and euphonious of sound. The mixed-blood Kansa Native American, Joseph James, called Jojim, is credited with suggesting the name of Topeka. The city, laid out in 1854, was one of the Free-State towns founded by Eastern antislavery men immediately after the passage of the Kansas–Nebraska Bill. In 1857, Topeka was chartered as a city.
The city is well known for the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, which overturned Plessy vs. Ferguson and declared racial segregation in public schools to be unconstitutional. Three ships of the U.S. Navy have been named USS Topeka after the city.
Martin Van Buren | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
Martin Van Buren
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
Learning by listening is a great way to:
- increases imagination and understanding
- improves your listening skills
- improves your own spoken accent
- learn while on the move
- reduce eye strain
Now learn the vast amount of general knowledge available on Wikipedia through audio (audio article). You could even learn subconsciously by playing the audio while you are sleeping! If you are planning to listen a lot, you could try using a bone conduction headphone, or a standard speaker instead of an earphone.
You can find other Wikipedia audio articles too at:
You can upload your own Wikipedia articles through:
The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
Martin Van Buren (born Maarten Van Buren, December 5, 1782 – July 24, 1862) was the eighth President of the United States from 1837 to 1841. A founder of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the ninth Governor of New York, the tenth U.S. Secretary of State, and the eighth Vice President of the United States. He won the 1836 presidential election with the endorsement of popular outgoing President Andrew Jackson and the organizational strength of the Democratic Party. He lost his 1840 reelection bid to Whig Party nominee William Henry Harrison due in part to the poor economic conditions of the Panic of 1837. Later in his life, Van Buren emerged as an elder statesman and important anti-slavery leader who led the Free Soil Party ticket in the 1848 presidential election.
Van Buren was born in Kinderhook, New York to a family of Dutch Americans; his father was a Patriot during the American Revolution. He was raised speaking Dutch and learned English at school, making him the only U.S. President who spoke English as a second language. He trained as a lawyer and quickly became involved in politics as a member of the Democratic-Republican Party. He won election to the New York State Senate and became the leader of the Bucktails, the faction of Democratic-Republicans opposed to Governor DeWitt Clinton. Van Buren established a political machine known as the Albany Regency and in the 1820s emerged as the most influential politician in his home state. He was elected to the United States Senate in 1821 and supported William H. Crawford in the 1824 presidential election. John Quincy Adams won the 1824 election and Van Buren opposed his proposals for federally funded internal improvements and other measures. Van Buren's major political goal was to re-establish a two-party system with partisan differences based on ideology rather than personalities or sectional differences, and he supported Jackson's candidacy against Adams in the 1828 presidential election with this goal in mind. To support Jackson's candidacy, Van Buren ran for Governor of New York and resigned a few months after assuming the position to accept appointment as U.S. Secretary of State after Jackson took office in 1829.
Van Buren was a key advisor during Jackson's eight years as President of the United States and he built the organizational structure for the coalescing Democratic Party, particularly in New York. He resigned from his position in order to help resolve the Petticoat affair, then briefly served as the American ambassador to Britain. At Jackson's behest, the 1832 Democratic National Convention nominated Van Buren for Vice President of the United States and he took office after the Democratic ticket won the 1832 presidential election. With Jackson's strong support, Van Buren faced little opposition for the presidential nomination at the 1835 Democratic National Convention, and he defeated several Whig opponents in the 1836 presidential election. Van Buren's response to the Panic of 1837 centered on his Independent Treasury system, a plan under which the Federal government of the United States would store its funds in vaults rather than in banks. He also continued Jackson's policy of Indian removal; he maintained peaceful relations with Britain but denied the application to admit Texas to the Union, seeking to avoid heightened sectional tensions. In the 1840 election, the Whigs rallied around Harrison's military record and ridiculed Van Buren as Martin Van Ruin and a surge of new voters helped turn him out of office.
At the opening of the Democratic convention in 1844, Van Buren was the leading candidate for the party's nomination for the presidency, but his continued opposition to the annexation of Texas aroused the opposition of Southern Democrats and the party nominated James K. Polk. Van Buren grew increasingly opposed to slavery after he left office, and he agreed to lead a third party ...
