Today in 1779 Samuel Huntington is elected head of the Continental Congress. He was from Connecticut and was in the Connecticut Assembly (back then the equavilant of the state congress), a governor there and in the supreme court for that state. He signed the Articles of Confederation and the Declaration of Independence. He was the first to be what was called the President of the United States in Congress. A position at the time was considered to be the president. A farm boy who self taught himself by borrowing books from church, libraries and local lawyers. In his position of head of continental congress he handled, supported and urged for funding of the revolutionary war.
Today in 1781 American forces with the help of french forces and navel fleet started its siege of Yorktown where Gen. Cornwallis was with his force. The story goes that 5500 men landed in Rhode Island with Gen. Washington. The plan was to recapture New York City held by the British. The french Gen. Rochambeau spoke with Gen. Washington and got him to agree that the attempt was futile and that an attack at the less fortified Yorktown in conjunction of the fleet would prove successful. On September 28th, 1781 they started the attack with bombardment by the fleet and then attacks by the French and Americans. Obviously this lead to the surrender of the British there. Cornwallis who said he was sick gave it up to his second in command to surrender. The French fleet blocked the bay so they couldnt get out and the Treaty of Paris was signed and this was the last big battle of the war!
Today in 1787 Congress through a vote approved the constitution and it was sent to the state legislatures to approve! Im so glad for the constitution that we have today. Though people may interpret it different it has given us the freedoms and laws we enjoy today!
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