While addressing a joint session of Congress, President John F. Kennedy announces his pledge to both land an American astronaut on the moon and to secure a safe return to Earth. This speech informally begins the Apollo program, which was designed for launching and completing lunar missions.
With delegates from seven states present, the Constitutional Convention reaches quorum and immediately elects George Washington to preside over the convention. Initially designed to amend the Articles of Confederation, the convention eventually designed and ratified a new Constitution to govern the 13 states.
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