The Local Show - August 1, 2013
School Security
In the wake of the school shooting in Newtown, both Kansas and Missouri passed measures which would allow teachers to carry guns. As the new school year approaches, Sam Zeff spoke with district leaders about changes in school security which include spending millions of dollars on reconstruction, technology and training. Amid concerns over liability coverage, only West Plains in Missouri has agreed to allow armed teachers.
Barnhart & Eickhoff's The Big Divide
Former Kansas City Star TV Critic Aaron Barnhart and Historian Diane Eickhoff have teamed up to write The Big Divide: A Travel Guide to Historic and Civil War Sites in the Missouri-Kansas Border Region. KCPT's Angee Simmons sat down with the authors to get to the heart of their fascination with these historical sites. With 130 attractions mentioned in the book, readers get a guided tour of each state's historical museums and monuments.
Creating Eyes with Ocularist Bud Turntine
This is the tale of two eyes and the man who made them. Bud Turntine is a board-certified ocularist who creates prosthetic eyes for patients out of his nondescript office in Shawnee, Kan. When you think of prosthetic eyes, images of round, glass eyeballs may come to mind. Indeed, fake eyes used to be made of glass -- over 60 years ago. Now, they are made from acrylic. Quite a bit of work, and artistry, goes into creating an ocular prosthesis and one area man, Bud Turntine, an aspiring artist in his youth, turned his talents into a 30-year career of creating what he calls 'wearable art'. Health desk reporter Todd Feeback takes us into his world as he creates eyes for two very different patients.
History of Minnesota | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
History of Minnesota
00:02:20 1 Native American inhabitation
00:06:12 2 European exploration
00:11:36 3 Territorial foundation and settlement
00:11:46 3.1 Land acquisition
00:13:34 3.2 Fort Snelling and the establishment of Minneapolis and Saint Paul
00:19:16 3.3 Early European settlement and development
00:21:15 3.4 Minnesota Territory
00:22:55 3.5 Statehood
00:26:24 4 Civil War era and Dakota War of 1862
00:29:33 5 Economic and social development
00:29:43 5.1 Farming and railroad development
00:33:51 5.2 Industrial development
00:35:34 5.3 Mayo Clinic
00:36:55 5.4 Urbanization and government
00:38:46 5.5 Great Depression
00:41:52 6 Modern Minnesota
00:42:01 6.1 Arts and culture
00:44:05 6.2 Minnesota in World War II
00:46:21 6.3 Modern economy
00:48:11 6.4 The digital state
00:49:40 6.5 Postwar politics
00:57:59 7 See also
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
Learning by listening is a great way to:
- increases imagination and understanding
- improves your listening skills
- improves your own spoken accent
- learn while on the move
- reduce eye strain
Now learn the vast amount of general knowledge available on Wikipedia through audio (audio article). You could even learn subconsciously by playing the audio while you are sleeping! If you are planning to listen a lot, you could try using a bone conduction headphone, or a standard speaker instead of an earphone.
You can find other Wikipedia audio articles too at:
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The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
The history of the U.S. state of Minnesota is shaped by its original Native American residents, European exploration and settlement, and the emergence of industries made possible by the state's natural resources. Minnesota achieved prominence through fur trading, logging, and farming, and later through railroads, and iron mining. While those industries remain important, the state's economy is now driven by banking, computers, and health care.
The earliest known settlers followed herds of large game to the region during the last glacial period. They preceded the Anishinaabe, the Dakota, and other Native American inhabitants. Fur traders from France arrived during the 17th century. Europeans moving west during the 19th century, drove out most of the Native Americans. Fort Snelling, built to protect United States territorial interests, brought early settlers to the area. Early settlers used Saint Anthony Falls for powering sawmills in the area that became Minneapolis, while others settled downriver in the area that became Saint Paul.
