John C. Breckinridge (January 16, 1821 – May 17, 1875) was an
American lawyer, politician, and soldier. He represented Kentucky in
both houses of Congress and became the youngest-ever vice president of
the United States. He was elected to the House of Representatives in
1850 as a Democrat. He served as vice president from 1857 to 1861
alongside President James Buchanan. In 1859, he was elected senator for
Kentucky. The Southern Democrats held two rival conventions; one
nominated Breckinridge for president, who carried most of the Southern
states. With the southern vote split, Abraham Lincoln won the election.
Taking his Senate seat, Breckinridge urged compromise. When the Civil
War broke out, Breckinridge fled to the Confederacy. He fought in
numerous engagements as a general officer. In 1865 he was appointed
secretary of war and urged the Confederate president, Jefferson Davis,
to arrange a national surrender. After the war he lived abroad,
returning in 1869.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_C._Breckinridge>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1942:
World War II: During the Battle of Bataan, U.S. Army sergeant
Jose Calugas organized a squad of volunteers to man an artillery
position under heavy fire, which later earned him the Medal of Honor.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jose_Calugas>
1964:
The musical Hello, Dolly! opened at the St. James Theatre on
Broadway, and went on to win ten Tony Awards, a record that stood for 37
years.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hello,_Dolly!_%28musical%29>
2018:
In Mrauk U, Myanmar, police fired into a crowd protesting the
ban of an event to mark the anniversary of the end of the Kingdom of
Mrauk U, resulting in seven deaths and twelve injuries.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mrauk_U_riot>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
bounden:
1. (dated) Now chiefly in the term bounden duty: made obligatory;
binding.
2. (obsolete) Bound.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/bounden>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
It is not suffering as such that is most deeply feared but
suffering that degrades.
--Susan Sontag
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Susan_Sontag>
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