Karen Hill 
Spiders don’t lay eggs in human skin. Other insects may do this, like the mites that create the skin disorder scabies, but spiders are far too concerned with the well-being of their offspring to entrust them to the likes of us. Warmth isn’t necessarily what mother spiders are seeking for their egg sacs; security is. … Read more
Superman first appeared in Action Comics in June of 1938. Superman is widely considered to be an American cultural icon, and helped to create and establish the superhero genre within the American comic book industry. The Great Depression of the 1930s was a huge influence on early Superman stories, and Superman took on the role … Read more
Richard Felton Outcault is widely regarded to have invented the modern comic strip, and was born on January 14, 1863. Outcault’s “Yellow Kid’ is considered the first comic strip character, and appeared in Hearst’s New York Journal in 1896. The Kid was a bald, floppy-eared, buck-toothed, grinning kid in a huge yellow shirt. Barefoot and … Read more
You would think that something named “milli” (thousand) would have more legs than something named “centi” (hundred). Although we think of them as insects, centipedes and millipedes are more closely related to crustaceans, lobsters and shrimp. Millipedes often do have more legs than a centipede, but technically that depends on the varieties you’re talking about. … Read more
Scott Adams gets his ideas for the Dilbert comic strip from a couple of different sources. Adams was first a corporate cog in both the banking and the utilities industries, so a lot of fodder for his strip comes from personal experience. But the “Dilbert” strip is known for soliciting ideas from its readership, and … Read more
Mel Blanc was very allergic to carrots. He says he tried apples and celery and all sorts of alternatives to get the sound just right, but nothing worked as well as carrots did. So he chewed carrots when he needed to, spitting them out and watching for signs of anaphylactic shock.
The order of the colors in a rainbow from top to bottom are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet. However, if you see a double rainbow, with a larger but fainter secondary rainbow outside the main rainbow, the colors will be reversed in the second rainbow. A supernumerary rainbow, also also known as a stacker … Read more
The word calculus means “pebble” in Latin. Pythagoreans used pebbles, lined up to form various shapes, to represent numbers. The earliest ideas that led to integral calculus can be found in the Egyptian Moscow papyrus, and described calculations of volumes and areas, one goal of integral calculus. Historically, calculus was known as “infinitesimal calculus”. Archimedes … Read more
It’s hard to tell from the evidence if Albert Einstein was absent minded, many of the stories told about Einstein could be fabrications to perpetuate that stereotype. What we know is that he was a daydreamer as a schoolboy, so much so that his headmaster informed young Albert’s father, “It doesn’t matter what field he … Read more
Microwaves sure won’t do you any good. Even small doses of microwave energy might do long-term damage, and larger doses can cause a dangerous buildup of heat, especially in body parts like eyes, which don’t cool quickly. Having said that, though, it’s also true that people stationed at microwave towers used to stand in front … Read more
English author and philosopher Francis Bacon was the forerunner of the great frozen-food scientists of the early 20th century, such as naturalist and author Clarence Birdseye. Bacon did many experiments with meat and discovered the undeniable connection between meat preservation and subfreezing temperatures. Tragically, his experiments killed him. While on a joumey in March 1626, … Read more
According to Ohio Arts, the powder inside an Etch A Sketch is not dangerous, but it sure would make a mess if you broke one open. It’s aluminum that’s ground fine so it will stick to everything it touches, with some small plastic beads added to agitate the powder and keep it from clumping together. … Read more
The Richter scale is a logarithmic scale that gauges the magnitude of an earthquake’s force. Invented by Charles Richter in 1935, it is measured on a seismograph machine, interpreting the data the machine picks up from the Earth’s vibrations. Each number is 10 times more powerful than the previous number. For example, a quake that … Read more
Illinois Avenue is the most landed space in Monopoly. It is followed by B&O Railroad, Free Parking, Tennessee Avenue, New York Avenue, and Reading Railroad. Monopoly is a redesign of an earlier game “The Landlord’s Game”, which was first published by the Quaker and political activist Elizabeth Magie. Monopoly is also the most played commercial … Read more
Politically correct alterations of Crayola crayon names reflect the full spectrum of progressive and conservative thought. The name changes include changing the names of Flesh to Peach, because beige is not the color of all skin. of Indian Red to Chestnut, based on the misassumption that it had something to do with Native Americans when … Read more