Minnesota gained legal existence as the Minnesota Territory in 1849, and became the 32nd U.S. state on May 11, 1858. After the upheaval of the American Civil War and the Dakota War of 1862, the state's economy started to develop when natural resources were tapped for logging and farming. Railroads attracted immigrants, established the farm economy, and brought goods to market. The power provided by St. Anthony Falls spurred the growth of Minneapolis, and the innovative milling methods gave it the title of the milling capital of the world.
New industry came from iron ore, discovered in the north, mined relatively easily from open pits, and shipped to Great Lakes steel mills from the ports at Duluth and Two Harbors. Economic development and social changes led to an expanded role for state government and a population shift from rural areas to cities. The Great Depression brought layoffs in mining and tension in labor relations but New Deal programs helped the state. After World War II, Minnesota became known for technology, fueled by early computer companies Sperry Rand, Control Data and Cray. The Twin Cities also became a regional center for the arts with cultural institutions such as the Guthrie Theater, Minnesota Orchestra, and the Walker Art Center.
Dwight Eisenhower | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
Dwight Eisenhower
00:05:04 1 Early life and education
00:11:10 2 Personal life
00:16:00 3 World War I
00:18:10 3.1 In service of generals
00:24:08 4 World War II
00:25:36 4.1 Operations Torch and Avalanche
00:28:57 4.2 Supreme Allied commander and Operation Overlord
00:32:22 4.3 Liberation of France and victory in Europe
00:35:19 5 After World War II
00:35:28 5.1 Military Governor in Germany and Army Chief of Staff
00:38:02 5.2 1948 presidential election
00:40:00 5.3 President at Columbia University and NATO Supreme Commander
00:45:42 5.4 Presidential campaign of 1952
00:49:41 5.5 Election of 1956
00:50:37 6 Presidency (1953–1961)
00:55:25 6.1 Interstate Highway System
00:57:06 6.2 Foreign policy
01:01:17 6.2.1 Space Race
01:03:54 6.2.2 Korean War, Free China and Red China
01:07:26 6.2.3 The Middle East and Eisenhower doctrine
01:10:28 6.2.4 Southeast Asia
01:14:00 6.2.5 1960 U-2 incident
01:16:31 6.3 Civil rights
01:20:07 6.4 Relations with Congress
01:24:16 6.5 Judicial appointments
01:24:25 6.5.1 Supreme Court
01:25:37 6.6 States admitted to the Union
01:25:56 6.7 Health issues
01:29:49 6.8 End of presidency
01:33:45 7 Post-presidency, death and funeral
01:37:06 8 Legacy and memory
01:43:24 9 Tributes and memorials
01:45:28 10 Awards and decorations
01:45:38 11 Other honors
01:47:08 12 Promotions
01:47:30 13 Family tree
01:47:39 14 See also
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
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The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
Dwight David Ike Eisenhower ( EYE-zən-how-ər; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American army general and statesman who served as the 34th President of the United States from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, he was a five-star general in the United States Army and served as Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces in Europe. He was responsible for planning and supervising the invasion of North Africa in Operation Torch in 1942–43 and the successful invasion of France and Germany in 1944–45 from the Western Front.
Born David Dwight Eisenhower in Denison, Texas, he was raised in Kansas in a large family of mostly Pennsylvania Dutch ancestry. His family had a strong religious background. His mother was born a Lutheran, married as a River Brethren, and later became a Jehovah's Witness. Even so, Eisenhower did not belong to any organized church until 1952. He cited constant relocation during his military career as one reason. He graduated from West Point in 1915 and later married Mamie Doud, with whom he had two sons. During World War I, he was denied a request to serve in Europe and instead commanded a unit that trained tank crews. Following the war, he served under various generals and was promoted to the rank of brigadier general in 1941. After the U.S. entered World War II, Eisenhower oversaw the invasions of North Africa and Sicily before supervising the invasions of France and Germany. After the war, Eisenhower served as Army Chief of Staff and then took on the role as president of Columbia University. In 1951–52, he served as the first Supreme Commander of NATO.
