Killer smog hovered over Donora, Pennsylvania, on October 29, 1948. Over a five-day period, the smog killed about 20 people and made thousands more seriously ill. Donora was a town of 14,000 people on the Monongahela River in a valley surrounded by hills. The town was …read more

In the aftermath, air pollution finally became a matter of public concern; the incident led to the passage of 1955 Clean Air Act. The Donora Zinc Works shuttered operations in 1957.

Citation Information

Article Title

Killer smog claims elderly victims

AuthorHistory.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/killer-smog-claims-elderly-victims

Access Date

October 29, 2022

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

October 28, 2019

Original Published Date

November 13, 2009

DISASTERSWEATHER

Founding Fathers’ Views on Monarchy

The Founding Fathers expressed their disdain for kings and monarchy through various writings and speeches. Here are some key insights and quotes that reflect their views:

1. Opposition to Monarchy: The Founders believed that kings were not the rightful rulers of the people. They asserted that “kings are the servants, not the proprietors of the people,” emphasizing that authority should derive from the consent of the governed rather than hereditary privilege. 1
2. Rule of Law: They championed the idea that “in America, the rule of law is king,” indicating that laws should govern society, not individuals. This principle was foundational in the creation of the U.S. Constitution, which aimed to prevent the concentration of power in any single ruler. 1
3. Historical Context: The Founders were influenced by their experiences under British rule, where King George III was seen as a tyrant. They believed that “the President of the United States would be an officer elected by the people for four years,” contrasting the elected presidency with the perpetual and hereditary nature of kingship. 1
4. Attempts to Establish a Monarchy: Interestingly, there was a moment in American history when some Founders considered inviting a European prince to become king of the United States. This proposal was ultimately rejected, as the Founders recognized the dangers of monarchy and sought to establish a republic instead. 1
5. Warnings Against Tyranny: The Founders warned that “government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil,” highlighting their belief that power must be carefully checked to prevent tyranny
7. Source: time.com, ammo.com

If conservative SCOTUS dumps the 1965 Voting Rights Act and Birthright Citizenship for trump

… that is giving up your power and Civil Rights, so many people fought and died for us to have the opportunity to vote

  The Statue of Liberty was dedicated on Bedloe’s Island in New York Harbor. The statue was a gift from the people of France commemorating the French-American alliance during the American Revolutionary War. Designed by Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, the entire structure stands 300 feet (92.9 meters) tall. The pedestal contains the words: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

The Volstead Act
October 28, 1919

Collection of the U.S. House of Representatives
Serving a total of 10 terms in the House of Representatives, Andrew Volstead of Minnesota chaired the Judiciary Committee in the 66th and 67th Congresses (1919-1923).

On this date, the 66th Congress (1919–1921) overrode President Woodrow Wilson’s veto of the National Prohibition Act. Known as the Volstead Act (H.R. 6810), after Judiciary Chairman Andrew Volstead of Minnesota, this law was introduced by the House to implement the Prohibition Amendment by defining the process and procedures for banning alcoholic beverages, as well as their production and distribution. When Volstead introduced an earlier version of the law (H.R. 3458) on May 27, 1919, Democrats countered with what would be known as the “wet law,” or repeal of the Wartime Prohibition. The battle between the “wets” and the “bone-drys,” as Prohibition supporters were known, ensued that summer in the House. In one debate, Chairman Volstead defended the act, stating “The American people have said that they do not want any liquor sold, and they have said it emphatically by passing almost unanimously the constitutional amendment.” With a Republican majority in the House, the law passed the chamber convincingly on July 22, 1919 with a vote 287 to 100. The Volstead Act remained in effect until the passage of the 21st Amendment, which repealed Prohibition in 1933.

Resource: history.house.gov/