According to the folks at Guinness Records, the highest score ever recorded in Scrabble is 1,049, set by Phil Abbleby in 1989. His opponent scored 253. The highest single move score was Dr. Saladin Karl Khoshnaw’s 392 for the word CAZIQUES, which means “native chiefs of West Indian aborigines”, set in a 1982 competition in … Read more
There are three theories as to why a Ouija Board might work, when and if it does. seance The Spiritualist Theory. Forces or spirits from beyond our world are moving the planchette. Evidence for: It sure seems like the thing is moving by itself, sometimes giving completely unexpected answers. Evidence against: Try using the board … Read more
The chief inventor of the Ouija Board, Charles Kennard, consulted the board to come up with its own name. The spirits spelled out “o-u-I-J-A,” explaining that it was the Egyptian word for “good luck.” That turned out to be wrong, but no matter: Ouija it was. Later, the spirits from Beyond played an even worse … Read more
Uncover the origin of checkers, delving into the intriguing history of this timeless game. Explore the inventors and the fascinating journey that led to the creation of checkers. Key Takeaways: Discover the origins of checkers and the inventors behind this classic game. Explore the historical context that shaped the development and popularity of checkers. Gain … Read more
In 1881, a worker at Procter and Gamble forgot to turn off the machine that whipped a little air into the soap mixture. He ran the “ruined” batch through production and packaging anyway instead of pulling it. Consumers went wild. They loved the way the bar floated instead of sinking to the murky bottom of … Read more
For eons people have used stone, brick, or wooden tubs to bathe in, in or around the home. But two men significantly affected the bathtub as we know it today. John Kohler, a foundry owner in Wisconsin in the late 1800s, developed an enameled iron watering trough for animals. When indoor plumbing became popular, he … Read more
The word throne is simply a euphemism for toilet, and we have plenty of them for subjects that are considered unmentionable. There are many more names for the toilet, such as: hopper, Johnny, janey, loo, potty, or privy. This particular euphemism, throne, is said to have come from none other than King Louis XIV, who … Read more
Unlike today’s vacuum flushed train toilets, which lead to air-sealed storage containers for holding waste, toilets used to flush directly out of a hole in the bottom of the train car. These toilets were known as Hopper toilets. While moving along in open country, flushing onto the track seemed a common sense way of disposing … Read more
A wombat is a common name for several different rodent-like, ground-burrowing marsupials from Australia. The largest type is the most prevalent and is often domesticated in Australia, as its docile temperament makes it a good pet. The animal has been killed or driven out of many areas, however, because it is thought to damage crops. … Read more
The expression “to beard the lion in his den” comes from two separate stories in the Old Testament of the Bible. I Samuel 17:35 has David telling of how he confronted and killed a lion before he braved Goliath: “and when he rose up against me, I seized him by his beard and struck him … Read more
Hippos eat mostly grass, and are classified as herbivores. A hippo’s specialized eyes and nose, located on the top of its head, help it stay almost entirely submerged for large portions of the day. Young hippos actually have a specialized tongue that lets them dive down and nurse while under water. That said, during the … Read more
The word kindergarten is German in origin, and means “garden of children.” Educator Friedrich Froebel coined the term, but only after trying to coin another one: Kleinkenderbeschaftigungsanstalt. Although its meaning was clear, “institution where small children are occupied”, its pronunciation was quite a feat. Public rejection of the term persuaded Froebel to make the switch … Read more
The words Idiots, Imbeciles, and Morons were originally designed as legitimate medical classifications to differentiate among different levels of mental retardation. Those classified as morons have the emotional and mental capacity of nine year olds. The word “Moron” was coined by psychologist Henry H. Goddard in 1910, and comes from the Ancient Greek word μωρός … Read more
There are a couple of theories about the origin of this phrase, both from England. The first comes from Cockney rhyming slang, which uses rhymes instead of the intended word: “the weep and wail” instead of “jail,” for example, or “my struggle and strife” for “wife.” Some say “brass tacks” was a rhyming substitute for … Read more
If a deer runs out in front of your car, stay calm, and try not to further endanger yourself, your passengers, other traffic, or the deer as you would in any other collision situation. But there are several preventative steps you can take to avoid running into deer in the first place. The first is … Read more
