Category: Note

During the American Revolution, the Continental Congress adopted a resolution on June 14th, 1777, stating that “the flag of the United States be thirteen alternate stripes red and white” and that “the Union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation.” The national flag, which became known as the “Stars and Stripes,” was based on the “Grand Union” flag– a banner carried by the Continental Army in 1776 that also consisted of 13 red and white stripes. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 107 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The …

On July 13, 1832, Henry Rowe Schoolcraft identified the source of the Mississippi River as Lake Itasca in Minnesota. — On this day in 1787, Congress enacted the Northwest Ordinance structuring settlement of the Northwest Territory and creating a policy for the addition of new states to the nation. The members of Congress knew that if their new confederation were to survive intact, it had to resolve the states’ competing claims to western territory. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 107 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: …

On July 12, 1979, between games of a baseball doubleheader involving the Chicago White Sox and the Detroit Tigers at Comiskey Park, disco records were blown up as part of a promotion dubbed Disco Demolition Night. Fans subsequently rushed the field, and, as a result of the ensuing mayhem, the second game was forfeited to the Tigers. (Photo by Fred Jewell, Associated Press.) — On July 12, 1543, King Henry VIII of England wed his sixth and last wife, Catherine Parr. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 107 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The …

July 11th is the birthday of John Quincy Adams. He was born in 1767 and died in 1848. Not to be confused with his father John Adams, the younger Adams also served as a diplomat, congressman, and as president. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 107 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This …

July 10th is the birthday of British novelist John Wyndham. (His full name was John Wyndham Parkes Lucas Beynon Harris, but Harris shortened that to just “John Wyndham” for his pen name.) He we was born in 1903 and died March 11, 1969. Harris was a good friend of fellow novelist Samuel Youd (1922-2012), who wrote under several pen names, including John Christopher. Both men were famous for writing what are often called “cozy catastrophes”. Several of Wyndham’s novels and short stories have been adapted to film, with varying degrees of success. One of the best of these was a …

The Battle of the Wilderness was fought on July 9th, 1755, in the French and Indian War. — I was saddened to hear that Kevin Reeve, the founder and director of OnPoint Tactical Tracking School passed away on July 5th. Our condolences to his family and to his fellow trainers Kelly, Mike, and Steve. SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 107 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this …

On July 8, 2011, the orbiter Atlantis was launched on the last space shuttle mission. It is pitiful to think that NASA has essentially just been hitching rides for our manned space program, ever since then. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 107 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used …

On July 7, 2005, the London transit system was struck by coordinated suicide bomb attacks that killed 39 people and injured more than 700. July 7th, 1907 was the birthday of science fiction novelist Robert A. Heinlein. He passed away on May 8, 1988, at age 80. — I’ve been incredibly busy hauling and stacking hay this week, so I won’t be posting my usual Economics & Investing column today.  Sorry, but I’ve got to make hay while the sun shines! — We are still in need of entries for Round 107 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than …

July 6th is the anniversary of the 1994 Storm King Mountain wildfire that took the lives of 14 firefighters. Weather changes, resulting in 45 mph wind gusts, caused a modest wildfire to erupt into a blazing inferno, which threatened homes in and around the town of Glenwood Springs, Colorado. Firefighters from around the country were called to assist in fighting this wildfire. We will never forget the young men and women who lost their lives battling this fire: Prineville, Oregon Hotshots: Kathi Beck, Tamera Bickett, Scott Blecha, Levi Brinkley, Douglas Dunbar, Terri Hagen, Bonnie Holtby, Rob Johnson, Jon Kelso Missoula, …

On July 5th, 1859, Captain N.C. Brooks discovered the Midway Islands in the central Pacific Ocean and claimed the territory for the United States. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 107 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value), …

On July 3, 1890, the Idaho Territory became the 43rd state in the Union. July 3rd is also the birthday of both musician Aaron Tippin and actor Tom Cruise. — Today’s feature article is a review written by our Field Gear Editor Emeritus, Pat Cascio. He has been in ill health, so please keep him in your prayers. — We are in great need of articles to round out Round 107 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. It ends on July 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that …

On July 2nd, 2002 American adventurer Steve Fossett became the first balloonist to circumnavigate the world alone. And in 2005 he completed the first nonstop solo global flight in an airplane. And on July 2nd, 1937 aviator Amelia Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan disappeared over the Pacific Ocean while attempting to make the first round-the-world flight at the equator. — We are still seeking entries for Round 107 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $825,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. We recently polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer …

On July 1st, 1997, the crown colony of Hong Kong officially reverted to Chinese sovereignty, ending 156 years of British rule. There have been sporadic protests by locals there, ever since. July 1st, 1535, Sir Thomas More went on trial for treason for refusing to accept King Henry VIII as head of the Church of England. And on July 1st, 1863 is the anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War Battle of Gettysburg. — Several of our affiliate advertisers, including Brownells, Ready Made Resources, GunMag Warehouse, Palmetto State Armory, and Federal Premium are running Independence Day sales, until July …

June 30th is the 10th anniversary of the tragic death of 19 hotshots in the Yarnell Hill Fire, in 2013. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 107 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value), Two cases of Mountain …