1

2008 Beijing Olympic Games - Michael Phelps

Image: Thomas Park

Winning a gold medal in the Olympic Games is, by itself, a huge achievement and a dream come true for any elite athlete. Repeating this feat is something that very few have achieved, and doing so has elevated these individuals to legendary status.

Now, imagine winning not one, not two, but eight gold medals in a single edition of the Olympic Games . This unimaginable feat was accomplished by the now-famous swimmer Michael Phelps. This remains the greatest individual achievement in one edition of the Olympic Games by any Team USA athlete.

2

1936 Munich Olympic Games - Jesse Owens

Image: Braden Collum

Another legendary Olympic moment took place many years before Michael Phelps was even born, when Jesse Owens, a Black athlete, won four gold medals in the 1936 Munich Olympic Games.

Despite competing on very controversial ground at the time, Owens blazed his way to Olympic glory and secured his place in the pantheon of the greatest American athletes.

3

Cuba to Florida Swim - Diana Nyad

Image: Matt Hardy

If you see the distance between Miami and Havana on a map, it doesn’t seem all that far. That is until you start approaching and realize that there are 110 miles between these two places. Believe it or not, this journey has been swum three times. The first two crossings involved a shark cage and several short rests.

The third person to achieve this milestone was Diana Nyad, who completed the swim on her fifth attempt at age 64 in 2013 . Nyad used a protective jellyfish suit, shark divers, and electronic shark-repellent devices to achieve an "unassisted" swim.

4

50 Marathons in 50 Days

Image: Pietro Rampazzo

Running a marathon is an impressive feat of endurance and strength for almost any human being. Running two marathons in two consecutive days is nearly impossible for anyone. Now, imagine running 50 marathons across 50 American states in 50 consecutive days.

That incredible accomplishment was achieved by Los Angeles native Dean Karnazes , beginning with the Lewis and Clark Marathon in St. Louis on September 17, 2006 , and finishing with the New York City Marathon on November 5 . A bit too much, maybe?

5

1968 Mexico City Olympic Games - Bob Beamon

Image: Gabriel Sanchez

On the rarest of occasions, humans are capable of physical achievements that defy what the human body is capable of doing. During the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, Bob Beamon broke the world record for men’slong jump with an incredible jump of 29 feet, 2.25 inches . Yes, that is almost 30 feet.

There was a delay in posting the distance, and Beamon didn’t know what the metric figure that finally appeared on the board equated to in feet and inches. When a teammate told him he had jumped over 29 feet, he collapsed on the track from the realization of what he had accomplished.

6

2017 Australian US Open - Serena Williams

Image: Kelly Sikkema

Winning a world tennis championship is a significant achievement for any tennis player. That is, unless you are a tennis player so accomplished that winning these tournaments is as regular as anything. The list of people who do that is very short, and the names on it are all very well known.

One of those names is, without a doubt, Serena Williams. Possibly the greatest female tennis player ever, she won the 2017 Australian Open . This fact alone may not seem out of place for such an athlete. But what sets it apart is the fact that she did so while pregnant .

7

17 minutes without breathing - David Blaine

Image: Jakob Owens

How long can you hold your breath underwater? Trained individuals can achieve very impressive results in this field, but one feat that stands out is the one accomplished by American illusionist David Blaine, who, on September 8, 2008, set a world record for static apnoea, by holding his breath underwater inside a tank for 17 minutes and 4.5 seconds.

Blaine is best known for his high-profile feats of endurance and has set and broken several world records. These include standing for 35 hours on a 100-foot-high pillar only 22 inches wide in 2002 and sitting in a clear Perspex box for 44 days in 2003 without eating and drinking only water.

8

900 spin - Tony Hawk

Image: Devin Avery

In the world of skating, a 360 is the name given to a stunt performed by executing a mid-air spin on the board. This is a complicated trick, achieved only by very experienced skaters. A 720 is a stunt performed by doing not one, but two mid-air spins on the board. As one can imagine, this is exponentially more difficult than a 360, and very few people can pull off this stunt.