Mastodons became extinct as recently as 8,000 years ago, along with their Pleistocene cousins, the mammoths. Although mastodons had many similarities to both mammoths and elephants, they were different in one way. Their teeth weren’t flat, but bumpy, perhaps for better tearing and grinding. Mastodons ate shrubs, leaves, and grasses, and some experts say their … Read more
A sloth gives birth to just one offspring per litter. The baby clings to its mother until it is old enough to take care of itself. The Maned Three-Toed Sloth is classified as endangered, and the ongoing destruction of South America’s forests may soon prove a threat to other sloth species. Sloth have a unique … Read more
The truth is that the t-shirt has been around a long time, and no one knows its exact origins. The following are two popular theories. One idea is this: Men working on the docks at Annapolis, Maryland, in the late 1600s unloaded a great deal of tea. The simple shirts they wore became known as … Read more
In 1972, the Blue Ribbon Shoe Company turned to the art department of nearby Portland State University for a student who could design a distinctive logo. Carolyn Davidson was chosen, and she set about the first real job of her career. Company founder Phil Knight asked for something both functional and stylish. He wanted what … Read more
Dive into the cinematic world of Fred Astaire as we explore the size of his feet and the illusion that made him appear tall on screen. Uncover the secrets behind his iconic stature. Key Takeaways: Examine the actual size of Fred Astaire’s feet and dispel common misconceptions. Explore the film techniques that contributed to Astaire’s … Read more
Alfred Hitchcock had several nicknames. His folks called him Fred. His schoolmates and friends called him kooky. He referred to himself as Hitch. Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock was born on 13 August 1899 and he pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller film genres. Hitchcock directed over fifty feature films in a career … Read more
“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make ye free” is inscribed in the lobby of the CIA building in Langley, Virginia. The quote is from the Bible. The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government that is responsible for providing national security intelligence to senior … Read more
Delve into the origins of the Greek language, unraveling its roots and discovering whether Greek falls under the umbrella of Romance languages. Key Takeaway: The Greek language, with its rich history, has distinct origins separate from Romance languages, offering a unique linguistic journey. The Greek language has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language. … Read more
The Japanese word for Pac-Man is Pakkuman and paku means “eat” in Japanese. Pac-Man was created by a young Namco employee named Tōru Iwatani in April 1979. According to legend, Pac-Man was inspired by the Japanese folk hero “Paku” who was known for his appetite. Pac-Man become an icon of video game culture during the … Read more
Here are some facts you might want to consider before proceeding with piercing your belly button. There is always risk when you have any part of your body pierced. It is minor surgery and should be treated as such. With navel piercings, you are at a higher than average risk for infection for two reasons. … Read more
In the 1820s, workers who were digging the Erie Canal got paid from about 37 cents to $1 a day. This was for a 10 hour day, and they were expected to work six days a week. They also got up to a quart of whiskey each a day, given in a series of four … Read more
In March 1964, the strongest earthquake in North America in the twentieth century hit central Alaska, in the area of Prince William Sound. It measured 8.5 on the Richter scale and lasted for 3 minutes, an enormous amount of time for an earthquake; most last less than a minute. Many homes and buildings were destroyed … Read more
Mount St. Helens, in the Cascades Mountains in Washington State, erupted for 6 days beginning on May 18, 1980. It immediately lost 1,314 feet (401 m) from its height and now stands at 8,363 feet (2,549 m). The eruption was triggered by an earthquake (5.1 on the Richter scale) 1 mile (1.6 km) below the … Read more
Mount Rainier in Washington is an active volcano, and geologists believe it is just a matter of time before some type of volcanic activity occurs there again. Some have even called Mount Rainier the most dangerous volcano in the United States. They predict that the worst threat to the area would come from debris flows, … Read more
Three completely different ecosystems can be found in the Olympic Peninsula in western Washington state. Dozens of glacier capped mountains, 60 miles (97 km) of undeveloped Pacific coastline, and old growth and temperate rain forests. Most of this region lies with the boundaries of Olympic National Park, 95 percent of which is designated as wilderness … Read more
