December 1, 1913 - Ford Motor Company Begins Using the Moveable Assembly Line

Today marks the 100th anniversary of the Ford Motor Company introducing the movable assembly line to the world. This invention completely revolutionized the way that business and production were conducted across the entire globe and its effects are still evident in society today. Many would be surprised when finding out the place of inspiration for Henry Ford’s world changing idea was a Chicago meatpacking store[i]. This meat packing store had a disassembly process in place and upon seeing this, Ford made the connection and applied the reverse process to his own company. Prior to Ford’s revolutionary concept of bringing parts to employees, the product (specifically the Model-T), was stationary on a table and teams and groups of workers moved from one table to another to build or add on one piece to any specific Model-T. While production techniques needed to be refined, it was quite clear from the start that this new method was going to greatly reduce costs and time of production. The two foundations of this new method were the concepts of interchangeable parts and division of labor[ii]. These two new techniques were both the foundation and the driving force behind the rise of Ford Motor Company’s modernization of the production industry.

While production skyrocketed and seemed to be a great idea from the outside, these new methods took a toll on the factory workers. Previously, workers had a variety of tasks and were constantly moving from place to place to achieve goals along the production line. This style kept work fresh and kept employees engaged. In the new system, employees were stuck in one spot, preforming one function all day long. It made work mundane, caused frustrations, and gave workers back aches. Ford and his engineers slowly worked out the kinks to make work easier for employees and to create a better work environment. One of the most shocking changes that Ford introduced was doubling in the salary that workers received. Henry Ford was an innovator and truly looked after his workers with their best interests in mind. He was a master at achieving maximum production while satisfying the needs of his laborers simultaneously.

Henry Ford, and his introduction of the assembly line to his company, successfully made the car an accessible item to even the most low-income families. Similar to the likes of Steve Jobs, Henry Ford was one of the greatest visionaries in American history. These two men took their respective products, the computer and the automobile, two items known to only wealthy Americans, and made them attainable for those from all walks of life. Ford is directly credited with the revolution of the assembly process, but should be given more credit for his work in effectively altering the course of human history for the better.

- Nick M. and Matthew G.



[i] "Ford Installs First Moving Assembly Line." PBS.org. PBS, n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2013
[ii] "Ford Motor Car Company History." The Assembly Line. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Nov. 2013

November 29, 1929 - First Flight over the South Pole

This Friday is November 29, 2013. To most people it is just Black Friday, worthy of shopping at discounted prices, but actually, it is the anniversary of the first flight to the South Pole. On November 29, 1929, Naval Aviator Richard Byrd and three others made a voyage to the South Pole. It has been 84 years since the first documented flight to the South Pole. Byrd was able to have the first documented flight over the South Pole because of his prior flights elevating his career giving him the opportunity to take this flight.

Richard Byrd, born October 25, 1888 in Virginia, graduated from the United States Naval Academy. Before his big flight that landed him with 22 citations and special commendations, Byrd commanded a naval station in Nova Scotia. After World War I, he was promoted to lieutenant commander and in 1925, he led the naval air unit of an expedition to Greenland. Byrd was no stranger to being a navigator and would use his extensive skills to take his first polar expedition to the Arctic.

During his expedition to the Arctic, he claimed a vast territory for the United States and named it after his wife. With his trusty pilot Floyd Bennett, Byrd navigated to the North Pole. They claimed to be the first to fly over the North Pole, but his claim was later disputed. For this expedition he received a Medal of Honor for the achievement. After this flight, Byrd took many more and ultimately flew over the South Pole.

