VLS Resources
John Adams and Thomas Jefferson: A Friendship Shaped by Revolution and Rivalry
At first glance, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson seemed unlikely companions. Adams was fiery, talkative, and impatient with hesitation; Jefferson was quiet, polished, and more comfortable letting his pen speak for him. Yet these two very different men became central partners in the American founding. They stood together in the struggle for independence, drifted apart…
Happy 250th Birthday America!
Two and one-half centuries ago, a provincial people on the edge of a vast continent declared something astonishingly radical: that government derives its just powers from the consent of the governed. These brave patriots – farmers, merchants, frontiersmen, bankers – did not merely protest taxation or quarrel with imperial policy. They announced to the world…
When to Fly Your American Flag
When we see the flag, we’re reminded of liberty, freedom and pride. The America flag has accompanied our nation in making its greatest achievements. It flies at both poles, on the moon and sits atop Mount Everest. The flag is how America signs her name. New Year’s Day * January 1 Inauguration Day * January…
Thomas Paine, a Renowned Pamphleteer
“The sun never shined on a cause of greater worth.” – Thomas Paine Before what we refer to as “social media,” more than 250 years ago pamphleteers were the ones spreading information throughout the colonies. Mercy Otis Warren was writing satirical plays and poems attacking England in the 1770’s. The colonies were afire with discontent…
How does June 14th, 15th, and 16th involve the US ARMY and George Washington?
How does June 14th, 15th, and 16th, 1775 involve the United States ARMY, and General George Washington? When the Second Continental Congress was meeting in Philadelphia the delegates realized they needed a unified ARMY supported and manned by citizens from all the colonies. Every colony sought independence, but the was no cooperation among the militias…
RODGER SHERMAN, Revolutionary and Dedicated Public Servant
Roger Sherman is the only person to have signed all four of the most significant documents in our nation’s early history: the Continental Association from the first Continental Congress, the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the United States Constitution. He began life as a surveyor and a cordwainer (someone who makes shoes…
Honoring Those Who Serve: Armed Forces Day
Each year the United States observes Armed Forces Day on the third Saturday of May, a day set aside to recognize and thank the men and women who are currently serving in the nation’s military. It is a moment to pause, reflect and express appreciation for the individuals who protect the country at home and…
Honoring Memorial Day: A Tribute to Sacrifice and Service
Memorial Day traces its roots to the years after the Civil War, when communities began holding springtime tributes to decorate the graves of fallen soldiers – an observance often called “Decoration Day.” In 1868, Gen. John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic urged Americans to set aside May 30 for this purpose,…
Thomas Jefferson’s Birthday
Thomas Jefferson’s Birthday April 13, 1743 Thomas Jefferson was born on April 13, 1743 in Albemarle County, Virginia to Jane and Peter Jefferson. His father was a Virginia planter, surveyor, and slave owner. At age fourteen, Jefferson’s father died, and Thomas inherited some thirty enslaved individuals. Jefferson fully embraced the lifestyle of an affluent member…