Reese McKenzie contacted me by email and asked me to post this essay on my site. I was happy to oblige. Enjoy my first ever guest post; this one is about the history of “Dogs Playing Poker”, a famous painting by C.M Coolidge.

Recently, I got an email forward that highlighted the trials and tribulations of the men who signed the United States Declaration of Independence, highlighting the extreme risks those men took in signing the Declaration and the punishments they took. Unfortunately, while this email did contain a core of historical truth, as Snopes says, another good portion of the email was embellished. So, curious enough, I set out to further celebrate July 4 by finding the true history behind the signers of our Declaration of Independence.

A fitting post for a Friday the 13th, today I address the illogical superstition of believing that the world will end in December 2012. It’s just the flipping of the Mayan Long Calendar, just like we flip our calendars every year. There is nothing to be afraid of. Here’s why.

What is the State of Franklin, and what did it to? Today I go through the annals of forgotten history and take a look at this missed failure of a state that is now incorporated into Tennessee. A wonderful biography of a failed state is not to be missed.

Texas Governor Rick Perry casually discussed Texan secession from the United States. However, what constitutional and legal ground does he have to stand on? Today we look at the “special cases” Rick Perry claims for Texas, and see what they can actually do. Can Texas really secede?

Today is Obama’s 100th Day in office. But what do the 100 Days mean? Today I look at the history behind the Hundred Days and let you know that it goes way back beyond FDR… All the way to Napoleon himself.

Could Alexander Hamilton have been president by rule of the US Constitution? A lot of people believe that the “natural born citizen” clause excuses the Caribbean-born Hamilton from becoming president, but those people would be surprised. Find out why in today’s article.