In 1952, Eisenhower entered the presidential race as a Republican to block the isolationist foreign policies of Senator Robert A. Taft, who opposed NATO and wanted no foreign entanglements. He won that election and the 1956 election in landslides, both times defeating Adlai Stevenson II. He became the first Republican to win since Herbert Hoover in 1928. Eisenhower's main goals in office were to contain the expansion of the Soviet Union and reduce federal deficits. In 1953, he threatened the use of nuclear weapons until China agreed to peace terms in the Korean War. China did agree and an armistice resulted that remains in effect. His New Look policy of nuclear deterrence prioritized inexpensive nuclear weapons while reducing funding for expensive Army divisions. He continued Harry S. Truman's policy of recognizing the Republic of China as the legitimate government of China, and he won congressional approval of the Formosa Resolution. H ...
Dwight D. Eisenhower | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
Learning by listening is a great way to:
- increases imagination and understanding
- improves your listening skills
- improves your own spoken accent
- learn while on the move
- reduce eye strain
Now learn the vast amount of general knowledge available on Wikipedia through audio (audio article). You could even learn subconsciously by playing the audio while you are sleeping! If you are planning to listen a lot, you could try using a bone conduction headphone, or a standard speaker instead of an earphone.
You can find other Wikipedia audio articles too at:
You can upload your own Wikipedia articles through:
The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
Dwight David Ike Eisenhower ( EYE-zən-how-ər; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American army general and statesman who served as the 34th President of the United States from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, he was a five-star general in the United States Army and served as Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces in Europe. He was responsible for planning and supervising the invasion of North Africa in Operation Torch in 1942–43 and the successful invasion of France and Germany in 1944–45 from the Western Front.
Born David Dwight Eisenhower in Denison, Texas, he was raised in Kansas in a large family of mostly Pennsylvania Dutch ancestry. His family had a strong religious background. His mother was born a Lutheran, married as a River Brethren, and later became a Jehovah's Witness. Even so, Eisenhower did not belong to any organized church until 1952. He cited constant relocation during his military career as one reason. He graduated from West Point in 1915 and later married Mamie Doud, with whom he had two sons. During World War I, he was denied a request to serve in Europe and instead commanded a unit that trained tank crews. Following the war, he served under various generals and was promoted to the rank of brigadier general in 1941. After the U.S. entered World War II, Eisenhower oversaw the invasions of North Africa and Sicily before supervising the invasions of France and Germany. After the war, Eisenhower served as Army Chief of Staff and then took on the role as president of Columbia University. In 1951–52, he served as the first Supreme Commander of NATO.
In 1952, Eisenhower entered the presidential race as a Republican to block the isolationist foreign policies of Senator Robert A. Taft, who opposed NATO and wanted no foreign entanglements. He won that election and the 1956 election in landslides, both times defeating Adlai Stevenson II. He became the first Republican to win since Herbert Hoover in 1928. Eisenhower's main goals in office were to contain the expansion of the Soviet Union and reduce federal deficits. In 1953, he threatened the use of nuclear weapons until China agreed to peace terms in the Korean War. China did agree and an armistice resulted that remains in effect. His New Look policy of nuclear deterrence prioritized inexpensive nuclear weapons while reducing funding for expensive Army divisions. He continued Harry S. Truman's policy of recognizing the Republic of China as the legitimate government of China, and he won congressional approval of the Formosa Resolution. His administration provided major aid to help the French fight off Vietnamese Communists in the First Indochina War. After the French left he gave strong financial support to the new state of South Vietnam. He supported local military coups against governments in Iran and Guatemala. During the Suez Crisis of 1956, Eisenhower condemned the Israeli, British and French invasion of Egypt, and he forced them to withdraw. He also condemned the Soviet invasion during the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 but took no action. During the Syrian Crisis of 1957 he approved a CIA-MI6 plan to stage fake border incidents as an excuse for an invasion by Syria's pro-Western neighbours. After the Soviet Union launched Sputnik in 1957, Eisenhower authorized the establishment of NASA, which led to the Space Race. He deployed 15,000 soldiers during the 1958 Lebanon crisis. Near the end of his term, his efforts to set up a summit meeting with the Soviets collapsed when a U.S. spy plane was shot down over Russia. He approved the Bay of Pigs invasion, which was left to his successor, John F. Kennedy, to carry out.On the domestic front, Eisenhower was a moderate conservative who continued New Deal agencies and expanded Social Security. He covertly opposed Joseph McCarthy and contributed to the end of McCarthyism by openly invoking executive privilege. Eisenhower s ...
