In nine lively chapters, packed with the anecdotes and telling details that have made our country's history so rich, The American Story brings to life all the wonderful characters and legendary events that make up our lore. Did you know, for example, that the first woman lawyer to practice on our shores did so in Maryland in the 17th century? Or that William Penn, grantee of the 28-million-acre tract called Pennsylvania and founder of Philadelphia, spent only four of his 73 years in America?
There are other surprises. You might not realize that the United States was the first country to set up a Patent Office. Or that the original Pony Express ran up and down the east coast, not cross country. Were you aware that in 1841 three young women completed their baccalaureate degrees at Oberlin to become the first female graduates of an American college? Or that the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C., the world's largest museum was funded by an Englishman who never set foot on American soil? Found out more about these and many other notable American events, American institutions, and American people that made unique contributions to our history in The American Story.
