1492
Isabella Issues Ultimatum
Queen Isabella of Spain orders 150,000 Jews out of the country unless they accept Christian baptism.
1794
Cotton Gin
Eli Whitney patents his cotton gin, which automatically removes the seeds from cotton and revolutionizes the industry.
1836
Beeton Born
Isabella Beeton, author of Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management, is born. She helped run her husband’s magazines while reinventing the recipe book (you know, by adding such useful items as actual precise quantities).
1885
A Wandering Minstrel I...
Gilbert and Sullivan’s Mikado premieres at the Savoy Theatre in London.
1964
Ruby Guilty
A Dallas jury finds Jack Ruby guilty of the murder of accused JFK assassin Lee Harvey Oswald.
1991
Birmingham Six Released
An appeals court in Britain orders the Birmingham Six released after finding their conviction for the 1974 IRA Birmingham pub bombings “unsafe and unsatisfactory”.
1274
Aquinas Exits
Early Christian philosopher and theologian, Aquinas was respected in his own lifetime and sainted afterwards.
1838
Jenny Lind
Jenny Lind, soon to be one of the first international superstars, makes her operatic debut in Der Freischutz.
1876
Telephone
Alexander Graham Bell patents the telephone.
1917
First Jazz Record
The Victor Company releases The Original Dixieland Jazz Band’s One-Step, recorded by the band of the same name. It is the first jazz record.
1923
Stopping By Woods
Robert Frost’s poem, “Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening” is published in The New Republic Magazine.
1997
Distant Relations
Adrian Targett, a 42-year old teacher in Cheddar, England, is shown by DNA tests to be a direct descendant of the 9,000-year old ‘Cheddar Man’.
1633
Pepys Born
Diarist Samuel Pepys is born in London. He began his famous diary in 1660, keeping it in a shorthand of his own invention that wasn’t deciphered until the 19th century.
1820
Cato Street Conspiracy
Radicals calling themselves Spencereans (after their founder John Spencer), plot to kill some of England’s cabinet who they believe will be going to dinner in nearby Grosvenor House. The idea was to kick start a revolution, but the police are tipped off and raid the barn in Cato Street where the conspirators were meeting. Four of them are convicted of treason and hanged.
1821
Keats Dies
Poet John Keats dies of tuberculosis at 25. Widely regarded as one of England’s greatest poets, he was disappointed with his life, his chosen epitaph was, “Here lies one whose name was writ in water.”
1868
W.E.B. DuBois Born
The first African American to receive a PhD from Harvard University, W.E.B. DuBois was born on this day in Barrington, Massachusetts. A sociologist and intellectual, he was one of the founders of the NAACP. He died in 1963 just before the March on Washington.
1898
Zola Convicted
Emile Zola is convicted of libel as a result of publishing “J’Accuse”, which accused the French government of anti-Semitism and corruption in the Dreyfus case. His conviction was overturned on appeal, then the appeal result was itself overturned. Zola hightailed it to England.
1954
Polio Vaccinations
The first mass polio inoculations with the Salk vaccine take place in Pittsburgh.
1673
Moliere Dies
French playwright Moliere dies in Paris at 51. The church at first denies him burial on holy ground, then permits it but insists that the funeral take place at night. Thousands show up and honor the writer with a torchlight procession.
1801
Tie Breaker
The US house of Representatives breaks a tie in the 1800 Presidential election by selecting Thomas Jefferson over Aaron Burr on the 35th ballot.
1817
Baltimore Lighths Up
The city of Baltimore becomes the first city to illuminate its streets with gaslight.
1864
Hunley Sinks Housatonic
The Confederate submarine the H.L. Hunley torpedoes the Union ship USS Housatonic near Charleston, South Carolina. The attack is successful and the Housatonic sinks, but in the process the Hunley is also lost with all on board.
1870
First Female Judge
Esther Morris becomes a justice of the peace in Wyoming. She serves for 8 ½ months and tries 26 cases, becoming the first woman judge in the US.
1972
EC OK
Britain’s Parliament votes in favor of joining the European Common Market.
1779
Cook Dies
British explorer Captain James Cook is stabbed to death by the people of the Sandwich Islands (now Hawaii) after taking hostages.
1817
Douglas Debuts
Black abolitionist Frederick Douglass is born into slavery. He became one of the greatest writers and speakers on the abolitionist issue and founded The North Star newspaper in Rochester, New York.
1895
A Handbag?!
Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest” premieres in London.
1929
St. Valentine's Day Massacre
Seven members of Chicago’s Moran gang, lured to a garage by the promise of hijacked liquor, are murdered by men in the employ of Al Capone. The killers were disguised as policemen.
1945
Dresden
The second day of the allied bombing of Dresden. The resultant firestorm sucked the oxygen away causing many to die of suffocation. Almost 200,000 people perished.
1989
Rushdie Fatwa
Ayatollah Khomeini issues a “fatwa,” or death sentence on Salman Rushdie, author of “The Satanic Verses.” Rushdie goes into hiding.
1749
Tom Jones Published
The final installment of Henry Fielding’s novel “Tom Jones” is published.
1837
Pushkin Pushes Off
Great Russian author Alexander Pushkin dies in Moscow of wounds received in a duel defending his wife’s honor.
1846
Nonsense Published
Edward Lear’s “A Book of Nonsense” is published. It consists of two volumes with 72 limericks.
1898
Brecht Born
Playwright Bertolt Brecht is born in Augsburg, Germany. Brecht revolutionized ideas about the theatre and eventually fled the Nazis. After living in the US for many years he was forced to flee again after the McCarthyites came after him.
1957
Ingalls Exits
Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of “Little House on the Prairie” and other books documenting her family’s pioneering days, dies at home in Rocky Ridge.
