The Gettysberg Address by Abraham Lincoln
150 Years Ago Today - Nov. 19, 1863
[Okay, its a Centennial and a half!]. Considered one of the greatest speechs of all time. There were 5 separate copies of the speech written in Lincoln's own hand. Each differ somewhat and you can read and see the 5 different copies here.
Above: one of the original copies of the Gettysberg Address in Lincoln's own handwriting. This is the "Hay" copy and is considered to be the 2nd draft of the Address, so it differs somewhat from the final version.
"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."
Abraham Lincoln
November 19, 1863
July 2, 1913 - November 13, 2013
First Bucket of Salt Transported
on the Saline Valley Salt Tram
The first bucket of Salt is delivered from Saline Valley over the 13.5 mile Saline Valley Salt Tram to the Discharge Station in Owens Valley, Calif. Photo below (click to enlarge; photo courtesy of the Eastern California Museum in Independence, Calif.): First bucket of Salt from Saline Valley dumped by Construction Foreman Harry Hilderman at left.
July 10, 1913 - July 10, 2013
Hottest Temp Every Measured on Earth!
Death Valley National Park celebrates its 100th Anniversary of the Hottest Temperature in the World - EVER!
November 12, 1913 - November 13, 2013
Water Begins to Flow from Los Angeles Aqueduct
Update 10/31/2013: Mark M. sent me a link to this article on LA Aqueduct / Owens Valley History: Man Who Bombed Aqueduct in 1976 Comes Clean. Its a good read on a crazy teenager and the conflict between the city (LA) and the country (Owens Valley).
The Los Angeles Aqueduct from Owens Valley to Los Angeles was begun in 1908 and finished in 1913. William Mulholland from the LA DWP gave this short speech as the water began to flow into Los Angeles: "Here it is; Take it!".
1913 - 2013 Federal Income Tax
Okay. I stole this article from the J. K. Lasser website, which is one of my favorite tax advise resources (yes, I have a favorite...). Wikipedia also has something to say about the history of our income tax. I do encourage you to check it out as an interesting part of American history.
Anyways, since the Federal Government Budget Deficit seems to be a topic of some interest today amongst those who don't want to stick our kids with all this debt, I thought it'd be interesting to take a look a little bit of history regarding the beginning of the Income Tax and the IRS and all that fun stuff. If you are like most Americans, you are contemplating doing your taxes, but not looking forward to filling it out, much less actually paying it.
Here's a bit of a history lesson: A hundred years ago (on February 3, 1913), the 16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution became law. This permitted the federal government to legally levy an income tax. Since the first income tax return (called Form 1040 since its inception) of 4 pages—3 to be completed and 1 for instructions—the tax return has grown for many filers to include dozens of schedules and forms.
What the original tax law was like: The first income tax required every citizen with net income of $3,000 or more to file a return. In 1913, the average annual wage for worker in the U.S. was less than $1,300, so only the “wealthy” had to file a return. (The $3,000 filing threshold in 2012 dollars would be the equivalent of $69,573.94 in today’s dollars, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.) Only 2% of households met this filing threshold.
In just a handful of paragraphs in the 1-page instructions, the types of income and expenses allowable were explained in full. In addition, each unmarried person (or married person living apart from his or her spouse) was entitled to an exemption of $3,000. Husbands and wives living together had a $4,000 exemption.
The first return had graduated income tax rates of 1% to 6%. Most filers were subject only to the 1% rate, called the normal tax. It applied to taxable income, which was net income reduced by deductions and exemptions. When net income exceeded $20,000, other tax rates, were called the additional or super tax,applied. The top 6% rate applied to amounts over $500,000, which would be $11,595,656.57 in today’s dollars.
...the article continues on the J. K. Lasser website
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