Today in History: Air Balloons & Airships
Today in History–February 8–the Library of Congress celebrates the birth of writer Jules Verne, born on this date in 1828, by featuring air balloons and airships. Around the time Verne’s first book–Five Weeks in a Balloon–came out in 1863, the U.S. Army was using hydrogen gas balloons in Civil War reconnaissance missions. See what you can learn about air balloons and airships by visiting the Today in History section and clicking the links below. You might also be interested in this 1907 silent film: A little “Jules Verne”.
Bird’s-eye view of San Francisco, Cal., from a balloon
More articles & books related to airships
Airship front-page historic newspaper articles
Who Were the First to Fly? Meet the Ballooning Brothers Minerva’s Kaleidoscope
Up, Up, and Away with 19th Century Science Books for Children Inside Adams June 22, 2020
Topics in Chronicling America – Civil War Ballooning (1861-1864)
Civil War Aeronautics Inside Adams July 27, 2011
The Aeronauts Inside Adams May 18, 2013
Civil War Aeronauts: Exploring 19th Century Technology Innovation with Photographs, Manuscripts and Newspapers Teaching with the Library of Congress April 27, 2021