St. John's Episcopal Church is the oldest church in Richmond, built in 1741 and giving its name to the Church Hill district. St. John's was formed from several earlier churches. It was the site of two important conventions in the period leading to the American Revolutionary War, and is most famous as the location where Patrick Henry gave his closing speech at the Second Virginia Convention with the famous quotation "Give me liberty or give me death."

St. John's Church

St. John's Episcopal Church is the oldest church in Richmond, built in 1741 and giving its name to the…

The Appomattox Campaign (March 29, 1865 – April 9, 1865) was a series of battles fought in Virginia that culminated in the surrender of Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and the effective end of the American Civil War.

After Appomattox

The Appomattox Campaign (March 29, 1865 – April 9, 1865) was a series of battles fought in Virginia…

In 1776 the Board of War and Ordnance was created for issuing supplies to troops in the field, and the first Ordnance magazine was established at Carlisle, Pennsylvania the following year. An armory and arsenal at Springfield, Massachusetts (1777-1968) was also established along with later armories such as Harpers Ferry, West Virginia (1799-1861), and Watertown, Massachusetts (1816-1968).

Seal of the Board of War and Ordnance

In 1776 the Board of War and Ordnance was created for issuing supplies to troops in the field, and the…

Willian de Wessyngton was a forebear of George Washington, the first President of the United States. Though it was not from Washington, Sunderland, that George Washington's great-grandfather John Washington left for Virginia, but from Essex, Washington Old Hall was the family home of George Washington's ancestors, and the present structure does incorporate small parts of the medieval home in which they lived.

Washington Old Hall

Willian de Wessyngton was a forebear of George Washington, the first President of the United States.…

Washington's Seal incorporates the same design which can be found in Washington's Arms. The coat of arms of George Washington, President of the United States of America from 1789 to 1797, were first used to identify the family in the twelfth century, when one of George Washington's ancestors took possession of Washington Old Hall, then in County Durham, in north-east England.

Washington's Seal (From a Letter to Bouquet, 1758)

Washington's Seal incorporates the same design which can be found in Washington's Arms. The coat of…

Washington's Private Seal incorporates the same design which can be found in Washington's Arms. The coat of arms of George Washington, President of the United States of America from 1789 to 1797, were first used to identify the family in the twelfth century, when one of George Washington's ancestors took possession of Washington Old Hall, then in County Durham, in north-east England.

Washington's Private Seal, 1783

Washington's Private Seal incorporates the same design which can be found in Washington's Arms. The…

Mount Vernon, located near Alexandria, Virginia, was the plantation home of the first President of the United States, George Washington. The mansion is built of wood in neoclassical Georgian architectural style, and the estate is located on the banks of the Potomac River.

Mount Vernon in Washington's Day

Mount Vernon, located near Alexandria, Virginia, was the plantation home of the first President of the…

Hasbrouck House served as Washington's headquarters during the Revolutionary War from April 1782 until August 1783. It was chosen for its comparatively safe location north of the strategically important West Point. The 7,000 troops of the Continental Army were encamped near what is today known as Vails Gate, a few miles to the southwest.

Entrance to Washington's Headquarters, Newburgh

Hasbrouck House served as Washington's headquarters during the Revolutionary War from April 1782 until…

Montpelier was the estate of James Madison, fourth President of the United States.

Montpelier: The Home of James Madison

Montpelier was the estate of James Madison, fourth President of the United States.

James Murray Mason (November 3, 1798 – April 28, 1871) was a United States Representative and United States Senator from Virginia.

James Murray Mason

James Murray Mason (November 3, 1798 – April 28, 1871) was a United States Representative and United…

A drawing of the academic buildings of West Point, the United Stated Military Academy.

West Point Academic Buildings

A drawing of the academic buildings of West Point, the United Stated Military Academy.

The residence of President James Monroe in Oak Hill, Virginia.

Monroe's Residence at Oak Hill, VA

The residence of President James Monroe in Oak Hill, Virginia.

The tomb of the fifth President of the United States, James Monroe. His grave is at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia.

Tomb of Monroe

The tomb of the fifth President of the United States, James Monroe. His grave is at Hollywood Cemetery…

The first seal of New Hampshire.

First Seal of New Hampshire

The first seal of New Hampshire.

