Sam Houston was riding high after his crushing victory over Mexican General Santa Anna at the Battle of San Jacinto back in April. The hero of Texas independence had managed to defeat a much larger Mexican force and capture Santa Anna himself, securing Texas freedom in one decisive battle. Now, just a few months later, Texans were ready to choose their first president, and Houston was the obvious choice even though he only announced his candidacy eleven days before the election.

The Republic of Texas presidential election wasn't even close. Houston received 5,119 votes while his opponents Henry Smith got just 743 and Stephen F. Austin managed only 587. Houston basically won 77% of the vote in a landslide that showed how much Texans trusted the man who had led them to independence. Mirabeau Lamar was elected vice president, giving Houston a solid team to help govern the new nation.

Houston's opponents never really had a chance. Austin, the "Father of Texas" who had done so much to bring American settlers to the region, was hurt by his connections to some unpopular land speculators. Smith had been the provisional governor but didn't have Houston's military reputation or charisma. Meanwhile, Houston had the strong support of the army and ordinary Texans who saw him as the leader who could keep their new country stable and secure.

Houston's victory speech was full of optimism about Texas's future. He declared that "Texas will again lift its head and stand among the nations... no country upon the globe can compare with it in natural advantages." The new president had big plans - he wanted recognition from other countries and eventual annexation by the United States. Houston would serve two terms as president of the Republic of Texas before helping Texas join the U.S. in 1845, becoming one of the first two senators from the new state.

President Gerald Ford was having a good day in Sacramento, walking from his hotel to the California State Capitol to meet with Governor Jerry Brown. Ford loved greeting crowds and shaking hands, so when he saw people gathered along his route, he naturally headed over to meet them. That's when he noticed a woman in a bright red robe who seemed to be following him through the crowd.

Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme was waiting for her moment. The 26-year-old member of Charles Manson's cult had strapped a Colt .45 caliber pistol to her leg and planned to kill the president to protest what she saw as environmental destruction, particularly of California's redwood trees. As Ford reached out to shake what he thought was an outstretched hand, he found himself staring down the barrel of a gun pointed directly at his chest from just two feet away.

Secret Service agent Larry Buendorf reacted instantly, diving forward and jamming his hand between the gun's hammer and firing pin. The weapon didn't fire - partly because of Buendorf's quick action and partly because Fromme hadn't chambered a round. Other agents quickly tackled Fromme and wrestled the gun away while Ford, showing remarkable composure, continued walking to the Capitol as if nothing had happened. He never even mentioned the incident to Governor Brown during their meeting.

Fromme was immediately arrested and later sentenced to life in prison, though she was paroled in 2009. This was just the beginning of a terrifying month for Ford - exactly 17 days later, another woman named Sara Jane Moore would try to shoot him in San Francisco, making Ford the target of two assassination attempts in the same month. The incident highlighted the tensions of the 1970s and showed that even an unelected president who had tried to heal the nation after Watergate wasn't safe from political violence.

Ancient Schooling✍️
Sumerian children attended school starting at age 7, learning cuneiform writing on clay tablets. These ancient schools were called "edubbas" (tablet houses) and students spent years mastering complex cuneiform script, studying mathematics, literature, and religious texts. Only wealthy boys typically attended, education lasted 10-12 years, and students practiced on wet clay that could be smoothed and reused. Graduates became scribes, priests, or government officials.

The Great Sphynx🌧️
The Great Sphinx is much older than previously thought, possibly dating to 10,500 BCE based on water erosion patterns. Geological evidence suggests the Sphinx shows signs of rainfall erosion that could only have occurred during a much wetter climate period thousands of years before the traditionally accepted construction date. Geologist Robert Schoch's research indicates vertical erosion patterns inconsistent with wind and sand, suggesting pre-dynastic origins.

Greek Theater🎭
Ancient Greek theaters could hold up to 14,000 people and had acoustics so perfect that whispers carried to the back rows. The curved design and precise mathematical calculations allowed actors to be heard clearly throughout these massive amphitheaters without any amplification technology. Epidaurus Theater demonstrates this acoustic perfection, where dropped coins and torn paper can be heard 180 feet away using limestone's sound-reflecting properties.

Ancient Labor Strike🪧
Ancient Egyptian workers went on the first recorded labor strike in history in 1152 BCE. The workers building royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings stopped work when their grain rations were delayed, sitting down and refusing to continue until they were properly fed. Papyrus records show they declared "we are hungry" and successfully negotiated for their back pay and rations, establishing workers' collective bargaining rights.

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