1962
Powers Pinched
CIA pilot Francis Gary Powers is captured, along with his secret airplane, by the Russians. He confesses to being a spy in court and is eventually exchanged for a Russian spy captured by the Americans.
1301
Prince of Wales
Edward I of England invests his son (also Edward) as Prince of Wales at Caernarfon Castle in Wales. It was an effort to placate the Welsh. It didn’t work.
1764
It Was A Dark And...
Ann Radcliffe is born in London. She was the first successful Gothic novelist (“The Mysteries of Udolpho”).
1812
Dickens Born
Charles Dickens is born in Portsmouth, England. A series of financial reverses led to him first being sent to work in a blacking factory (where his best friend’s name was Fagin), before becoming a reporter and then a novelist.
1894
Sax Exits
Adolphe Sax, inventor of the saxophone, dies in poverty.
1947
Dead Sea Scrolls
The main cache of Dead Sea Scrolls is discovered in caves on the West Bank.
1971
Votes for Women
A referendum in Switzerland approves the idea of allowing women to vote.
1606
Guy Fawkes Executed
Guy Fawkes and three other Gunpowder Plot conspirators are executed in London. They had tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament on opening day (when the king would have been there). They were hanged, drawn and quartered.
1858
Great Eastern
Brunel’s massive five-funneled steamship is launched. The ship was never a success, but did lay the first transatlantic cable.
1865
13th Amendment
The US House of Representatives passes the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, outlawing slavery...by a narrow margin. It becomes part of the Constitution later this year.
1876
Oppression
The US government orders all Native Americans to move to reservations or be declared hostile.
1928
Sticky Stuff
Scotch tape is first sold.
1968
Tet Offensive
The Viet Cong attack 100 cities in South Viet Nam, taking US forces completely by surprise and demoralizing the troops and the people back home, who had been told the conflict was “in hand.”
1302
Dante Exiled
Poet Dante Alighieri is booted out of Florence when political enemies take control of the city. He will spend the rest of his life as an exile.
1606
Gunpowder Trial
The Gunpowder Plotters are tried and convicted in London. Back on November 5 they had tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament, and the king with it.
1756
Mozart Arrives
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is born in Salzburg, Austria.
1880
Light Bulb Liberated
Thomas Edison patents the electric incandescent lamp.
1944
Leningrad Liberated
After a siege that lasted 880 days and cost over 600,000 lives, the German siege on the city of Leningrad is finally lifted.
1973
End of Vietnam War
The Treaty of Paris is signed ending the longest war in US history. All American Troops are to leave Vietnam in 90 days.
1533
She'll Be Sorry...
Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn are secretly married. She was already pregnant and if the child was a son, the king wanted to ensure that he would be legitimate. She had a girl, they called her Elizabeth.
1759
Burns Born
Scottish poet Robert Burns is born in Alloway, Ayreshire. His birthday is celebrated every year to this day with feasting and drinking – just as Burns would have liked it.
1855
Nerval Dies
French poet and all-around weirdo, Gerard de Nerval, hangs himself in the street.
1890
Nellie Returns
Journalist Nellie Bly completes her round-the-world trip, arriving back in New York in 72 days and beating the fictional Phileas Fogg.
1947
Al Checks Out
Chicago gangster Al Capone dies of syphilis. He was 48.
1971
Manson Convicted
Charles Manson and three of his followers were found guilty of the brutal murders of Sharon Tate and four of her friends and of a Los Angeles businessman and his wife.
41 AD
Caligula Assassinated
Caligula was 26 when he became Emperor of Rome, and for a while was beloved of all, but he soon turned vengeful and insane, killing hundreds including his closest allies. He was a little over 29 when he was murdered.
1848
Gold!
Gold is discovered at Sutter’s Mill in Northern California, prompting the Gold Rush. By the end of 1849, 80,000 immigrants had swarmed into the state.
1916
Income Tax Illegal
The US Supreme Court declares that the activities of the Internal Revenue Service are illegal.
1935
Beer Cans
Beer is sold in cans for the first time. The innovator was the Kreuger Brewing Company of Virginia.
1965
Chruchill Dies
Winston Churchill dies at 90. His future was far from assured when he first stepped onto the public stage, but he proved to be a savvy politician and a superb wartime leader.
1978
Oops!
A Soviet satellite equipped with a nuclear reactor crashes in Canada, spreading radioactive debris over 61,000 square miles.
1793
Louis XVI Dies
King Louis XVI of France dies on the guillotine in the Place de la Revolution, now the Place de la Concorde.
1846
Dickens Edits
The first edition of the Daily News, edited by Charles Dickens, appears.
1888
Leadbelly Lives
Huddie Leadbetter, better known as Leadbelly, was born on this day. The blues singer was one of the inspirations of the folk and blues revival of the 50s and 60s.
1911
Monte Carlo Rally
The first Monte Carlo car rally is held. It’s won 7 days later by French driver Henri Rougier.
1924
Lenin Dies
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, leader of the Russian Bolsheviks, dies of a stroke at 24.
1977
Carter Pardons
US President Jimmy Carter issues an unconditional pardon to most Vietnam draft resisters on his first full day in office. 100,000 to 500,000 people can come in out of the cold.
1793
Bad News for Louis
French king Louis XVI is sentenced to death. The rest of Europe quaked in fear at the news that the revolutionaries might actually kill the king. It helped to unify opposition to the regime.
1809
Poe Debuts
Edgar Allen Poe is born in Boston. His parents were actors and that was where they were performing that week. Three years later they were both dead and his life of woe began.
1903
Tour de France
A new bicycle race is announced. It will test riders over some of the most difficult terrain in France and will be called the Tour de France.
