Stories by FactCheck.org

The "State of the Union address" was formally known as the "Annual Message" from 1790 until 1934.
Source: Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House

Article II, Section 3, Clause 1 of the U.S. Constitution authorizes the president to deliver information on the "State of the Union" to Congress. 
Source: U.S. Constitution

On this day in 1890, reporter Nellie Bly greeted a crowd in New York 72 days, 6 hours, 11 minutes and 14 seconds after setting sail east to circle the globe.

Source: Library of Congress

On this day in 1848, James W. Marshall discovered gold near Coloma, California. The discovery was officially endorsed by President James Polk in December that year, launching the Gold Rush.

Source: Library of Congress

The 24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which prohibited the collection of poll taxes in national elections, was ratified on this day in 1964.

Source: Library of Congress

On this day in 1912, Key West, Florida, became linked to the Florida peninsula by the Florida East Coast Railway; the overseas railway was destroyed by a hurricane 23 years later.
Source: Library of Congress

There were between an estimated 39 million and 80 million cases of H1N1 from April through Dec. 12, 2009, and about 7,880 to 16,460 H1N1-related deaths.
Source: CDC

There is no accepted method of predicting when, where and how great in magnitude an earthquake will occur.

Source: U.S. Geological Survey