About 170 islands make up the San Juan group in Puget Sound. Puget Sound, in northwestern Washington State, is a Pacific Ocean inlet that runs through the state for about 100 miles, (161 km) from Whidbey Island south to Olympia, Washington. Large ships can travel through the sound to several important port cities, including Seattle, … Read more
The Grand Coulee Dam in Washington State is 550 feet (168 m) tall and almost 1 mile (1.6 km) long, including the third powerhouse. Built of concrete on the Columbia River in the northeastern corner of the state, its three power plants generate more electricity than any other dam in the United States. The Grand … Read more
You’d have to travel across 500 miles (805 km) of Canada to get to the next closest U.S. state, Washington. Part of Alaska is actually much closer to Russia. Alaska’s Little Diomede Island, at the extreme western end of the Seward Peninsula, is only 2.5 miles (4 km) from Big Diomede Island, which belongs to … Read more
Alaska has 615,230 square miles (1,599,598 sq km) of land. It is a fifth the size of all the lower 48 states put together, 2.5 times bigger than Texas, and 488 times bigger than Rhode Island. In fact, just one glacier, the Malaspina, between Anchorage and Juneau, covers an area larger than Rhode Island. The … Read more
The Oregon Trail was a 2,000-mile (3,220-km) route through dangerous and rugged land was the “road” settlers took out of Independence, Missouri, to the Columbia River region of Oregon. The end of the trail was Oregon City, south of Portland. To go that distance in the mid-1800s took 4 to 6 months. People heading to … Read more
Weather on the western side of Washington is wet and quite warm, considering its northern latitude. For example, in January, on average, Seattle has a mean temperature of 41° Fahrenheit and receives 5 inches (12.7 cm) of rain. Spokane, just 282 miles (454 km) east and at about the same latitude, on average has a … Read more
Crater Lake in Oregon was not created by a meteor crashing to earth. Crater Lake is the result of water collecting in the caldera, or crater, created by the volcanic eruption of Mount Mazama nearly 7,000 years ago. Located in the Cascade Mountains, Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States, at 1,932 … Read more
Urban planners consider Portland, Oregon to be a model city because Portland has been so successful in revitalizing its downtown area and limiting urban sprawl. Its light-rail transit system has reduced traffic congestion and air pollution, and coordinated land-use planning has kept the city from spreading uncontrolled into the surrounding countryside. Unlike many U.S. cities, … Read more
About half of Oregon is covered with forests. Oregon leads the nation in lumber production, and it also is a big producer of plywood, veneer, and particleboard. The eastern part of the state is less forested, and farms there produce wheat and other grain crops as well as potatoes and other vegetables. Almost all of … Read more
The Hawaiian island of Kauai may be best known for its tropical gardens, but its dramatically beautiful Waimea canyon is the highlight of any visit there. Mark Twain once called this 10-mile (16-km)-long, 2-mile (3.2-km)-wide, and nearly 3,000-foot (914-m)-deep canyon the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific.” Its red rock walls remind visitors of Arizona’s Grand … Read more
Going from east to west, the names of the eight main Hawaiian Islands are: Hawaii, Maui, Kahoolawe, Lanai, Molokai, Oahu, Kauai, and Niihau. The Hawaiian Islands were once called the Sandwich Islands. Captain James Cook named them the “Sandwich Islands” in 1778 in honor of John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, who was one of … Read more
The state of Hawaii has 316 species of plants and animals on the U.S. endangered species list, more than a third of the total list. The problem began a few hundred years ago when Polynesian and European settlers brought various kinds of plants and animals, such as dogs, chickens, pigs, rats, and mongooses there, animals … Read more
The Hawaiian Island archipelago is the most isolated grouping of islands on earth. The islands are really the tips of ancient volcanoes. They owe their existence to their location over an unusual stationary “hot spot” deep within the Earth in this area. As the Pacific tectonic plate slowly moved northwestward over that hot spot, molten … Read more
When warm, humid air from the Pacific Ocean moves over the cooler water of San Francisco Bay it condenses, producing advection fog. This is the type of fog San Francisco experiences in the summer months, keeping the city cool, at least until it burns off around midday. San Francisco’s climate is characteristic of the cool-summer … Read more
Honolulu, the capital of Hawaii, is about 2,400 miles (3,864 km) southwest of the U.S. mainland, about the same as the distance between San Francisco and Washington, D.C. It is the southernmost state in the Union, in fact, Honolulu is on about the same latitude as Guadalajara, Mexico. Hawaii is the only U.S. state that … Read more