1915
Neon
The neon tube sign is patented by George Claude. Times Square should dedicate a monument to him!
1915
Air Raid
England suffers its first air raid when two German Zeppelin’s drop bombs on Great Yarmouth and King’s Lynn, killing two and injuring three.
1966
Indira Rules
Indira Ghandi is elected as India’s third prime minister.
1671
Yo Ho Ho
Pirate Henry Morgan defeats the Spanish and takes the city of Panama. It took 150 mules to carry all the booty away.
1778
Hawaii Found
Captain James Cook discovers Hawaii and renames it the Sandwich Islands. The Hawaiians didn’t know they were lost…
1779
Roget Arrives
Peter Mark Roget, English lexicographer and compiler of the most famous thesaurus, is born, begotten, fathered, sired, mothered, dammed, foaled, dropped, out of, by, spawned, littered, laid, new-laid, and hatched.
1882
Milne Debuts
Author A.A. Milne, creator of Winnie-the-Pooh, is born in St. John’s Wood, London. Milne struggled as a writer until he started writing down the stories he created for his son, Christopher Robin.
1944
Leningrad Relieved
The German siege of Leningrad, which had begun in September 1941, is finally relieved. Over 641,000 people perished in the city.
1995
Ancient Art
A complex of caves is discovered in Vallon-Pont-d’Arc, France. The walls are covered with paintings and engravings thought to date from 17,000 and 20,000 years ago.
1706
Franklin Born
Benjamin Franklin, printer, statesman, philosopher, and inventor, was born on this day in Boston.
1893
Hawaii Loses Independence
Liliuoka’ani, Queen of Hawaii, is deposed by US forces acting on behalf of pineapple king, Dole.
1912
Scott Is Second
British explorer Robert Falcon Scott arrives at the South Pole. Norwegian Roald Amundsen had beaten him there by one month.
1966
Oops.
A US B-52 flying over Spain, accidentally drops its payload after colliding with a refueling tanker. The payload was hydrogen bombs, three of which landed, unexploded, near Palmira while a fourth was lost at sea.
1977
Gary Gilmore Executed
Convicted murderer Gary Gilmore is executed by a Utah firing squad in the first execution in the US for 10 years.
1994
LA Earthquake
A 6.6 earthquake hits the Los Angeles area, causing $30 billion damage and killing 60 people.
1776
Common Sense
Thomas Paine publishes “Common Sense,” and has enough of it himself to do so anonymously.
1840
Penny Post
The penny post begins in Britain. The first stamps are small and black with a profile of the young Queen Victoria.
1863
Underground Opens
The first stretch of London’s Underground is opened by Prime Minister Gladstone. It runs from Paddington to Farringdon Street.
1920
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles is ratified, officially ending World War I.
1946
United Nations
The United Nations General Assembly meets for the first time. The meeting is held in London.
1949
Vinyl Records
Vinyl records are launched by RCA (45 rpm) and Columbia (33.3 rpm).
871
Battle of Ashdown
King Alfred defeats the Danes at the Battle of Ashdown.
1412
Joan Debuts
Joan of Arc is born in France. The simple country girl went on to hear voices that she interpreted as God and the saints. Whatever they were, they inspired her to take arms against the English and win.
1540
Henry Marries Again
King Henry VIII marries for the fourth time. This wife is the German Anne of Cleves. She was bright but plain and the marriage quickly ended in divorce. Anne survived but the man who had recommended the marriage wasn’t so lucky – Thomas Cromwell was beheaded.
1759
Washington Weds
George Washington marries Martha Dandridge Custis.
1838
Dot-Dot-Dash
Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail demonstrate the telegraph for the first time.
1977
Pistols Dumped
Three months after signing The Sex Pistols and releasing one single, EMI dumps the band without explanation.
106 BC
Cicero Born
Marcus Tullius Cicero is born near Arpinium to a relatively humble family. He became one of Rome’s greatest philosophers and orators.
1521
Luther Excommunicated
Martin Luther is excommunicated by Pope Leo X.
1825
New Harmony
Scottish factory owner and utopianist Robert Owen buys 30,000 acres in Indiana as a site for New Harmony, his perfect community.
1882
Oscar Enters America
Oscar Wilde arrives in the US. A customs agent asks him if he has anything to declare and Wilde replies, “Nothing but my genius.”
1961
US Sanctions Cuba
The United States breaks diplomatic relations with Cuba. Sanctions are quickly imposed by the US, secure in the belief that they’ll bring down Castro’s government. They’re still waiting…
1967
Ruby Dies
Jack Ruby dies in prison of natural causes while awaiting trial for the murder of Lee Harvey Oswald, accused assassin of JFK.
1703
Tokyo Earthquake
An earthquake hits Tokyo and over 37,000 die.
1816
Shelley Weds
Poet Percy Bysshe Shelley marries Mary Wolstonecraft Godwin after learning that his first wife has drowned herself. They had run off together 2½ years earlier.
1865
Kipling Arrives
Rudyard Kipling is born in Bombay, India. Best known for his poems and tales of the British imperial experience. He won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1907.
1922
USSR Debuts
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics is founded. Comprised of Russia, Byelorussia, the Ukraine, and the Transcaucasian Federation, it is the first state to be based on Marxist communism.
1970
Paul Sues
Paul McCartney sues his fellow Beatles in order to dissolve the band. It will take four years for the suit to legally disband the Fab Four.
1971
Ellsberg Indicted
Daniel Ellsberg is indicted by a federal grand jury for releasing the Pentagon Papers to the media.
1503
Nostradamus Born
French prognosticator Nostradamus is born. Following the deaths of his family during a plague outbreak he begins writing quatrains that supposedly tell the future. Ha.