Now, if we mention a 900, you might guess where we are going. This involves not one, not two, but two and a half mid-air spins on the board. This insanely difficult stunt was first performed (at least publicly) by Tony Hawk, the skateboard champion, at the 1999 X Games, cementing his status as a skateboarding legend.

9

2008 U.S. Open - Tiger Woods

Image: Will Porada

Tiger Woods is a familiar name in the sports world. He has won 14 major golf championships and achieved a level of superstardom seldom seen in the game. However, the one we are choosing to highlight today displays an extraordinary amount of tolerance to pain in the face of competition.

During the 2008 U.S. Open, he played a total of 91 holes with a torn ACL and double stress fractures in his left leg . With a course set up to give players the toughest test of golf imaginable, the U.S. Open is hard enough as it is. Add in debilitating leg injuries, plus 19 extra holes (thanks to a playoff with Rocco Mediate), and you have one of the greatest showings of pain tolerance in the history of tournament golf.

10

El Capitan Free Solo Climb - Alex Honnold

Image: Jessica Tuttle

Imagine climbing a huge stone wall approximately 3,000 feet high in less than four hours. Now imagine doing that, without any kind of ropes or safety equipment. That is exactly what Alex Honnold did on June 3, 2017, when he made the first-ever free solo ascent of El Capitan by completing Alex Huber's 2,900-foot big wall route, Freerider, in 3 hours and 56 minutes.

The climb, described as "one of the great athletic feats of any kind, ever," was documented by climber and photographer Jimmy Chin and documentary filmmaker E. Chai Vasarhelyi, as the subject of the documentary Free Solo which, among other awards, won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2018.

1

The French Quarter - New Orleans

Image: João Francisco

We’ll begin this article with a Southern jewel. New Orleans’ French Quarter is the oldest neighborhood in the city, and for a while, it was the central square around which the city was built. In fact, its French name, Vieux Carré ("Old Square") describes its status as an essential location.

Nowadays, the French Quarter serves as a quaint and charming time machine. Millions of tourists visit it for its delightful architecture, delectable restaurants, and buzzing jazz scene. Other attractions include Jackson Square, a public park dedicated to Andrew Jackson, and Bourbon Street, filled with picturesque bars and taverns.

2

Little Havana - Miami

Image: Kian Lem

This neighborhood proves that good things come in small packages. Little Havana got its name in the 1960s after a substantial number of Cuban immigrants moved into the area. With them came the vibrant and colorful culture that has defined this neighborhood for over 60 years.

If you only have time for a quick visit, we recommend taking a stroll through the neighborhood's main street, the world-famous Calle 8 . This strip is filled with stores and restaurants offering traditional (and delicious) Cuban food. You might also visit one of the many live music venues and dance the night away!

3

Chinatown - San Francisco

Image: Madeleine Maguire

We could have taken our pick from the many amazing neighborhoods called "Chinatown" across America, but we ultimately settled on the oldest one in the country. Centered on Grant Avenue and Stockton Street, San Francisco’s Chinatown is instantly recognizable, made famous by amazing movies like The Maltese Falcon or The Pursuit of Happyness .

This neighborhood is also considered largely responsible for popularizing Chinese cuisine in America, and for creating new Chinese-American dishes like chop suey. San Francisco’s Chinatown is also world-known for its spectacular Chinese New Year celebrations, perhaps the biggest of its kind in America.

4

Beverly Hills

Image: David Vives

Since it was incorporated as an American city in 1914, Beverly Hills is technically not a neighborhood. However, because it is completely enveloped by the city of Los Angeles, it is considered a suburb. So, for the sake of argument, we’ll include "90210" on this list, if only because it gives us a chance to talk about the quintessential home of the rich and famous.

Beverly Hills got its name from "Beverly Farms" located in Beverly, Massachusetts, after the landowners realized there was no oil to be found in it and decided to develop it into a town. Nowadays, it is mostly known for its lush scenery, luxury shopping, and, of course, its connection to Hollywood stars. Literally, too many movies and shows feature this city, so we’ll just name a few off the top of our heads: The Beverly Hillbillies , Beverly Hills Cop, and Beverly Hills 90210 .