California is first in the nation in several ways. California has the largest population in the U.S., with about 37 million in 2010, many more than Texas (25 million) and New York (20 million). It ranks number one among all the states in both manufacturing and agriculture. Cotton is the main crop, and dairy products … Read more
The 1906 San Francisco earthquake was the worst in California’s history, causing the deaths of more than 3,000 people and the destruction of 28,000 buildings. The fire that resulted made things worse, burning much of the city. Firefighters couldn’t fight the fires because the earthquake caused the water pipes leading into the city to break. … Read more
Hawaii consists of 137 islands, most of which are very small and uninhabited. They spread over 6,423 square miles (16,700 sq km) of the North Pacific Ocean. The eight major Hawaiian islands are all volcanic in origin. Several volcanoes on the islands are active today. The Hawaiian archipelago takes its name from the largest island … Read more
Back in 1848, Utah was invaded by millions of Rocky Mountain crickets that began destroying crops and threatening the people with starvation. Seemingly out of nowhere, flocks of California gulls appeared and began eating the crickets. The people were so grateful that more than a hundred years later this species of gull was selected as … Read more
Back in New York in 1830, a man named Joseph Smith established the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Over the next 20 years, the church spread to Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois, but everywhere they went, its members were persecuted by people of other denominations. In 1847 they decided to travel west to find … Read more
Nevada receives less rain than any other state, and is the driest. Rainfall in the southeastern part of the state averages only about 4 inches (10 cm) a year. But Nevada has plenty of water in Lake Mead, which stretches for about 115 miles (185 km), one of the largest artificially created lakes in the … Read more
Utahans selected the beehive as their official state emblem because honeybees represent the virtues of industry and perseverance. A drawing of a beehive appears on its state flag and state seal, as well as on its state highway signs. The early Mormon settlers wanted the Utah Territory to be called “Deseret,” which means “honeybee” in … Read more
Nevada is called the Silver State because huge amounts of silver were mined in the 1800s in Nevada. The Comstock Lode, near Virginia City in the west-central part of the state, was the largest silver mining center ever in the United States. The dream of wealth drew thousands of people to Nevada from about 1860 … Read more
The words “Battle Born” appear on the Nevada state flag because Nevada was admitted to the Union in 1864, during the Civil War. President Abraham Lincoln needed another Republican state to help support his antislavery policies in Congress. Even though Nevada didn’t have the required number of people to form a state, people in Nevada … Read more
Silicon Valley is a 30-mile (48-km) by 10-mile (16-km) area in northern California between San Francisco and San Jose. Its name comes from the many electronics, information technology, and Internet companies that have been locating their offices and manufacturing plants there since the 1950s. The term “Silicon Valley” was first used in 1971, with “silicon” … Read more
California’s redwood trees are not the oldest living things in the world, but they are the tallest. One redwood tree in Redwood National Park is 368 feet (112 m) tall. One of the oldest living things in the world is in Sequoia National Park. The General Sherman Tree, a giant sequoia tree that is 272 … Read more
Idaho’s state capitol building in Boise is heated by pumping up naturally hot water from 3,000 feet (914 m) below the Earth. This form of energy is called geothermal. The water is warmed by heat coming from underground chambers of magma, or molten rock. Magma produces lava during a volcanic eruption. In areas of volcanic … Read more
Wyoming has the smallest population out of all the states in the U.S. In 2009 Wyoming had an estimated population of about 544,270 people. The Wyoming territorial constitution was the first constitution in the world to give women full voting rights, back in 1889. It became a U.S. state a year later. Wyoming also claims … Read more
Idaho is called the Gem State because it produces 72 different types of precious and semiprecious gemstones, including star garnets, opals, jade, and agate. Idaho is the 14th largest state by land area, and is one of only two places in the world where star garnets can be found. The Thousand Springs area of Idaho’s … Read more
The Great Salt Lake In Utah is the largest salt lake in the United States. Water from freshwater streams flows into the Great Salt Lake, but it never flows back out. When it evaporates, salt (sodium chloride) and other minerals are left behind, making the water salty. The amount of salt in the lake varies, … Read more
