January 23
January 23
Gun designer John Browning is born
John Moses Browning, sometimes referred to as the “father of modern firearms,” is born in Ogden, Utah on January 23, 1855. Many of the guns manufactured by companies whose names evoke…
A Year In History: 1855
This Year in History:
1855
Discover what happened in this year with HISTORY’s summaries of major events, anniversaries, famous births and notable deaths.
March 30
March 30
Violence disrupts first Kansas election
In territorial Kansas’ first election, some 5,000 so‑called “Border Ruffians” invade the territory from western Missouri and force the election of a pro‑slavery legislature. Although the number of votes cast…
July 4
July 4
First edition of Walt Whitman’s “Leaves of Grass” is published
Walt Whitman’s first edition of the self‑published Leaves of Grass is printed, containing a dozen poems. Whitman was born in West Hills, Long Island, and raised in Brooklyn. He left…