New Netherland, 1614–1674, is the name of the former Dutch territory on the eastern coast of North America in the 17th century.

Seal of New Netherland

New Netherland, 1614–1674, is the name of the former Dutch territory on the eastern coast of North…

An old colony seal of New Plymouth.

Old Colony Seal

An old colony seal of New Plymouth.

Fort Wayne was established 1839 in Indian Territory by Lt. Col. R.B. Mason of the 1st Dragoons. Named for Gen. "Mad" Anthony Wayne, it was intended as a link in the great line of forts protecting the American West. The army abandoned the fort in 1842 and turned it over to the Cherokee Nation. At the beginning of the Civil War, Stand Watie took over the fort and organized the Cherokee Mounted Rifles. The Union met the Confederates here in 1862 for the Battle of Old Fort Wayne.

Fort Wayne

Fort Wayne was established 1839 in Indian Territory by Lt. Col. R.B. Mason of the 1st Dragoons. Named…

Pohick was the first permanent church in the colony to be established north of the Occoquan River, sometime prior to 1724. Originally called "the Occoquan Church," it was soon referred to as "Pohick Church" because of its proximity to Pohick Creek. George Washington's map of the area locates this long-lost wooden edifice near a site now occupied by Cranford Methodist Church.

Pohick Church

Pohick was the first permanent church in the colony to be established north of the Occoquan River, sometime…

The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, which is almost always referred to by its original name of Westminster Abbey. Founded by Edward the Confessor when released from his vow to make a pilgrimage to the grave of St. Peter at Rome. It is a large, mainly Gothic church, in Westminster, London, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English and later British monarchs. It briefly held the status of a cathedral from 1546–1556, and is currently a Royal Peculiar.

Westminster Abbey

The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, which is almost always referred to by its original…

Abraham Whipple (26 September 1733 – 27 May 1819) was an American revolutionary naval commander. Whipple was born near Providence, Rhode Island and chose to be a seafarer early in his life. He embarked upon a career in the lucrative West Indies trade, working for Moses and John Brown. In the French and Indian War period, he became a privateersman and commanded privateer Game Cock from 1759 to 1760. In one six-month cruise, he captured 23 French ships. He sunk the first British ship of the American Revolution. The first to unfurl the Star Spangled Banner in London, he was also the first to build and sail an ocean-going ship 2000 miles down river from Ohio to the Caribbean, opening trade to the Northwest Territory.

Abraham Whipple

Abraham Whipple (26 September 1733 – 27 May 1819) was an American revolutionary naval commander.…

Eastern Black oak (Quercus velutina), or more commonly known as simply Black Oak is an oak in the red oak (Quercus sect. Lobatae) group of oaks. It is native to eastern North America from southern Ontario south to northern Florida and southern Maine west to northeastern Texas. It is a common tree in the Indiana Dunes and other sandy dunal ecosystems along the southern shores of Lake Michigan. It is most often found in dry well draining upland soils which can be clayey or sandy in nature in most of the rest of its range. In the northern part of its range, black oak is a relatively small tree, reaching a height of 20-25 m (65-80 ft) and a diameter of 90 cm (35 in), but it grows larger in the south and center of its range, where heights of up to 42 m (140 ft) are known. Black Oak is well known to readily hybridize with other members of the red oak (Quercus sect. Lobatae) group of oaks being one parent in at least a dozen different named hybrids. he inner bark of the black oak contains a yellow pigment called quercitron, which was sold commercially in Europe until the 1940s.

Eastern Black Oak Branch

Eastern Black oak (Quercus velutina), or more commonly known as simply Black Oak is an oak in the red…

The Great Fire was a devastating fire that burned through the night of September 21 – September 22, 1776 on the west side of what then constituted New York City at the southern end of the island of Manhattan.

The Great Fire of New York in 1776

The Great Fire was a devastating fire that burned through the night of September 21 – September…

A Dutch West India Company's trading post in the Colony of New York.

A Dutch West India Company's Trading Post

A Dutch West India Company's trading post in the Colony of New York.

The College of William and Mary is a public university located in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States. It is the second-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is one of the original eight institutions known as Public Ivies. William & Mary educated U.S. Presidents Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, and John Tyler as well as other key figures important to the development of the nation, including U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall, Speaker of the House Henry Clay and 16 signers of the Declaration of Independence. W&M educated future MIT founder William Barton Rogers. U.S. President George Washington received his surveyor's certificate there and noted legal scholar George Wythe was both an early student and, later, the first head of W&M's law school.

