CYBERSPACE

* Revolutionary Web Site: The day the United States ratified a peace treaty with England--Jan. 14, 1784--marks the formal end of the American Revolution. At A Journey Towards Freedom (https://library.advanced.org/10966/) you’ll find a variety of resources, including an “infopedia” and illustrated tour of Valley Forge, as well as links, Teacher’s Corner and games.

* Revolution, Part II: Three American Revolution notables are celebrating their birthdays this week. John Hancock, president of the Continental Congress and signer of the Declaration of Independence, was born in 1737. For a biography, check out https://www.webcom.com/bba/ch/hancock/hanckbio.html. A text of the Declaration of Independence can be found at https://www.law.indiana.edu/uslawdocs/declaration.html

Benjamin Franklin would be celebrating his 292nd birthday on Saturday. The World of Ben Franklin (https://sln.fi.edu/franklin/rotten.html) has links, a biography and a Franklin family tree. Quotes, quotes and more quotes by the scientist, inventor, printer and statesman are at https://www.cc.columbia.edu/

acis/bartleby/bartlett/245.html. Check out the Franklin Institute Science Museum’s Benjamin Franklin National Memorial in Philadelphia at https://sln.fi.edu/tfi/exhibits/memorial.html

It’s somewhat ironic that Benedict Arnold was celebrating his birthday the day the war ended. At least he had something to celebrate that day. For a detailed bio of the most famous traitor in U.S. history, point your browser to https://www.libertynet.org/iha/valleyforge/served/arnold.html

* Gulf War: Just as this week marks the end of our nation’s first war, so it marks the beginning of its most recent war. In 1991, President Bush was given the authority to wage war in the Persian Gulf to drive Iraqi forces out of Kuwait. Frontline: The Gulf War (https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/gulf/) has a Gulf War chronology, tapes and transcripts, weapons and technology info, maps, an oral history and war stories. For articles on the soldiers and machines, check out https://www.desert-storm.com/. The Gulf War Veteran Resource Pages are at https://www.gulfweb.org/

* Sobering Thought: Prohibition, that “noble experiment,” went into effect this month in 1920. (It was repealed in 1933.) American Temperance and Prohibition (https://www.cohums.ohio-state.edu/history/projects/prohibition/) tells you, among other things, why Prohibition came to pass and how it drove the brewing industry. You can also visit some old-time saloons.

* Coochie Coochie: Did you know Charo is turning 47 on Thursday? Check out the official Charo site, https://www.charo.com, to feel just a little closer to everyone’s favorite “Love Boat” guest.

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