Tara Ross
@TaraRoss
Followers
12K
Following
11K
Media
831
Statuses
12K
Author,"Why We Need the Electoral College," "We Elect a President:The Story of our Electoral College" & "She Fought, Too: Stories of Revolutionary War Heroines"
Joined March 2009
The Electoral College serves us well, although it is too often misunderstood. Given all the discussion about it lately, here is a string of resources that might help. I'll keep adding to it between now and November. My 5-minute @prageru video is an easy one to start with.
19
94
240
#ICYMI Today's "this day in history" story about the origins of "America the Beautiful.". Some thought it should have been our national anthem. What do you think?. #storytime 🧵👇.
On this day in 1893, a professor stands atop Pikes Peak. She is struck by the beauty around her and is inspired to write a poem. Her poem is later set to music. Today, we all know that song as “America the Beautiful.”. /1 of X #storytime 🧵👇
0
0
6
Standard disclaimer: If you enjoyed this story, I'd appreciate a retweet of the first tweet in this string. Gentle reminder: History stories are copyright © 2013-2025 by Tara Ross. /12 of 12. Permalink: Thanks for loving history with me! ❤️🇺🇸❤️.
taraross.com
On this day in 1893, a professor stands atop Pikes Peak in Colorado. She is struck by the beauty around her and is inspired to write a poem. Her poem is later set to music. Today, we all know that...
0
1
8
Interestingly, Bates and Ward never met each other. And neither of them really made any money on the song. Instead, the result of their accidental partnership has simply been a great gift to the country. /11 of X.
1
1
7
The poem was paired with many different tunes over the years until, finally, one particular melody by Samuel Ward stuck. /10 of X.
1
1
4
Did you know that the lines “And crown thy good with brotherhood, From sea to shining sea” used to be “Till souls wax fair as earth and air, And music-hearted sea”?. /9 of X.
2
1
3
Bates’s poem was published on July 4, 1895, but it was revised after that initial publication when people started setting the poem to music. “When I found that you really wanted to sing it,” Bates remarked, “I rewrote it in some respects to make it a bit more musical.”. /8 of X.
1
1
3
Later, Bates remarked that “Greatness and goodness are not necessarily synonymous. Rome was great, but she was not good. Unless we are willing to crown our greatness with goodness, and our bounty with brotherhood, our beloved America may go the same way.”. /7 of X.
1
1
3
She later wrote: “It was then and there, as I was looking out over the sea-like expanse of fertile country spreading away so far under those ample skies, that the opening lines of the hymn floated into my mind.”. /6 of X.
1
1
3
This point would be driven home even more once she arrived in Colorado and was given an opportunity to hike to the top of Pikes Peak. The view from the top of the mountain was breathtaking, and she was overcome by all that she saw. /5 of X.
1
1
3
Bates was soon on a train, headed west. She visited Niagara Falls, and she saw the World Fair in Chicago. The scenery that flew past the train’s windows was stunning, and the trip made a deep impression on Bates. Already, she was seeing how great and beautiful and diverse the.
1
1
3
That professor was Katharine Lee Bates, daughter of a minister and teacher. She’d been teaching at Wellesley for several years when she got an offer to teach at Colorado College. Little could she then know it, but the decision to take the summer teaching position would have.
1
1
3
The song nearly became America’s national anthem. And it all started because a professor accepted a summer teaching position in Colorado. /2 of X.
1
1
4
On this day in 1893, a professor stands atop Pikes Peak. She is struck by the beauty around her and is inspired to write a poem. Her poem is later set to music. Today, we all know that song as “America the Beautiful.”. /1 of X #storytime 🧵👇
2
36
81
#ICYMI Today's "Medal of Honor Monday" story about Max Thompson. “So many times the tide of our battles were determined by the actions of one soldier,” one officer concluded. “In this case you were the one soldier.”. #storytime 🧵👇.
#MedalOfHonor Monday! 🇺🇸🇺🇸 Surely no one expected Max Thompson to become a war hero? Instead, his hometown simply knew a “quiet, unassuming chap who liked mathematics,” according to one local newspaper. /1 of X #storytime 🧵👇
0
20
134
Standard disclaimer: If you enjoyed this story, I'd appreciate a retweet of the first tweet in this string. Gentle reminder: History stories are copyright © 2013-2025 by Tara Ross. /15 of 15. Permalink: Thanks for loving history with me! ❤️🇺🇸❤️.
taraross.com
On this day in 1922, a future Medal of Honor recipient is born. Surely no one expected Max Thompson to become a war hero? Instead, his hometown simply knew a “quiet, unassuming chap who liked...
0
1
13
“[Y]ou really saved the day and prevented a breakthrough of the 1st Division line,” Carter later wrote. He would ultimately recommend Thompson for a Medal. “So many times the tide of our battles were determined by the actions of one soldier,” he concluded. “In this case you were.
1
2
15
Naturally, the daring move instantly made Thompson the object of enemy fire. He was wounded by then, but he simply refused to stop what he was doing. Finally, the enemy was forced to abandon their position. Because of Thompson, Americans maintained their position. /13 of X.
1
2
12
“The enemy was ready for our counterattack . the squad was unable to advance,” St. Sgt. Herbert C. Spivey later recounted. “Going forward, alone, Sgt. Thompson crawled 20 yards so that he could get close enough to fire a rifle grenade through the apertures.”. /12 of X.
1
2
12
By nightfall, the enemy had been largely driven away, but they were still hanging on to three pillboxes. Thompson was to lead a squad, tasked with driving the enemy from these positions. /11 of X.
1
2
13