In 1927, Byrd announced his intention to take a non-stop flight over the Atlantic Ocean to the Orteig Prize. Once again, he chose Floyd Bennett as his pilot. During their practice takeoff, the plane crashed injuring both Byrd and Bennett. While they took time to recover from their injuries, Charles Lindberg won the prize. This made Byrd change his pilot to Bernt Balchen along with two other companions as mentioned earlier. January 21, 1927, the three made it to Paris. Landing was not an option because of the clouds and they crash-landed near a beach on the coast of Brittany. All four guys survived this tragedy and for this successful flight, France made Byrd a Commandant of the French Foreign Legion. With his new position, Byrd decided to go on a voyage to Antarctica.

With his fame from his prior expeditions and his high rankings, Byrd received funding for his voyage that resulted in his 19 hour flight over the South Pole and back. Once Byrd was able to reach Antarctica they set up the base they named “Little America”. Flights were made from this base and on November 29, 1929, Byrd and three others made the first flight over the South Pole. For this achievement, Byrd was promoted to rear admiral. In the following years, Byrd spent many more winters doing polar research until his death in 1957. Byrd and his three companions were the first to make a 19 hour flight to the South Pole from their base in Antarctica.

All the expeditions Byrd completed before the South Pole were just practices for his real test to be the first to fly over the South Pole. 84 years later, Black Friday and the first flight over the South Pole share the same date. While others celebrate the holiday by shopping, I will know this day has a different anniversary.

- Dot L., Ruben P., and Nate G.

November 28, 1871 - Federal Ku Klux Klan Trials Began in South Carolina

On November 28, 1871 the South Carolina Klu Klux Klan trials began. This was brought to court because of several arrests and trial of other KKK members in the south, particularly in South Carolina. The federal government attempted to show how far they would go to preserve the fourteen and fifteenth amendments to the constitution. The Fourteenth amendment was intended to secure the rights of former slaves and the Fifteenth amendment was that the U.S may not prevent a citizen from voting based on their race(1).

The Klan was more active in South Carolina for many reasons one being that the Republicans, who were supported by the majority of blacks, won the election in 1870. The worst part of these actions by the Klan was in the northern parts of South Carolina such as Spartanburg, Union, and York counties. For example, in Spartanburg, from the election to July 1971 four people were killed and 200 beaten, whipped, wounded by gunfire, and had their ear cut off by a Klan member. The Federal Government got involved when the Enforcement Act was passed because it made it a Federal offense for two or more persons to deprive someone of any right of their citizenship(1).

At the end of the trial, of the 220 of the Klansmen that were indicted, only 5 were prosecuted and charged with violating the Enforcement Act. 53 others pleaded guilty. All the others cases were postponed. There were only four trials because two of the Klan members were tried together and at all four of those trials, the majority of the jurors were former slaves(1).

- Alex S.

(1) http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3498200088.html

November 24, 1963 - Lee Harvey Oswald was Killed

Today fifty years ago Jack Ruby, a Dallas Texas night club owner, shot and killed Lee Harvey Oswald. On November 24, 1963 Jack Ruby entered the downtown Police Headquarters with a .38 caliber revolver in his jacket as Lee Harvey Oswald approached from the elevator towards a waiting vehicle to be transported to another location. Jack Ruby stepped from a crowd of reporters and gatherers and placed his .38 caliber revolver into the abdomen of Lee Harvey Oswald. Jack Ruby then shot Lee Harvey Oswald as millions of Americans watched with horror, and some with delight, on television. As soon as the commotion was over, Jack Ruby was placed in handcuffs. In an ironic twist of fate, Lee Harvey Oswald was taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital just two days after the assignation of John F. Kennedy. Shortly afterwards the assassin of John F. Kennedy was pronounced dead from an assassins bullet at the same hospital. As Jack Ruby was being taken away, many of the reporters reported that they heard him say “Jackie Kennedy does not have to come back to Dallas for the trial”. Jack Ruby was also rumored to have muttered “I killed Lee Harvey Oswald to redeem the city of Dallas and the State of Texas”. In initial questioning, Jack Ruby stated to Dallas police and later the Warren Commission, that he was part of a much larger conspiracy. His statement was later recanted weeks prior to his death at Parkland Memorial Hospital on January 3, 1967 at the age of 56. It was at this time that he stated “I alone made the decision to shoot Lee Harvey Oswald”. The most widely believed conspiracy to this day is that the mafia was involved in the assassination of our 35th President. Jack Ruby was not just a night club owner, however was also presumed to be an associate of the Chicago Mob. It was believed that Jack Ruby owed the Chicago Mob a favor. When it came time to cash in that favor, the Chicago Mob asked him to kill Lee Harvey Oswald. Some even speculate that Lee Harvey Oswald was set up as a patsy by the Chicago Mob. While there are many conspiracies, read my tweets to learn a little bit more about them.

