20. The Pony Express
For almost two years, the Pony Express ran mail from Missouri to California through a system of relayed horse-riders…
19. Comstock Lode
In the late 1850s, just after the California Gold Rush, a massive amount of silver was found in Nevada. It was named the Comstock Lode….
18. Lincoln-Douglas Debates
In 1858, incumbent Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois debated challenger Abraham Lincoln seven times to campaign for his own seat in the US Senate…
17. Jingle Bells
The song “The One Horse Open Sleigh” was published in September of 1857. It has remained popular under the title “Jingle Bells”…
16. Dred Scott
Dred Scott unsuccessfully sued for his and his wife’s freedom in the case Dred Scott v. Stanford (1857). The Dred Scott Decision was felt throughout the US…
15. Know Nothing Party
In the mid-1850s, the Know Nothing Party emerged as a somewhat viable political party. The movement failed to sustain momentum…
14. Brooks and Sumner
In 1856, a conflict between US Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts and Preston Brooks of South Carolina reached a boiling point…
13. Samuel Colt
Samuel Colt gained fame for the pistol bearing his name. He has been remembered for being innovative and visionary…
12. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow made several contributions to American poetry including The Song of Hiawatha which was published in 1855…
11. Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman was an American writer who combined transcendentalism and realism….