Library of Congress Founded: America's Knowledge Secured
President John Adams signed legislation appropriating $5,000 to purchase books for Congress, establishing what would grow into the largest library on Earth. The Library of Congress now holds over 170 million items across every format, serving as both the research arm of the legislature and the de facto national archive of American intellectual life.
April 24, 1800
226 years ago
Key Figures & Places
United States
Wikipedia
President of the United States
Wikipedia
Congress of the United States
Wikipedia
United States dollar
Wikipedia
John Adams
Wikipedia
Library of Congress
Wikipedia
Library of Congress
Wikipedia
John Adams
Wikipedia
United States Congress
Wikipedia
Washington, D.C.
Wikipedia
United States dollar
Wikipedia
Vietnam War
Wikipedia
What Else Happened on April 24
Thutmose III ascended to the throne in 1479 BC, yet real power immediately shifted to his stepmother Hatshepsut. This transfer allowed her to rule as a pharaoh …
Greek warriors burst from the wooden horse to open the gates of Troy, allowing their army to sack the city and end a decade-long siege. This decisive breach sha…
Ten years of siege, one wooden horse hiding two thousand Greeks. When the gates creaked open, Priam's palace burned and his sons fell by the sword. Helen walked…
Eratosthenes pinned 1183 BC as the day Greek ships burned twelve thousand men and women alive inside wooden walls. He didn't care about gods; he counted the dea…
Charles V's horse, Euphrosine, bolted right into a swamp, leaving the Emperor stranded in muddy water while his son-in-law, the Duke of Alba, charged straight t…
Mary, Queen of Scots, wed the Dauphin François at Notre Dame, uniting the French and Scottish crowns under a single Catholic alliance. This marriage intensified…
Talk to History
Have a conversation with historical figures who witnessed this era. Ask questions, explore perspectives, and bring history to life.