November 22, 1963 - The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy

The 35th president of the United States

John F. Kennedy was elected president in 1960 which was one of the biggest presidential elections because it was the first time presidential debates were televised. Kennedy and Nixon argued with each other very strongly and vigorously. Nixon kept saying that Kennedy was too young and inexperienced to handle all the responsibilities that he would be faced with as president. Kennedy remained poised and many people think the deciding factor in the debates was his charm [1]. JFK became the youngest man to win a presidential election.

Even though JFK was in office just a little past his 1,000 day mark he still managed to achieve great success for the time allotted. JFK's inaugural speech will always be remembered with the phrase "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." [2] JFK was trying to get America back on its feet and moving again. JFK's economic programs, one in which he proposed a cut in the corporate tax from 52% to 47%, helped the country sustain its largest expansion since WWII. Not only did he get economics back on track but he also called for new civil rights legislation because he believed in equal rights and new how important it was for our country.

This day in history will always be remembered . Today is not just a day of weeping but also a day to take a stand on presidential assassinations and to prevent this from ever happening again. Fifty years ago today, President Kennedy was assassinated on a campaign trip in Dallas, Texas. As his motorcade passed by the Texas School Book Depository in Dealey Plaza, gunshots were fired [3]. Although they were not far from the nearest hospital, nothing could be done to save the President. At 1:00 pm on November 22, 1963 President John F. Kennedy was pronounced dead. The whole nation was shocked and will forever be changed from this event. We have not had a presidential assassination since Kennedys and the Secret Service take all the right precautions to keep the President and officials out of harms way. It's sad that it took an assassination like this one to make us realize that but at least we did something about it.

- Hunter O. and Zach P.





[1] "John F. Kennedy" Presidential Library and Museum

http://www.jfklibrary.org/JFK/JFK-in-History/November-22-1963-Death-of-the-President.aspx

[2] "John F. Kennedy Elected President" The History Channel Website

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/john-f-kennedy-elected-president

[3] "John F. Kennedy" The White House Website

http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/johnfkennedy

November 19, 1919 - Congress Rejects the Treaty of Versailles

On November 19, 1919 a peace treaty was rejected for the first time. The Treaty of Versailles was a formal peace treaty between Germany and the allied forces and also included the creation of the League of Nations. Representatives from each country signed the treaty but for the U.S to accept the conditions it had to be ratified by Congress. Henry Cabot Lodge was the majority leader in the Senate and he opposed the treaty (1).

Lodge specifically opposed the section about the League of Nations because he thought the U.S would be giving up too much power. Lodge made Fourteen Reservations to go along with Wilsons Fourteen Points which reduced the control that the League of Nations would have over the U.S. William Borah, another leader of the Senate, also opposed the treaty (2).

Once again there was more conflict on the Treaty of Versailles. The Senate considered the treaty and voted on a version that included the Fourteen Reservations. Wilson did not want this so he ordered all his supporters to vote against that version. Borah and “the Irreconcilables”, which he was the leader of, didn’t support the treaty either way so they also voted against it. This treaty fell short of what it needed by a 55-39 vote. Another version without the reservations also fell short with a 53-38 vote (3).