5

Brooklyn - New York City

Image: Víctor Martín

What is a borough if not a big neighborhood? I know many New Yorkers will disagree with this statement, especially those lucky enough to reside in Brooklyn . After all, many consider Brooklyn to be a separate entity—an independent (albeit small) city. And when you consider all the amazing things this borough has to offer, can you really blame them?

Brooklyn is comprised of over 70 different neighborhoods. If it were a standalone American city, it would rank as the fourth largest in the entire country. However, the sole reason we included it on this list is that the entire borough feels like one massive neighborhood, instantly recognizable by its distinct identity and culture.

6

Haight-Ashbury - San Francisco

Image: Burak Ceviz

San Francisco is world-famous for many reasons: Its slanted streets, cable cars, and the Golden Gate Bridge make it instantly recognizable. Architecture buffs also adore "the City" (as it's known by locals) for a very specific reason: its abundance of "Painted Ladies," the nickname given to the gorgeous Victorian houses built in the 1800s. In that sense, while many of San Francisco’s neighborhoods boast these houses, our top pick goes to those in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood.

In truth, Haight-Ashbury has so much more to offer than these lovely houses. For starters, this neighborhood was the center of the 1960s counterculture; many claim that the "Hippie" movement began here. Several stores in the area pay tribute to that era, particularly record stores and boutiques.

7

Little Italy - New York City

Image: Alex Haney

Just like with our nation’s Chinatowns, we could have easily picked from a number of locations known as "Little Italy." In fact, New York City houses several of them, from the Morris Park neighborhood in the Bronx to the section formerly known as "Italian Harlem." Ultimately, we decided to focus on what is probably the most famous of them all: the Little Italy neighborhood in Manhattan.

While this area was made famous by Francis Ford Coppola’s legendary Godfather trilogy, the truth is that Little Italy’s charm can’t fully be described by any art form. From its history to its amazing culture and proud heritage, this neighborhood is truly a sight to behold.

8

Pike Place - Seattle

Image: Ben Dutton

We know what you’re thinking: Pike Place is not a neighborhood. And while it’s true that this name is most heavily associated with Seattle’s iconic public market, the area surrounding Pike Place is now considered a neighborhood in its own right—and a gorgeous one at that.

Although small, the Pike Place district is filled to the brim with spectacular landmarks and fantastic gastronomic offers. You can visit the very first Starbucks location, wander around the many offerings in the farmer’s market, or take a stroll through Waterfront Park.

9

The Loop - Chicago

Image: Anthony Fomin

Standing in the heart of "the Windy City" there’s a neighborhood blessed with a unique name: The Loop is Chicago’s commercial district and the true center of the city. It’s named after the central train station located in the neighborhood, where all the city’s train lines meet and form a "loop."

Millions of tourists visit this neighborhood every year, as it is conveniently located near several of Chicago’s main attractions. Anyone staying in the Loop is within walking distance of Millennium Park, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the "Cloud Gate" sculpture, perhaps best known by its nickname, "The Bean."

10

Beacon Hill - Boston

Image: Vanessa Sezini

We’ll end this article with a wonderful historic neighborhood. Beacon Hill ’s name is delightfully straightforward: it refers to a former beacon placed on top of the highest hill in central Boston. As you might have guessed, the function of this beacon was to alert residents to any invasions, which is a true statement of the history of this iconic neighborhood.

Beacon Hill is perhaps Boston’s most famous neighborhood, characterized by its lovely rowhouses, gas-lit streets, and brick sidewalks. It has been home to both the Massachusetts State House and many notable Americans, including author Louisa May Alcott and poet laureate Robert Frost.

1

A secret convention

The Constitutional Convention gathered between May 25 and September 17, 1787, in Independence Hall, Philadelphia, at that moment the seat of the U.S. government. Although the initial intention had been to "fix" the government delineated in the Articles of the Confederation, the constituents, also known as the "Framers", decided to write a new document altogether. For nearly five months, delegates from 12 states (Rhode Island had refused to participate) deliberated in secret , wanting to avoid external pressure but also any leak or rumor that could lead to mass panic.