1656
Artificial Pearls
Artificial pearls are made for the first time. M. Jacquin of Paris creates them from gypsum pellets covered in fish scales.
1799
Washington Dies
George Washington dies at home. He was 66, and was suffering from a relatively mild disease – it was the medical treatment that really saw him off.
1861
Albert Exits
Prince Albert, consort to Queen Victoria, dies of typhoid fever. She is consumed by grief and remains in mourning until her own death in 1901.
1911
South Pole
A Norwegian expedition, led by Roald Amundsen is the first to reach the South Pole. Captain Scott’s British expedition arrives 35 days later.
1981
Golan Heights
Israel formally annexes the Golan Heights, which it had occupied in 1967.
1688
James II Takes Off
England’s king, James II, leaves London. He won’t return. A convert to Catholicism, he is replaced by his sister Mary and her husband William of Orange.
1768
RA Arrives
The Royal Academy of Art is founded in London by George III. Joshua Reynolds is its first president.
1869
Votes for Women
Wyoming becomes the first US state to grant voting rights to women.
1898
Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris ends the Spanish-American War and grants Cuba independence. It also forces Spain to cede the Philippines, Guam and Puerto Rico to the US.
1901
Nobels Debut
The first Nobel prizes are awarded in Sweden. The awards were devised by Alfred Nobel, who regretted the harm his invention of TNT had caused.
1948
Human Rights
The United Nations passes the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
43 BC
Cicero Dies
The great Roman orator, Cicero, is killed by Marc Antony’s men. Caught trying to leave Rome, he is beheaded and his hands cut off. The hands are then nailed to the speaker’s podium in the Senate as a warning to others.
1431
Henry VI Crowned
Henry VI of England, the infant son of Henry V who had died suddenly, is crowned King of France in Paris.
1732
Covent Garden
The first Theatre Royal Covent Garden opens in London. Now known as the Royal Opera House.
1911
Bakelite
Leo Baekeland of Yonkers, New York patents the first thermosetting plastic, calling it Bakelite.
1941
Pearl Harbor
The Japanese attack the US fleet in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, killing 2,335 people and prompting US entry into World War II.
1985
Graves Moves On
Robert Graves, poet, novelist (I Claudius), critic and historian, dies in Majorca, Spain.
1240
Kiev Sacked
Mongols under Batu Khan invade and sack Kiev.
1478
Castiglione Arrives
Baldassare Castiglione is born in Italy. A soldier and courtier, he is best known today for writing the incredibly influential “The Book of the Courtier” (1528). Translated into dozens of languages, it set the standard for correct behavior.
1648
Pride's Purge
Troops commanded by Thomas Pride arrested 45 MPs and prevented another 186 from taking their seats. Most of the excluded MPs were Presbyterians and regarded as antagonistic towards the army. The remainder of the members became known as the Rump Parliament. The Purge cleared the way for the execution of King Charles I.
1865
13th Amendment
The 13th amendment to the US Constitution is ratified and slavery is abolished.
1872
Thomas Alva Speaks
Thomas Edison records “Mary Had A Little Lamb”. It was the first recording of a human voice ever made.
1988
Orbison Exits
Roy Orbison, legendary musician (Pretty Woman, Cry) dies of cardiac arrest at 52.
1697
St. Pauls
The newly rebuilt St Paul’s Cathedral opens in London. The earlier building had been destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666.
1805
Battle of Austerlitz
Napoleon defeats the combined forces of Russia and Austria. The French lost 8,000 men, while the allies lost 27,000.
1814
De Sade Dies
The Marquis de Sade dies in a mental asylum near Paris. His last will asks that his casket remain open for 48 hours to be sure that he’s dead.
1867
Dickens Speaks
Charles Dickens gives his first public reading in the United States in New York City. Eager fans stand in two lines a mile long waiting for tickets.
1908
Last Emperor
Pu Yi (Hsuan-T’ung) becomes China’s last emperor at the age of three.
1954
McCarthy Censured
Senator Joseph McCarthy is censured by the US senate for “conduct that tends to bring the Senate into dishonor and disrepute” for his Communist witch-hunt. The House of Representatives continues with its hunt, however.
1554
Bloody Mary
Cardinal Pole absolves the kingdom of England and the country reverts to Catholicism. Queen Mary Tudor goes on to burn more than 300 Protestants at the stake, including Archbishop Cranmer.
1667
Swift Born
Jonathan Swift is born in Dublin, Ireland. A towering intellect, wit, and curmudgeon, he only got paid for one work, Gulliver’s Travels. A whopping 200 pounds.
1886
International Football
The first international football (soccer) game is played. England and Scotland battle to a 0-0 tie.
1900
Wilde Dies
Oscar Wilde dies in a hotel in Paris, remarking of the room’s wallpaper, “One of us has got to go.”
1914
Chaplin Unreels
Charlie Chaplin makes his movie debut in a Mack Sennett one reeler, “Making A Living.” He has yet to create his signature “little tramp”.
1936
Crystal Palace Blaze
The Crystal Palace, built in Hyde Park for the Great Exhibition of 1851, burns to the ground.
1788
Blackbeard Dies
Edward Teach, Blackbeard the pirate, is killed off the Virginia coast. It took 25 bullets to do it.
1819
Elliot Enters
Mary Ann Evans is born on Arbury Farm, Warwickshire. She will become better known as novelist George Elliot.
1916
London Exits
Novelist Jack London commits suicide in Santa Rosa, California. He was 40.
1938
Prehistoric Fish Found
The first coelacanth, a prehistoric fish thought to be extinct, is caught off the coast of South Africa.
1963
Kennedy Assassinated
President John F. Kennedy is assassinated in Dallas, Texas.
