United States History On This Date: May 14th

1607 — Jamestown Founded in Virginia

On this day, English settlers established Jamestown, the first permanent English colony in North America. Backed by the Virginia Company, the expedition sought gold and trade routes but found hardship instead—disease, hunger, and uneasy relations with the Powhatan Confederacy. Despite its early struggles, Jamestown became the seed of English America and the foundation of colonial Virginia.

1804 — Lewis and Clark Expedition Departs

From Camp Dubois near St. Louis, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark began their journey westward under President Jefferson’s orders to explore the Louisiana Purchase. Their Corps of Discovery set out to map the Missouri River, establish relations with Native nations, and seek a route to the Pacific. The expedition’s departure marked the opening of America’s continental frontier.

1863 — Battle of Jackson, Mississippi

Union forces under Ulysses S. Grant advanced on Jackson, Mississippi, capturing the city after fierce fighting. The victory severed Confederate supply lines and cleared the way for Grant’s siege of Vicksburg. Jackson’s fall demonstrated the Union’s growing control of the Mississippi corridor and deepened Southern anxiety as the war’s western theater turned decisively against them.

1908 — First Passenger Flight in America

At Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, Wilbur Wright carried mechanic Charles Furnas aloft in a powered airplane—the first passenger flight in American history. Though brief, the flight proved that controlled, sustained flight could safely carry more than one person. The event marked a turning point in aviation, transforming the Wrights’ invention into a practical tool for human travel.

1942 — Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps Established

Congress created the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC), authorizing women to serve in non‑combat military roles during World War II. Thousands enlisted as clerks, mechanics, and radio operators, freeing men for combat duty. The WAAC’s formation represented a major step toward gender equality in military service and reshaped the wartime workforce across the United States.

The Lewis & Clark expedition used a 55-foot Keelboat, which could be sailed, rowed, poled like a raft, or cordelled (a towline especially used on keelboats).