Today in History: Back to the Future!

First off, happy 51st birthday to Tom Cruise!

Idaho, known as the Potato State, became the 43rd US
state on this day in 1890. Here is an attraction in Idaho,
 the Idaho Potato Museum in Blackfoot, Idaho.

For the last two days, I have included the Battle of Gettysberg, one of the bloodiest battles in American history. This day in 1863 was finally the end for this bloody battle. Confederate commander, Robert E. Lee's attempt to continue to cross into Virginia. Lee failed in trying to attack Union general George Meade from the left and right, so tried to attack Meade right in the center. Lee organized a massive bombardment while General George Pickett would lead an army to attack the Union army. Around 3pm, Pickett lead his army into a dead end, also realizing that Lee's bombardment of the Union army had failed. After Union soldiers attacked, Pickett loss nearly two-thirds of his men, nearly 7,000 Confederate soldiers dead or wounded in an hour. A day later on July 4th, Lee finally withdrew, leading his army out of the north, never to invading it again.

Back to the Future came out
on this day in 1985

After the American Civil War finally ended in 1865, much of the western states also began to develop. Many years later on this day in 1890, Idaho became the 43rd state. Idaho is considered to be the last state to be explored by whites, as many of the later states were explored by Spanish, Native Americans, and other groups. Lewis and Clark discovered the land in 1805 as they searched for a route over the Rocky mountains to the Columbia River. Seventy five years later in 1880, Idaho had a population of over 32,000. Today Idaho, or some call the Potato State, has a population of nearly 1.6 million.

In more modern news, the movie, Back to the Future, was released on this day in 1985. With a budget of $19 million, you could say that the movie hit the jackpot in the office, as it made $383,874,862. Michael J. Fox stars as Marty McFly, a teenager who is sent back in time and changes the future. Back to the Future features a 1981 DeLorean DMC-12, which featured keen gull-like doors also used in later movies.

Here is a video of a Back to the Future parody featured in the Homestead High School 50th Anniversary Documentary that I helped with!

Hope everyone has a wonderful July 4th week and weekend! Oh yeah, DESPICABLE ME 2 comes out today in the US!