1993
Burgess Signs Off
Novelist Anthony Burgess (“A Clockwork Orange”) dies in London.
42 BC
Tiberius Born
Adopted son of the Emperor Augustus, Tiberius led a difficult life, eventually becoming Emperor in 14 AD at the age of 55, after which he made life difficult for a lot of other people.
1532
Atahualpa Imprisoned
Pizarro seizes the Incan Emperor Atahualpa after victory at Cajamarca.
1724
Jack Sheppard Hanged
A highwayman who was hanged at 23, Sheppard was one of the most famous men of his day, largely because of his ability to escape from jail and his cheery attitude about life (and death).
1869
Suez Canal
After ten years of construction, the Suez Canal finally opens.
1873
W.C. Handy Born
W.C. Handy is born in Florence, Alabama. Jazz composer, performer, singer, and publisher, he wrote “St. Louis Blues,” “Beale Street Blues,” “Memphis Blues,” and many, many more.
1913
Proust Publishes
The first volume of Marcel Proust’s magnum opus, “Remembrance of Things Past”, is published. It becomes an instant classic, regarded as possibly the greatest literary work of the 20th century.
1532
Pope Lays Down The Law
Pope Clemens VII tells English King Henry VIII to dump Anne Boleyn. King decides to dump Rome instead.
1731
Cowper Born
William Cowper, troubled poet (aren’t they all), is born in England. (Find out more about Cowper here.
1763
Mason Dixon
Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon begin surveying what would become the Mason-Dixon line between Pennsylvania and Maryland.
1837
Take A Letter...
Isaac Pitman introduces his system of shorthand.
1917
Russian Revolution
The Bolsheviks take Moscow and the Russian Revolution ends.
1956
Love Me Tender
Elvis Presley’s first film, Love Me Tender, opens in New York City.
1620
Mayflower Lands
Two days after sighting land, the Mayflower drops anchor in what is now Massachusetts. The same day the bickering colonists sign the Mayflower Compact.
1821
Dostoyevsky Born
Russian novelist Fydor Dostoyevsky is born in Moscow. A tortured soul, he will go on to write such classics as “Crime and Punishment.”
1918
Armistice Day
World War I ends on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. 8.5 million had died and 21 million been wounded. An entire generation is wiped out in Europe.
1922
Vonnegut Debuts
Kurt Vonnegut (Slaughterhouse Five) is born in Indianapolis.
1978
Milk and Moscone Murdered
San Francisco mayor George Moscone and gay city supervisor Harvey Milk are murdered by ex-supervisor Dan White. White uses the famous “Twinkie Defense” at his trial and gets the lightest sentence possible.
1987
Irises Rake It In
Van Gogh’s painting “Irises” sells at auction for a record $53.9 million. Van Gogh painted it after entering an insane asylum in 1889.
1483
Luther Arrives
Reformation founder, and perennial thorn in the side of the Roman Church, Martin Luther, is born.
1728
Goldsmith Born
Playwright Oliver Goldsmith (“She Stoops To Conquer”) is born in Ballymahon, Ireland.
1871
Stanley Finds Livingstone
American journalist Henry Livingstone finds British explorer David Livingstone who had vanished into Africa in 1869. He found him at Ujiji on the shore of Lake Tanganyika with the words, “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?”
1950
Oops!
A US Air Force B-50 bomber develops engine trouble over Canada, crew members remove the plutonium core of the H-bomb they are carrying and detonate it, cleverly scattering 45kg of highly enriched uranium into the air a mere 2,493 feet above the city of Riviere du Loup, Quebec.
1969
Cookie!
Sesame Street makes its debut on US television.
1975
Fitzgerald Wreck
The ship Edmund Fitzgerald and her 29-man crew are lost in a storm on Lake Superior.
1520
Killer Swede
Christian II, king of Denmark and Sweden, executes 600 Swedish nobles after taking the throne by force. Needless to say his reign didn’t last long (just until 1523).
1799
Napoleon Rules
Popular young general Napoleon Bonaparte stages a coup in France and names himself First Consul.
1888
Ripper's Last
Mary Jane Kelly, Jack the Ripper’s final victim, is found dead in her room. This killing was the only one to take place indoors with no chance of interruption and it was by far the most brutal.
1953
Dylan Thomas Dies
Welsh poet Dylan Thomas dies at 39 after spending six days in a coma following a drinking binge that involved downing 18 whiskies in succession.
1965
Great Blackout
Power failures on the east coast of the US leave 80,000 square miles of the country without electric power. That came to about 30 million people sitting in the dark or stuck on trains and elevators. The blackout was caused by the failure of a single relay.
1989
Berlin Walls Fall
The Berlin Wall is opened and travel restrictions in East Berlin are lifted. Over 10,000 East Germans cross the border to West Germany. Celebrations last for days as people start demolishing the wall.
1519
Cortes Arrives
Fernando Cortes and his Spanish troops are received in Tenochtitlan by Montezuma. (This is going to turn out badly.)
1656
Milton Dies
John Milton, one of the greatest poets in the English language (it’s pretty much between him and Shakespeare) dies at 65. Milton is best known today for “Paradise Lost,” “Paradise Regained” and “Samson Agonistes”.
1900
Mitchell Arrives
Margaret Mitchell is born in Atlanta Georgia. She only wrote one book, but it was “Gone With The Wind.”
1923
Beer Hall Putsch
Hitler stages the unsuccessful “Beer Hall Putsch” in Munich.
1966
Reagan Wins
Ronald Reagan, movie actor, is elected Governor of California.
1987
Enniskillen
An IRA bomb explodes at a Remembrance Day service in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, killing 11.