Geysers are bursts of boiling hot water that erupt from below the surface into the air, often several hundred feet. A fumarole is a steam vent. The steam comes from hot springs below the Earth’s surface that are so hot that their water boils away before they reach the surface. A mudpot looks like it … Read more
Most of Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, but parts of the 2.2 million acre (880,000 ha) park are also in Idaho and Montana. Yellowstone National Park was the first national park when it was established in 1872. The park is unusual in that it contains half of the world’s geothermal features. It has more than … Read more
The Grand Canyon, located in the northwestern corner of Arizona, stretches more than 277 miles (446 km). It is more than 1 mile (1.6 km) deep in places and about 18 miles (29 km) wide at its widest point. This amazing gash in the earth was cut by the powerful flow of the Colorado River … Read more
Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah meet at Four Corners. You can get to this unique spot by taking U.S. 160 in Arizona. The Four Corners region is mostly rural and arid, and the most populous city in Four Corners is Farmington, New Mexico. The area is named after the quadripoint where the boundaries of … Read more
The mountain peaks around Tucson have the largest concentration of telescopes anywhere in the world. About 30 optical telescopes, including those at Lowell Observatory and Kitt Peak National Observatory, study the stars and planets from this part of the Arizona desert, where dark night skies and dry desert air give astronomers good views of the … Read more
More than 225 million years ago, trees then growing in Petrified Forest National Park in northeastern Arizona were buried in volcanic ash, mud, or sand and eventually turned to stone. Today the area, within the Painted Desert, another colorful part of Arizona, contains one of the world’s largest concentrations of petrified wood. The park covers … Read more
A glacier is an accumulation of snow that forms when more snow falls each winter than melts the following summer. As the layers grow year after year, their weight causes the lower layers to compress and turn into a dense ice called firn. When this ice begins to move slowly over the land or down … Read more
Glacier National Park features more than 50 glaciers and 200 lakes and streams in its 1.4 million mountainous acres (560,000 ha). The park also has more than one thousand different species of plants and animals. The mountains of Glacier National Park began forming about 170 million years ago when ancient rocks were forced over much … Read more
Montana is called the Treasure State because early settlers found a wealth of gold and silver in its mountains. Montana is the fourth-largest state in land area, after Alaska, Texas, and California. The first woman to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives was from Montana. Her name was Jeanette Rankin, and she was … Read more
The word Idaho means nothing at all. It is a coined, or made up, word, not a Native American word. The name Idaho was suggested by a man in 1860 to be the name for the Colorado Territory, but people didn’t like it because it wasn’t a Native American word. Two years later, the name … Read more
Montana’s rivers flow into three widely separated bodies of water: the Gulf of Mexico the Pacific Ocean the Hudson Bay The Missouri River system drains into the Mississippi River and then into the Gulf of Mexico. The Columbia River system drains into the Pacific Ocean. The Belly, St. Mary’s, and Waterton Rivers drain into Hudson … Read more
Grasshopper Glacier, in the Beartooth Mountains in Montana, is a most unusual natural phenomenon. Huge swarms of grasshoppers have been trapped in the ice of a glacier for more than 300 years. This oddity was discovered in 1898 during a scientific expedition in the northern Rockies near Granite Peak, not far from Yellowstone National Park. … Read more
Craters of the Moon National Monument in Southeastern Idaho is a 83 square mile basaltic lava field created by more than 15,000 years of volcanic activity. Visitors can view many interesting volcanic features, such as lava tubes, several types of lava flows, cinder cones, and spatter cones. In the 1960s this area was used to … Read more
Lewiston, Idaho, sometimes called the Seaport of Idaho, is really a riverport at the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater Rivers. Boats and barges carry farm and forest products down to the Columbia River and through neighboring Washington State to the Pacific Ocean, a journey of 465 miles (749 km). Lewiston was one of Idaho’s … Read more
Six different national flags have flown over Texas. At various times in its history, parts of the area that now form the state of Texas belonged at different times to Spain, France, and Mexico, its first three flags. After gaining independence from Mexico in 1836, Texas became an independent nation, the Republic of Texas, and … Read more
