From the foundational drafting of colonial self-governance in 1620 and the nation’s first constitution in 1777, to critical Civil War maneuvers, seminal infrastructure completions, and enduring literary masterworks, this seven-day span captures key moments that shaped the political, social, and cultural fabric of the United States.
November 10
- Establishment of the Continental Marines (1775): Meeting at Tun Tavern in Philadelphia, the Second Continental Congress passed a resolution establishing two battalions of Continental Marines under Captain Samuel Nicholas, marking the official birth of the United States Marine Corps.
- The Loss of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald (1975): The 729-foot Great Lakes bulk carrier sank during a severe storm on Lake Superior, claiming all 29 crew members and becoming one of the most famous and culturally memorialized maritime disasters in U.S. history.
November 11
- Signing of the Mayflower Compact (1620): While anchored off Provincetown Harbor at Cape Cod, 41 adult male passengers aboard the Mayflower signed the Mayflower Compact, establishing an early framework of self-governance and rule of law in English North America.
- Dedication of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (1921): President Warren G. Harding presided over the burial and dedication ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery to honor unidentified American service members fallen during World War I, a date celebrated annually as Veterans Day.
November 12
- The Naval Battle of Guadalcanal Begins (1942): American and Japanese naval forces engaged in a fierce, multi-day naval showdown in the Pacific Theater, successfully thwarting Japanese reinforcement attempts and turning the tide in the Solomon Islands campaign.
- First Reused Orbital Spacecraft Flight (1981): NASA launched Space Shuttle Columbia on mission STS-2, marking the first time in human history that a crewed spacecraft was launched into space more than once.
November 13
- Dedication of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (1982): Designed by 21-year-old architectural student Maya Lin, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall in Washington, D.C., was officially dedicated, providing a place of national healing and reflection for service members.
- Opening of the Holland Tunnel (1927): The Holland Tunnel beneath the Hudson River opened to vehicular traffic, connecting Jersey City, New Jersey, with Manhattan as the world’s first mechanically ventilated underwater vehicular tunnel.
November 14
- Publication of Moby-Dick (1851): Harper & Brothers published Herman Melville’s masterpiece Moby-Dick; or, The Whale in the United States, which would become a cornerstone of American literature.
- Ruby Bridges Integrates William Frantz Elementary (1960): Six-year-old Ruby Bridges was escorted by four federal marshals into William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans, becoming an enduring icon of the Civil Rights Movement by desegregating an all-white public school in the Deep South.
November 15
- Continental Congress Adopts the Articles of Confederation (1777): Following months of wartime debate in York, Pennsylvania, the Continental Congress approved the Articles of Confederation, the first written constitution of the United States.
- General Sherman’s March to the Sea Begins (1864): After burning military targets and infrastructure in Atlanta, Union Major General William Tecumseh Sherman set out toward Savannah, Georgia, with 62,000 troops on his March to the Sea.
November 16
- Lewis and Clark Reach the Pacific Ocean (1805): The Corps of Discovery, led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, arrived at the mouth of the Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean, fulfilling Thomas Jefferson’s vision of charting the American Northwest.
- Oklahoma Becomes the 46th State (1907): President Theodore Roosevelt signed the proclamation officially admitting Oklahoma Territory and Indian Territory into the Union as a single state, concluding decades of tribal reallocation and territorial land runs.