1529
Wolsey Arrested
Thomas Wolsey, Archbishop of Canterbury and the man who failed to get Henry VIII his divorce from Katherine of Aragon (and had to gall to be almost as wealthy as the king) is arrested.
1862
Gatling Gun
Richard J. Gatling patents his invention – the first modern machine gun.
1879
Cash Register
James Ritty patents the first cash register. He’d invented it in an effort stop bartenders in his Dayton, Ohio bar from stealing him blind.
1918
Wilfred Owen Dies
Poet Wilfred Owen is killed on the Western Front one week before the armistice. One of the greatest poets of the Great War, he was only 25. Read one of his most famous works here.
1922
Carter Gets Closer
Howard Carter discovers the staircase leading to Tutankhamun’s tomb. It would be two more weeks before he finally set eyes on the interior of the tomb.
1995
Rabin Assassinated
Yitzhak Rabin, Prime Minister of Israel, is shot by a right wing zealot minutes after attending a peace rally.
1783
Washington's Farewell
General Washington bids farewell to his army.
1815
Boole Born
George Boole is born. The mathematician who created Boolean algebra, thus permitting complex internet searches. (Wouldn’t he be surprised!)
1917
Balfour Declaration
British Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour writes to Lord Rothschild stating British support for a Jewish Zionist state in Palestine.
1930
Haile Selassie Crowned
Ras Tafari, King of Ethiopia, is crowned Emperor Hail Selassie (“Might of the Trinity”).
1948
Truman Beats Dewey
Truman beats prosecutor Dewey in the race for the U.S. presidency, confounding pollsters and newspapers (some of which had already printed headlines trumpeting Dewey’s win).
1950
Shaw Bows Out
Playwright George Bernard Shaw dies at home after a fall. He was 94. Theatres around the world were darkened in his honor.
1604
Othello Debuts
Shakespeare’s play “Othello” is performed for the first time.
1755
Lisbon Earthquake
An earthquake in Portugal reduces two thirds of Lisbon to rubble, and reportedly kills 60,000.
1866
Civil Rights Bill
The first civil rights bill is passed in the U.S. Congress, over the veto of President Johnson.
1947
Spruce Goose
Howard Hughes flies the “Spruce Goose,” his huge wooden plane for the first and last time.
1968
Movie Ratings Debut
The movie ratings system (G, PG, R & X) is adopted in the U.S.
1993
Maastricht Treaty
The Treaty on European Union (better known as the Maastricht Treaty) comes into force and the European Community becomes the European Union (EU).
1636
Harvard Born
Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts is founded.
1726
Gulliver's Travels
Jonathan Swift’s satirical novel “Gulliver’s Travels” is published.
1886
Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty is dedicated on Bedloe’s Island in New York harbor. The island is later renamed Liberty Island.
1919
Volstead Act
The Senate passes the Volstead Act enforcing Prohibition, over President Wilson’s veto.
1929
Black Friday
The US stock exchange collapses, beginning a chain reaction that ushers in the Great Depression.
1962
Missile Crisis Ends
The Cuban Missile Crisis comes to an end as Kruschev announces that the USSR will remove all offensive Soviet weapons from Cuba.
1400
Chaucer Dies
Geoffrey Chaucer, one of the people who helped popularize English as a language for poets and the lives of ordinary people as a subject, dies on this day. His Canterbury Tales still ranks as one of the great works of literature.
1415
Battle of Agincourt
The heavily outnumbered English, led by Henry V defeat the French at the Battle of Agincourt. Welsh longbowmen were decisive in overcoming the armored knights of the French.
1854
Charge of the Light Brigade
In one of the most famous examples of command incompetence and military bravery, the 673 men of the Light Brigade charge the Russian artillery at Balaclava armed only with swords. Half of them are killed. Read Tennyson's famous poem about the charge here.
1881
Picasso Born
Pablo Picasso is born in Spain. He revolutionized the art world in the early 20th century and kept on pushing boundaries for the rest of his (very long) life.
1940
General Davis
Benjamin Davis becomes the first black general in the US Army.
1962
Steinbeck Honoured
John Steinbeck is awarded the Nobel Prize for literature for The Grapes of Wrath.
1772
Coleridge Lives
Samuel Taylor Coleridge is born in Ottery St. Mary, Devon. One of the great Romantic poets (Rime of the Ancient Mariner).
1805
Battle of Trafalgar
The British fleet, led by Admiral Nelson, defeats the combined forces of France and Spain. Nelson is fatally wounded, living just long enough to see the victory secured.
1879
Light Bulb
Edison perfects the carbonized cotton filament light bulb.
1917
Dizzy Debuts
Jazz legend Dizzy Gillespie is born in Cheraw, South Carolina.
1966
Aberfan Disaster
A mountain of coal waste cascades onto the village of Aberfan in Wales, burying the local elementary school. 144 are killed.
1969
Kerouac Dies
Beat writer Jack Kerouac dies of abdominal bleeding caused by drinking. He was 47.
1632
Christopher Wren Born
Christopher Wren was a mathematician and professor of astronomy at Oxford University. One of the founders of the Royal Society, he also dabbled in architecture. Following the Great Fire of London (1666), he designed the new St. Paul’s Cathedral and many churches and public buildings.
1818
49th Parallel
Britain and the United States establish the 49th parallel as the boundary between the US and Canada.
1890
Richard Burton Dies
British explorer and adventurer Richard Burton dies in Trieste, Italy. The first westerner to go to Mecca, Burton translated the 1001 Nights, traveled in search of the source of the Nile with Speke, and held many diplomatic positions. After his death his wife burned his diaries and most of his unpublished writing, believing that it was “obscene.”
1926
Debbs Dies
American labor activist Eugene Debbs dies. His “radical” ideas included an eight-hour work day, pensions, sick leave, social security and workman’s compensation.