William and Mary College (1723)

The College of William and Mary is a public university located in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States.…

The brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, (sometimes called the eastern brook trout, Adirondack coaster lake trout) is a species of fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. The brook trout is native to small streams, creeks, lakes, and spring ponds. Some brook trout are anadromous. It is native to a wide area of eastern North America but increasingly confined to higher elevations southward in the Appalachian Mountains to northern Georgia, Canada from the Hudson Bay basin east, the Great Lakes–Saint Lawrence system, and the upper Mississippi River drainage as far west as eastern Iowa.

Brook Trout

The brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, (sometimes called the eastern brook trout, Adirondack coaster…

Henry Alexander Wise (December 3, 1806 – September 12, 1876) was an American statesman from Virginia. Henry A. Wise served in the United States Congress from 1833 to 1844. Wise was active in securing the election of John Tyler as Vice President in 1840. Tyler appointed Wise as United States minister to Brazil from 1844 to 1847, where two of his children were born in Rio de Janeiro. After his return, Wise identified with the Democratic Party. In 1855, after a remarkable campaign, he was elected governor of Virginia over the Know Nothing candidate. Wise served as a Brigadier General in the Confederate Army. He commanded a brigade in the Army of Northern Virginia during the siege of Petersburg, and was promoted to the rank of Major General after the Battle of Sayler's Creek.

Henry Alexander Wise

Henry Alexander Wise (December 3, 1806 – September 12, 1876) was an American statesman from Virginia.…

Eleazer Derby Wood (1783 – September 17, 1814) was an American Army officer in the War of 1812. He was distinguished at Fort Erie, where he lost his life in a sortie. Colonel Wood was much beloved by General Brown, who caused a handsome marble monument to be erected to his memory at West Point. Also, he was the namesake of Fort Wood on Bedloe's Island in New York Harbor on which the Statue of Liberty was built. He is also the namesake of Wood County, Ohio.

Colonel Eleazer Derby Wood's Monument at West Point

Eleazer Derby Wood (1783 – September 17, 1814) was an American Army officer in the War of 1812.…

John Lorimer Worden (12 March 1818 – 19 October 1897) was a U.S. Admiral who served in the American Civil War. He commanded Monitor against the Confederate vessel Virginia (originally named Merrimack) in first battle of ironclad ships in 1862.

John Lorimer Worden

John Lorimer Worden (12 March 1818 – 19 October 1897) was a U.S. Admiral who served in the American…

The Battle of Wyoming was an encounter during the American Revolutionary War between American Patriots and Loyalists accompanied by Iroquois raiders that took place in Wyoming Valley, Pennsylvania, on July 3, 1778. More than three hundred Patriots were killed in a battle followed by a massacre, in which the Iroquois raiders hunted and killed fleeing Patriots before torturing to death thirty to forty who had surrendered.

<p>Site of Wintermoot's Fort. This view is from the ancient bed of the Susquehanna, looking west. The building, formerly the property of Colonel Jenkins, and now owned by Mr. David Goodwin, is upon the site of old Fort Wintermoot, which was destroyed at the time of the invasion in 1778. It is upon the ancient bank of the river, here from fifteen to twenty feeth high, and about sixty rods from the stream in its present channel.

Site of Wintermoot's Fort

The Battle of Wyoming was an encounter during the American Revolutionary War between American Patriots…

The Gray Seal (Halichoerus grypus) is a large mammal in the Phocidae family of true seals.

Gray Seal

The Gray Seal (Halichoerus grypus) is a large mammal in the Phocidae family of true seals.

The Hooded Seal (Crystophora cristata) is an arctic seal in the Phocidae family of true seal. It is identified by the large bulge on its head.

Hooded Seal

The Hooded Seal (Crystophora cristata) is an arctic seal in the Phocidae family of true seal. It is…

The Great Seal of the United States with "E. Pluribus Unum" and a bald eagle holding thirteen arrows and an olive branch.