The Treaty of Versailles never passed. In place of the treaty, Congress passed the Knox-Porter Resolution in 1921 (4). This was a resolution of Congress signed by Warren Harding officially ending U.S involvement in World War I. The Knox-Porter Resolution did not form a League of Nations like the Treaty of Versailles did.

- Alex S.




(1) "On This Day: Senate Rejects Treaty of Versailles," FindingDulcinea, 19 Nov. 2011, http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/on-this-day/November/Senate-Rejects-Treaty-of-Versailles.html
(2) FindingDulcinea, "On This Day: Senate Rejects Treaty of Versailles,"
(3) FindingDulcinea, "On This Day: Senate Rejects Treaty of Versailles,"
(4) FindingDulcinea, "On This Day: Senate Rejects Treaty of Versailles,"

November 17, 1979 - Thirteen U.S. Hostages Released from Iran

The U.S. hostages were blindfolded and paraded in front
of the Iranian public.

Imagine going to the U.S. Embassy in another country for safety, to quickly find that people from that country have taken charge and are holding U.S. citizens hostage. On November 4, 1979 attack of the United States Embassy in Iran was led by a group of angry students, who quickly captured the building, due to government leader Ruhollah Khomeini . Ruhollah Khomeini was an Iranian religious leader and politician and eventually became the supreme leader of Iran after the Iranian revolution which forced the overthrow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran. Khomeini was anti-American and wanted to protest against the United States. The protest against the United States arose, when Carter allowed the former ruler Shah of Iran to enter the United States for medical treatment. (1) Iran demanded the U.S. government send the Shah back to stand trial. (2) In November 1979, Iranian militants, protesting against the U.S.’s refusal to send the Shah back to Iran, captured the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and took more than fifty Americans hostage.

During the crisis many hostages were treated poorly. Most hostages were blind-folded and paraded in front of the Iranian public. The parade was not only seen by the Iranian public, but it was also broadcasted for Americans to see. The hostages went for months without being able to contact their families in America to tell them they were okay. On November 17, 1979 Khomeini orders the release of thirteen female and African-American hostages from the embassy. Thirteen hostages were released to alleviate the crisis, because the Shah was on his way to the Panama. After the release of the thirteen hostages in November, only one more hostage was released in July 1980, due to illness.

Many attempts to rescue the American hostages are made by the CIA, but they are not successful. The first mission set out to rescue the hostages by Carter was a complete failure. (5) Three helicopters were sent over to Iran, but neither of the three made it successfully. Upon take off, all the helicopters now functioned and crashed killing their passengers. Finally, on the day of Ronald Regan’s inauguration, all the hostages were freed and safety back in America, to be welcomed home.

The return of the hostages safely back to the U.S, January 1981.

Upon the release of all the hostages, Carter had to unfreeze all the assets of Iran.

The significance of this event is that it ruined Carter’s presidency and caused more problems between the United States and Iran. This event made Carter look like an inefficient leader of our country. (6) Due to the hostage crisis many other problems also began to occur between the two countries. For example, the relationship between the two countries deteriorated further.


- Amanda D and Brandon C


[1] “THE 1979 IRANIAN US EMBASSY SIEGE AND HOSTAGE CRISIS. WAS IT A COVERT CIA OPERATION?” Global Research, accessed 6 November, 2013,
http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-1979-iranian-us-embassy-siege-and-hostage-crisis-was-it-a-covert-cia-operation
[2] “Iran-U.S. Hostage Crisis” History Guy, accessed 6 November, 2013,
http://www.historyguy.com/iran-us_hostage_crisis.html#.UoFtQOKRJag
[3] “Iran Hostage Crisis” Sheppard Software accessed 6 November, 2013,
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/Middleeastweb/factfile/Unique-facts-MiddleEast9.htm
[4] “Iran Hostage Crisis” EVResourcesSite accessed 11 November, 2013,
http://evresourcesite.wikispaces.com/Iran+Hostage+Crisis