March 31, 1777 -
A young Abigail Adams encouraged her husband John to give women voting privileges in the new American government. She wrote to her husband on March 31, 1777, while he was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention: “I desire you would remember the ladies and be more generous to them than were your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of husbands. Remember all men would be tyrants if they could. If particular care and attention are not paid to the ladies we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound to obey any laws in which we have no voice or representation.” Twenty years later her husband was a candidate in America’s first real election.March 31, 1918 -
The U.S. first began daylight saving time (DST) on Easter Sunday, when clocks were set ahead by one hour on this date. The idea was sponsored by the Daylight Savings Association. N.Y. Senator William M. Calder introduced the bill to Congress on April 17, 1917.
It was initially defeated, but subsequently passed by roll-call on June 27, 1917. The concept had already been introduced in Great Britain as a fuel-saving measure during wartime, in order to conserve coal stocks during WW I.