Dwight D. Eisenhower | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
Learning by listening is a great way to:
- increases imagination and understanding
- improves your listening skills
- improves your own spoken accent
- learn while on the move
- reduce eye strain
Now learn the vast amount of general knowledge available on Wikipedia through audio (audio article). You could even learn subconsciously by playing the audio while you are sleeping! If you are planning to listen a lot, you could try using a bone conduction headphone, or a standard speaker instead of an earphone.
You can find other Wikipedia audio articles too at:
You can upload your own Wikipedia articles through:
The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
Dwight David Ike Eisenhower ( EYE-zən-how-ər; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American army general and statesman who served as the 34th President of the United States from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, he was a five-star general in the United States Army and served as Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces in Europe. He was responsible for planning and supervising the invasion of North Africa in Operation Torch in 1942–43 and the successful invasion of France and Germany in 1944–45 from the Western Front.
Born David Dwight Eisenhower in Denison, Texas, he was raised in Kansas in a large family of mostly Pennsylvania Dutch ancestry. His family had a strong religious background. His mother was born a Lutheran, married as a River Brethren, and later became a Jehovah's Witness. Even so, Eisenhower did not belong to any organized church until 1952. He cited constant relocation during his military career as one reason. He graduated from West Point in 1915 and later married Mamie Doud, with whom he had two sons. During World War I, he was denied a request to serve in Europe and instead commanded a unit that trained tank crews. Following the war, he served under various generals and was promoted to the rank of brigadier general in 1941. After the U.S. entered World War II, Eisenhower oversaw the successful invasions of North Africa and Sicily before supervising the invasions of France and Germany. After the war, Eisenhower served as Army Chief of Staff and then took on the role as president of Columbia University. In 1951–52, he served as the first Supreme Commander of NATO.
In 1952, Eisenhower entered the presidential race as a Republican to block the isolationist foreign policies of Senator Robert A. Taft, who opposed NATO and wanted no foreign entanglements. He won that election and the 1956 election in landslides, both times defeating Adlai Stevenson II. He became the first Republican to win since Herbert Hoover in 1928. Eisenhower's main goals in office were to contain the expansion of the Soviet Union and reduce federal deficits. In 1953, he threatened the use of nuclear weapons until China agreed to peace terms in the Korean War. China did agree and an armistice resulted that remains in effect. His New Look policy of nuclear deterrence prioritized inexpensive nuclear weapons while reducing funding for expensive Army divisions. He continued Harry S. Truman's policy of recognizing the Republic of China as the legitimate government of China, and he won congressional approval of the Formosa Resolution. His administration provided major aid to help the French fight off Vietnamese Communists in the First Indochina War. After the French left he gave strong financial support to the new state of South Vietnam. He supported local military coups against governments in Iran and Guatemala. During the Suez Crisis of 1956, Eisenhower condemned the Israeli, British and French invasion of Egypt, and he forced them to withdraw. He also condemned the Soviet invasion during the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 but took no action. During the Syrian Crisis of 1957 he approved a CIA-MI6 plan to stage fake border incidents as an excuse for an invasion by Syria's pro-Western neighbours. After the Soviet Union launched Sputnik in 1957, Eisenhower authorized the establishment of NASA, which led to the Space Race. He deployed 15,000 soldiers during the 1958 Lebanon crisis. Near the end of his term, his efforts to set up a summit meeting with the Soviets collapsed when a U.S. spy plane was shot down over Russia. He approved the Bay of Pigs invasion, which was left to his successor, John F. Kennedy, to carry out.On the domestic front, Eisenhower was a moderate conservative who continued New Deal agencies and expanded Social Security. He covertly opposed Joseph McCarthy and contributed to the end of McCarthyism by openly invoking executive privilege. E ...