HISTORIC MARCH 3RD

MARCH THIRD IS A HISTORIC DATE

March 3rd is a key date in the history of the United States.  Today JFK+50 will cover four major events for this date.

Star Spangled Banner becomes Our National Anthem, 1931

Rutherford B. Hayes Sworn in as President in secret, 1877

Freedman's Bureau Created, 1865

Missouri Compromise Passes Congress, 1820

STAR SPANGLED BANNER BECOMES OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) President Herbert Hoover signed a law 83 years ago today, March 3, 1931, making the Star Spangled Banner the official National Anthem of the United States of America.

The words of the song were originally penned by Francis Scott Key on September 14, 1814 during the British attack on Fort McHenry near Baltimore, Maryland.   

The lyrics were published in Baltimore on September 20, and later set to the tune "To Anacreon in Heaven".

President Woodrow Wilson signed an Executive Order in 1916 formally making the song "Our National Anthem." 

The legislation signed on March 3, 1931 made it official.

Fort McHenry Flag

RUTHERFORD B. HAYES SWORN IN SECRETLY AT THE WHITE HOUSE

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) Rutherford B. Hayes, having been declared the winner of the presidential election of 1876 by a special election commission, was sworn in 137 years ago today, March 3, 1877, in a private ceremony in the Red Room at the White House.

Hayes, a Republican from Ohio, lost the popular vote to Samuel Tilden of New York, but because there were 20 disputed electoral votes, the House of Representatives was assigned by the United States Constitution to determine the winner.

The official date of the inaugural was scheduled for March 4th, but since that date fell on a Sunday, another inaugural ceremony for the President was set for Monday, March 5.

Rutherford B. Hayes Inaugural

FREEMAN'S BUREAU CREATED 149 YEARS AGO

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) President Abraham Lincoln signed a law 149 years ago today, March 3, 1865, creating the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands.  

The agency became known simply as the Freeman's Bureau.

The federal agency was to oversee the difficult transition of freed slaves from bondage to freedom.

General Oliver O. Howard was appointed to serve as the agency's commissioner.

The Freedmen's Bureau would provide medical care, education and land distribution for former slaves.

The Bureau was in existence for seven years with General Howard as its commissioner for the entire time. 

This marked the first time the federal government was involved in social welfare and labor relations.

John Hopkinson Plantation

 Edisto Island, S.C.

MISSOURI COMPROMISE BILL PASSES CONGRESS

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) On March 3, 1820, 194 years ago today, the Congress of the United States passed a bill to resolve the first serious problem the nation had faced over the slavery issue.

The compromise legislation made Missouri a slave state while Maine became a free state.  

This arrangement maintained a crucial balance in the number of slave and free states in the United States Senate.

The law also stated that slavery would be prohibited in the territory, which is part of the original Louisiana Purchase, north of the 36th parallel.

The Missouri Compromise of 1820 would be repealed by the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 which would allow a popular vote on the slavery issue north of the 36th parallel.

Missouri Compromise

MAINE BECAME 23RD STATE 193 YEARS AGO

March 15, 2013

MAINE BECAME 23RD STATE 193 YEARS AGO TODAY

Portland, Maine* (JFK+50) Maine, a part of Massachusetts since the 1650s, became the 23rd state in the union 193 years ago today, March 15, 1820.

*Portland was the capital of the state of Maine from 1820 to 1851.  Augusta became the more centrally located capital in 1851. The greater Portland area, however, comprises a third of the state's population today.

                           Maine State House
                              Augusta (1965)
                    Photo by Jack E. Boucher

The people of the 30,000 square mile territory had campaigned for statehood for 35 years & achieved success when the Massachusetts legislature approved separation in 1819.

The admission of Maine, however, was much more complex.

In 1819, the nation was divided on the issue of slavery & sought to maintain a balance in the number of states where slavery was illegal (free states) & the number of states where slavery was legal (slave states).

That balance was about to be upset, however, with the admission of Missouri, a slave territory.

In 1820, Congress settled the matter with the Missouri Compromise, perhaps best known for the line dividing future free & slave territory.

Missouri would become a slave state & Maine would become a free state.  The balance was maintained & so was the peace between the North & the South, at least for another 40 years.

Missouri's early settlers were from the upper South.  They brought their slaves with them & lived largely along the Missouri River.  During the War Between the States (1861-1865), guerilla warfare was fought by opposing forces in the state.

Maine was noteworthy in the Civil War for its 20th Maine Regiment commanded by Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain.  The regiment was successful in defending Little Round Top at the pivotal Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863.

Today, Maine is a BLUE state having voted Democratic since 1992.  President Obama won her 4 electoral votes in 2012 by a margin of 15.3%.  Between 1856 & 1960, however, Maine was carried by only 1 Democrat & that was Woodrow Wilson in 1912.  FDR even lost the state in his 1936 landslide when he won 46 of 48 states.

It was so bad for Democrats in Maine that by that time the Republicans had a slogan which went "As Maine goes, so goes the nation!"  The Democrats, however, we proud to change that in 1936 to... "As goes Maine, so goes Vermont."

Missouri today is a RED state having voted Republican in every presidential election except 1992 & 1996 since 1980.  Governor Romney won Missouri's 10 electoral votes by 9.4% in 2012.

Both states have United States ships named in their honor which have played major roles in the history of the Republic.  

The USS Maine was at anchor in Havana, Cuba in 1898 when it exploded & that event played a role in the start of the Spanish-American War. 

The USS Missouri was at anchor in Tokyo, Japan when the surrender of the Japanese Empire brought the end of WWII.

                        You Tube Video