Great Seal of the United States

The Great Seal of the United States with "E. Pluribus Unum" and a bald eagle holding thirteen arrows…

The Great Seal of Alabama, 1911. The image depicts a bald eagle holding a banner that reads "Here we rest." It is holding arrows and standing on a shield decorated with stars and stripes.

Seal of Alabama

The Great Seal of Alabama, 1911. The image depicts a bald eagle holding a banner that reads "Here we…

The Seal of the District of Alaska, 1911. The image on the seal shows Alaska's mountains and shore.

Seal of Alaska

The Seal of the District of Alaska, 1911. The image on the seal shows Alaska's mountains and shore.

The Seal of the Territory of Arizona, 1863. The image on the seal shows mountains, forests, and a deer. Underneath is Arizona's state motto, 'Ditat Deus,' meaning "God enriches."

Seal of Arizona

The Seal of the Territory of Arizona, 1863. The image on the seal shows mountains, forests, and a deer.…

Serious American students of theology and divinity, particularly in New England, regarded Hebrew as a classical language, along with Greek and Latin, and essential for study of the Old Testament in the original words. The Reverend Ezra Stiles, president of the College from 1778 to 1795, brought with him his interest in the Hebrew language as a vehicle for studying ancient Biblical texts in their original language (as was common in other schools), requiring all freshmen to study Hebrew (in contrast to Harvard, where only upperclassmen were required to study the language) and is responsible for the Hebrew words "Urim" and "Thummim" on the Yale seal.

Seal of Yale University

Serious American students of theology and divinity, particularly in New England, regarded Hebrew as…

The Seal of the State of Arkansas. The seal shows Mercy, a bald eagle holding a shield, and the sword of justice.

Seal of Arkansas

The Seal of the State of Arkansas. The seal shows Mercy, a bald eagle holding a shield, and the sword…

The Great Seal of the State of California. The seal shows Eureka with a bear cub. In the background are mountains and ships.

Seal of California

The Great Seal of the State of California. The seal shows Eureka with a bear cub. In the background…

The Seal of Colorado, 1876. The seal shows The Eye of Providence and Colorado's motto 'Nil sine numine' meaning "Nothing without God's will.

Seal of Colorado

The Seal of Colorado, 1876. The seal shows The Eye of Providence and Colorado's motto 'Nil sine numine'…

The Seal of the State of Connecticut (Sigillum reipublicae Connecticutensis). The seal shows three grapevines with their motto underneath, 'Qui transtulit sustinet' meaning "He who transplanted sustains."

Seal of Connecticut

The Seal of the State of Connecticut (Sigillum reipublicae Connecticutensis). The seal shows three grapevines…

The Seal of the State of Delaware, 1793-1847. The seal shows a farmer, a soldier, Delaware's coat of arms, and their motto "Liberty and Independence."

Seal of Delaware

The Seal of the State of Delaware, 1793-1847. The seal shows a farmer, a soldier, Delaware's coat of…

The Great Seal of the District of Columbia. The seal shows Lady justice hanging a wreath on the statue of George Washington. The motto reads 'Justitia omnibus' meaning "Justice for All."

Seal of District of Columbia

The Great Seal of the District of Columbia. The seal shows Lady justice hanging a wreath on the statue…

The Great Seal of the State of Florida. The image shows a Seminole Native American sprinkling flowers. There is also a palm tree, a steamboat, and sunshine.

Seal of Florida

The Great Seal of the State of Florida. The image shows a Seminole Native American sprinkling flowers.…

The Seal of the State of Georgia, 1799. The seal shows an arch with three pillars symbolizing the constitution and the three branches of government. Around the pillars are banners which read "Wisdom," "Justice," and "Moderation." There is also a soldier representing protection of the constitution.

Seal of Georgia

The Seal of the State of Georgia, 1799. The seal shows an arch with three pillars symbolizing the constitution…

Lynnhaven Bay is a relatively small body of water in Virginia separated from the rest of the Chesapeake Bay by a small inlet.

Lynnhaven Bay, Virginia

Lynnhaven Bay is a relatively small body of water in Virginia separated from the rest of the Chesapeake…

The Seal of the State of Illinois, 1818. The seal shows the bald eagle on a rock carrying a shield. It carries a banner with the state motto, "State Sovereignty, National Union."