1947
Are You Now...
The House Un-American Activities Commission begins hearings into alleged communist activity in Hollywood.
1973
Saturday Night Massacre
President Nixon’s Press Secretary, Ron Ziegler announces that Watergate Prosecutor Archibald Cox has been dismissed. He also reports that Attorney General Richardson has resigned and Deputy Attorney Ruckelshaus has been fired – both for refusing to dismiss Cox.
1745
Swift Dies
Irish satirist, author and critic Jonathan Swift (Gulliver’s Travels) dies in Dublin.
1781
Cornwallis Surrenders
British General Cornwallis surrenders to General Washington at Yorktown. The American War of Independence is over.
1849
Doctoress?
Elizabeth Blackwell becomes the first woman in the US to receive a medical degree.
1872
Gold!
The Holterman nugget is mined in New South Wales, Australia. At 630 lbs it is the biggest gold nugget ever found.
1919
Black Sox
The 16th World Series ends as the Reds beat the White Sox 5 games to 3. The series became known as the Black Sox Scandal when it was discovered that 7 White Sox players had been bribed to throw the series.
1987
Black Monday
Stock markets crash across the globe. The end of the affluent eighties.
1216
King John Dies
King John of England, last of the turbulent offspring of Henry II and Eleanor of Acquitaine, dies. His tyrannical rule led to the Magna Carta, imposed on him by his own barons. At the time of his death the French had invaded England. He left the whole mess to his infant son, Henry III.
1685
Revocation of the Edict of Nantes
The Edict of Nantes, which had granted religious freedom to Huguenots, is revoked by Louis XIV of France.
1871
Charles Babbage Dies
Russia transfers ownership of Alaska to the US for $7.2 million.
1887
Alaska Sold
Russia transfers ownership of Alaska to the US for $7.2 million.
1922
BBC Born
The British Broadcasting Corporation, better known as the BBC, is officially formed.
1962
DNA Described
Watson, Crick and Wilkins receive the Nobel prize for describing the structure of DNA.
1066
Battle of Hastings
William, Duke of Normandy, defeats English King Harold at the Battle of Hastings. Britain falls to the French.
1586
Mary On Trial
The trial of Mary, Queen of Scots, for conspiracy against Elizabeth I begins.
1656
Freedom of Religion?
The Massachusetts General Court makes it illegal to harbor a Quaker.
1894
cummings arrives
Poet E.E. Cummings is born in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
1926
Pooh Premieres
A.A. Milne’s “Winnie-the-Pooh” is published.
1944
Rommel Exits
German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel commits suicide rather than face trial for his part in an attempted assassination of Hitler.
1492
Land Ho!
Columbus sights his first land in the New World, naming it San Salvador.
1609
See How They Run
The nursery rhyme, “Three Blind Mice” is published in London.
1879
Kabul Taken
English troops occupy Kabul, Afghanistan, during the Second Afghan War.
1901
White House
Theodore Roosevelt officially renames the Presidential executive mansion, “The White House.”
1915
Edith Cavell
Edith Cavell, a British nurse, is executed by a German firing squad in Brussels for helping British and French soldiers escape. An instant martyr, army recruitment increased eight-fold following her death.
1984
Bomb In Brighton
An IRA bomb explodes at the Grand Hotel in Brighton during the Conservative Party Conference in an attempt to blow up the British cabinet.
1521
Defender of the Faith
Pope Leo X gives Henry VIII the title “Defender of the Faith” for an anti-Protestant book written by the king.
1809
Meriwether Lewis Dies
Lewis, one of the famed explorers who traversed America for President Jefferson, dies mysteriously in an inn at Griner’s Stand. Suicide or murder? We’ll probably never know.
1899
Boer War Begins
Power struggles following the discovery of gold lead to the posting of British troops to South Africa. The Boer Republics (which were independent) demand that they be withdrawn. England declines and the Republics declare war.
1945
Chinese Civil War
The Chinese Civil War begins as the forces of Chiang Kai-Shek take on those of Mao Tse-Dung.
1978
Nancy Spungen Dies
Nancy Spungen, the girlfriend of Sex Pistols bassist, Sid Vicious, is found dead in their NYC hotel room. Vicious is charged with her murder but dies of an overdose before the trial begins.
1982
Mary Rose Returns
The Mary Rose, named for Henry VIII’s beloved sister had sunk in the Solent in 1545. Thanks to advances in science, the wreck is raised and preserved, proving to be a time capsule of life in 16th century England.
344 BC
Aristotle Dies
The great philosopher dies from indigestion. Too much moussaka perhaps?
1127
Saladin Takes Jerusalem
Sultan Saladin captures Jerusalem after 88 years of rule by the Crusaders. Read more about Saladin here.
1836
Darwin Returns
Charles Darwin returns to England on the HMS Beagle after 5 years surveying the South American waters. It took 20 years for his observations and ideas to crystalize into "The Origin of Species."
1927
Talking Pictures
Warner Brothers’ ‘The Jazz Singer’ starring Al Jolson changes the motion picture business forever as it premieres in New York City.
1967
Marshall Makes It
Thurgood Marshall becomes the first African-American to be appointed to the US Supreme Court.
1985
Rock Dies
Rock Hudson dies of AIDS, becoming the highest profile victim and helping to raise awareness of the disease.
1585
Gregorian Man
Pope Gregory gets rid of 14 days in order to bring the calendar back in sync with the seasons and the Gregorian Calendar is born.
1878
George Vashion Dies
George B. Vashion, the first African American lawyer in New York, dies of Yellow Fever. He was also a poet whose most famous work was "Victor Oge" (1854), the first narrative, non-lyrical poem by an African American.