2

A controversial document

While James Madison is hailed as the "Father of the Constitution" for his role in shaping our government, the document as we know it was mainly drafted by Pennsylvania delegate Gouverneur Morris. Although the convention had reluctantly agreed on 23 points, the final draft only contained seven, plus a preamble and a closing endorsement . This result, caused by several necessary compromises, disappointed many delegates, including Benjamin Franklin, who still voted in favor because they believed that they couldn’t reach a better agreement.

3

Spelling errors

The text for the Constitution had been drafted by Gouverneur Morris, but the document to be signed was penned on five parchment pages by Jacob Shallus, an assistant clerk to the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Shallus received $30 for his work (equivalent to about $750 today). The document was written quite hastily, which led to misspellings in the text , although some of them might have been common alternative spellings at that time, such as "chuse" instead of "choose". The most famous error is "Pensylvania" in the list of signatory states, a list written by Alexander Hamilton, not by Shallus.

4

The compromises

The heated debates about the new government forced the delegates to reach a series of compromises. The most significant concerned state representation (larger states wanted proportional votes, smaller states demanded equal representation), whether enslaved people counted towards state population, and the executive government’s election method. As a result, the Convention decided on a Bicameral legislature (the House of Representatives with proportional representation and the Senate with equal representation), counted three-fifths of the enslaved population towards representation and taxation, and decided on an electoral college to balance popular votes and state electors.

5

The constituents

The convention, presided over by George Washington, was comprised of delegates from 12 states, a mix of lawyers, merchants, landowners, physicians, and public officials. All of them had political experience, having served in the Continental Congress, the Confederation Congress, or as signers of the Declaration of Independence , although their ages varied. New Jersey delegate Jonathan Dayton was the youngest constituent, at 26 years old, while Pennsylvania delegate Benjamin Franklin was the oldest, at 81 years old.

6

The men who refused

The Constitutional Convention had 55 delegates in total, but not all of them signed the Constitution or were even present at the signing. Thirteen of them had returned to their states due to professional or personal reasons, or as a form of protest. George Mason, Elbridge Gerry, and Edmund Randolph remained at the convention, but refused to sign the Constitution without a Bill of Rights. In the end, only 39 out of 55 delegates signed the final document.

7

Delaware, the First State

Although Delaware is traditionally regarded as the 13th colony, and it functioned as such with its own assembly, it had always been part of Pennsylvania, only becoming an independent state with the start of the Revolutionary War. The second-smallest state beside Rhode Island, Delaware was the first to unanimously ratify the new U.S. Constitution , less than three months after it was signed, making it the first state to join the Union and earning it the nickname of "The First State".

8

The Bill of Rights

The inclusion of a Bill of Rights had been debated during the Constitutional Convention, but it had been rejected under the argument that it could imply that any right not mentioned did not exist. However, this posed a later issue, as some states flat-out refused to ratify a Constitution that lacked protection of individual rights. To ensure ratification, these states were promised that a bill of rights would be added. The Constitution was fully ratified on May 29, 1790, and the Bill of Rights, composed of ten amendments, was added on December 15, 1791.

9

What about slavery?

The terms "slave" or "slavery" do not appear in the original text of the Constitution, but this doesn’t mean the institution was not contemplated or protected in the document. The text spoke of people "bound to service", counted three-fifths of them towards a state’s population, prevented Congress from banning the import of enslaved people until 1808, and included a clause to return fugitives to their enslavers. It was not until 1865, with the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment, that the text of the Constitution formally addressed slavery, abolishing it across the U.S.

10

Amendments

Article V of the original text delineated the mechanism to amend the Constitution, contemplating that the government should be able to change as the nation changed. Any amendment requires a majority vote (two-thirds) of both chambers of Congress, plus the ratification of three-fourths of the states. Since the inception of the Constitution, more than 11,000 amendments have been proposed to Congress, but only 33 have been approved and sent to be ratified by the states. Of those, only 27 have been effectively ratified, the last one, concerning changes in congressional pay, fully ratified in 1992.