Seal of Illinois

The Seal of the State of Illinois, 1818. The seal shows the bald eagle on a rock carrying a shield.…

The Seal of the State of Indiana. The seal shows a sunrise, a woodman, and a buffalo fleeing. This represents civilization, nature fleeing westward, and a bright future.

Seal of Indiana

The Seal of the State of Indiana. The seal shows a sunrise, a woodman, and a buffalo fleeing. This represents…

The Great Seal of the State of Iowa. The seal pictures a soldier in wheat field with the American flag and the Mississippi River in the background. The eagle holds the motto, "Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain."

Seal of Iowa

The Great Seal of the State of Iowa. The seal pictures a soldier in wheat field with the American flag…

The Great Seal of the State of Kansas, 1861. The seal pictures a sunrise, a steamboat, plowing, a wagon, Native Americans hunting bison, and the state motto, 'Ad Astra per Aspera' meaning "To the Stars through Difficulties."

Seal of Kansas

The Great Seal of the State of Kansas, 1861. The seal pictures a sunrise, a steamboat, plowing, a wagon,…

The seal of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The seal shows a frontiersman and a statesman shaking hands with the state motto, "United we stand, divided we fall."

Seal of Kentucky

The seal of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The seal shows a frontiersman and a statesman shaking hands…

The seal of the state of Louisiana. The seal shows a pelican in her piety, feeding her young with her own blood. This image is surrounded with the state motto, "Union, justice, and confidence."

Seal of Louisiana

The seal of the state of Louisiana. The seal shows a pelican in her piety, feeding her young with her…

The seal of the state of Maine. The seal has a farmer with his scythe and a sailor with his anchor. Above the shield is the state motto 'Dirigo' meaning "I lead."

Seal of Maine

The seal of the state of Maine. The seal has a farmer with his scythe and a sailor with his anchor.…

The Great Seal of the State of Maryland. The seal is a shield being held by plowman and a fisherman. The motto 'Fatti maschii, parole femine' means "Strong deeds, gentle words."

Seal of Maryland

The Great Seal of the State of Maryland. The seal is a shield being held by plowman and a fisherman.…

The Seal of the State of Massachusetts. The seal has a shield in the center with a Algonquin Native American holding a bow and arrow. Around the shield, is a blue ribbon with the state motto, 'Ense Petit Placidam Sub Libertate Quietem" which means "By the sword we seek peace, but only under liberty."

Seal of Massachusetts

The Seal of the State of Massachusetts. The seal has a shield in the center with a Algonquin Native…

The Great Seal of the State of Michigan. This seal shows the Michigan's coat of arms held by an elk and a moose. The white ribbon holds the state motto, 'Si Quaeris Peninsulam Amoenam Circumspice' which means "If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you."

Seal of Michigan

The Great Seal of the State of Michigan. This seal shows the Michigan's coat of arms held by an elk…

The Great Seal of the State of Minnesota. The seal depicts a farmer plowing as a Native American rides by horseback. Above, the state motto reads, 'L'etoile du nord' meaning "Star of the North."

Seal of Minnesota

The Great Seal of the State of Minnesota. The seal depicts a farmer plowing as a Native American rides…

The Great Seal of the State of Mississippi. The bald eagle wears stars and stripes and holds an olive branch symbolizing peace and arrows representing war.

Seal of Mississippi

The Great Seal of the State of Mississippi. The bald eagle wears stars and stripes and holds an olive…

The Great Seal of the State of Missouri. Two grizzly bears hold a shield with the national seal and icons symbolizing growth and strength. The scroll holds the state motto, 'Salus Populi Suprema Lex Esto' meaning "Let the welfare of the people be the supreme law."

Seal of Missouri

The Great Seal of the State of Missouri. Two grizzly bears hold a shield with the national seal and…

The Great Seal of the State of Montana. The seal shows Montana and a shovel, pick, and plow symbolizing agriculture. The state motto is 'Oro y Plata' meaning "Gold and Silver."

Seal of Montana

The Great Seal of the State of Montana. The seal shows Montana and a shovel, pick, and plow symbolizing…

The Great Seal of the State of Nebraska, 1867. The seal shows a steamboat on the Missouri River, a train, a cabin, and a blacksmith. The banner holds the state motto, "Equality Before the Law."

Seal of Nebraska

The Great Seal of the State of Nebraska, 1867. The seal shows a steamboat on the Missouri River, a train,…