#14: March 31-April 5

March 31, 1889 – The Eiffel Tower officially opens in Paris, France.
On March 31, 1889, something amazing happened in Paris, France—the Eiffel Tower officially opened to the public. This tall and shiny tower quickly became one of the most famous landmarks in the world. People came from all over to see it and ride to the top for a great view of the city. 

Fun Fact #1: Even though the Eiffel Tower is in France, an American cowboy named Buffalo Bill Cody put on a Wild West show right at the bottom of the tower just a few months later! Yee-haw in Paris! 

Fun Fact #2: Mr. Eiffel, the engineer who designed the famous tower, also created the frame that holds up the Statue of Liberty! You can listen to the story of the Statue of Liberty here: Episode 141

April 1, 1976 – Apple Computer was founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne.

On April 1, 1976, three smart friends named Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne started a company called Apple Computer. They worked in a garage and dreamed of making computers that were easy and fun for people to use. That small company grew up to create cool gadgets like iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks that many people use today.

Fun Fact: Apple was started on April Fool’s Day—pretty funny for a company that became one of the most serious tech giants in the world!  

April 2, 1792 – The U.S. Mint was created to make coins. 

On April 2, 1792, the United States created the U.S. Mint, a special place where coins are made. This happened because the new country needed its own money to use instead of foreign coins. The first Mint building was in Philadelphia, which was the capital at the time. Workers there melted metal and carefully stamped it into coins like pennies and half dollars. Today, the U.S. Mint still makes billions of coins every year. Way back at the beginning of our country, our first president, George Washington, appointed Alexander Hamilton the job of figuring out our nation’s money system. You can listen to his story here: Episode 107: Alexander Hamilton

Fun Fact: The very first coins were made using silver donated by everyday Americans—even their spoons and forks were turned into money.
Fun Fact: The first coins made were made of copper, silver, and gold, and included a coin called the “half disme” (pronounced “deem”).

April 3, 1860 – The Pony Express began delivering mail.

On April 3, 1860, the Pony Express began an exciting new way to deliver mail across the country. Before this, it could take weeks or even months for a letter to travel from the East Coast to the West Coast. The Pony Express changed that! Riders on horseback would gallop through rain, snow, and mountains, switching horses at stations along the way to keep going fast. They traveled about 1,800 miles from St. Joseph, Missouri, all the way to Sacramento, California, in just 10 days! Even though the Pony Express only lasted for about 18 months, it became a legendary part of American history. Fun Fact: One rider once rode 380 miles in less than two days—that’s like riding from New York City to Washington, D.C. and back, all on horseback!
Fun Fact: Pony Express riders could ride up to 100 miles a day—on horseback—with fresh horses at relay stations!

April 5, 1614 – Pocahontas marries John Rolfe.                                                                                 

On April 5, 1614, a Native American woman named Pocahontas married an English settler named John Rolfe in Virginia. Pocahontas was the daughter of a powerful chief, and her marriage helped bring peace for a while between the Native American tribes and the English colonists. She later traveled to England with John Rolfe and met the king and queen! People remember Pocahontas for her bravery, kindness, and the important role she played in American history. You can listen to her story here: Episode 94

Fun Fact: Pocahontas’s real name was Matoaka, but she was called Pocahontas, which means “playful one”!