1880
Ball Point
The first ball point pen, with its own ink supply and retractable tip, is patented by Alonzo T. Cross.
1930
R101 Crashes
The British airship R101 crashes in a storm in France en route to India. It was the largest airship at that time - 48 people died, including the British air minister.
1936
Jarrow March
Unemployed northern shipyard workers started their famous march south to London.
1969
Monty Python
Monty Python debuts on British TV. Television is never quite the same again—on either side of the Atlantic.
1539
Marriage #3
Henry VIII marries Anne of Cleves. This marriage was no more successful than the first two, but he settled for a relatively amicable divorce.
1883
Orient Express
The Orient Express makes its first run, linking Turkey to Europe by rail and establishing a legend.
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Weeeee!
Orville Wright becomes the first person to fly an aircraft for over 33 minutes.
Ups and Downs
Britain’s first public escalator is turned on, at the Earl’s Court underground station.
Lala Land
“Leave It To Beaver” debuts on American television. Its idealized view of suburban life still elicits nostalgia even though it never existed.
Joplin Dies
Janis Joplin dies of a drug overdose in her hotel room in Los Angeles where she had just finished recording her first solo album, “Pearl.”
September 29
Richard Resigns
King Richard II of England resigns his throne in favor of Bolingbroke who becomes Henry IV.
Elizabeth Gaskell Born
Novelist Elizabeth Gaskell is born in Cheyne Row, Chelsea. Her works focused on the lives of people in the industrialized north of England. In 1850 she met Charlotte Bronte and the two became fast friends. Following Bronte’s death, she wrote a detailed biography.
Bobbies Debut
The Metropolitan Police Force, the first regular police force in London, is inaugurated. Called “bobbies” after Robert Peel, who was Home Secretary at the time.
McGonagall Dies
Scottish poet, William McGonagall, dies in Edinburgh at the age of 72. His work has been described as: “The worst poetry ever written, in any language, at any time.”
Double Wedding
Norma Shearer weds Irving Thalberg in what was supposed to have been a double wedding. Greta Garbo never showed up to marry John Gilbert, who lost his presence of mind and decked Louis B. Mayer in the bathroom. So much for his career.
Drug Tampering
Cyanide inserted into Tylenol capsules kills 7 in Chaicago. Copycat tampering cases crop up and the industry responds by creating tamper-proof seals.
September 28
Confucius Born
Chinese philosopher Confucius is born. His ideas shaped Chinese thought and behavior through to the present day.
All Stand
The British national anthem, “God Save the King,” is sung for the first time at the Drury Lane Theatre in London.
Herman Melville, author of “Moby Dick” dies in obscurity in New York.
Marks & Spencer
Simon Marks and Thomas Spencer open their Penny Bazaar in Manchester, England. It was the first in what would become an international chain.
Pope Dies
Pope John Paul I, who had been elected 33 days earlier, is found dead. A man with relatively liberal ideas, he was replaced with staunch conservative John Paul II.
Estonia Sinks
The car ferry, Estonia, sinks in freezing waters off the coast of Finland. More than 900 people lose their lives.
September 27
Jesuits Formed
The Society of Jesus, conceived by Ignatius Loyola, became an approved religious order on this day when Pope Paul III signed a Bull making it official.
Spanish Booted
Mexican revolutionary forces occupy Mexico City as the Spanish hightail it outa there.
Memphis Blues
W.C. Handy’s “Memphis Blues” becomes the first blues song ever published.
Warsaw Surrenders
Warsaw, Poland, surrenders to the Germans after 19 days of resistance.
Warren Commission
The Warren Commission concludes that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone when he killed President John F. Kennedy.
Taliban Takes Over
Muslim fundamentalist Taliban forces take over Kabul, Afghanistan following a two-day siege that killed hundreds of people.
September 24
Horace Wallpole Born
The youngest son of British Prime Minister, Robert Walpole, Horace dedicated his life to the arts. He wrote the first gothic novel “The Castle of Otranto” in 1765, created the neo-gothic castle of Strawberry Hill (which gave its name to a style of architecture) and opened his own printing press, publishing the likes of Thomas Gray, Joseph Spence and Hannah More.
And They're Off
The St. Leger horse race is run for the first time. Instituted by Colonel St. Leger of Doncaster, it is the oldest Classic.
Black Friday
Jay Gould and Jim Fisk attempt to corner the gold market. Thousands are ruined when their efforts cause a panic on Wall Street.
F. Scott Fitzgerald Born
American Jazz Age writer, F. Scott Fitzgerlad is born in St. Paul Minnesota. The author of “The Great Gatsby” and “The Beautiful and Damned,” among others, he always felt he had failed to live up to his early promise.
Private Lives Debuts
Following a lively campaign to get it passed by the state censor, Noel Coward’s “Private Lives” opens in London.
Dr. Seuss Dies
Theodore Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, dies. He wrote 44 children’s books, most of which were instant classics, as well as winning the Pulitzer Prize and three Academy Awards.
September 23
Battle of Salamis
The Greeks defeat the Persian navy led by Xerxes. Around 1,100 vessels took part. One of the Greek leaders was the female warrior Artemesia.
Octavian Born
Octavian is born. Adopted by Julius Caesar he went on to become the first Roman Emperor, Caesar Augustus.
Battle of Flamborough Head
American John Paul Jones, commanding the Bonhomme Richard, defeats British man-of-war, Serapis.
Victoria Woodhull Born
Victoria Woodhull is born in Homer, Ohio. She was the first female Wall Street broker, and an advocate of women’s rights. She was also an advocate of free love and legalized prostitution which caused her to be shunned by the mainstream women’s suffrage movement.
Chewing Gum
John Curtis becomes the first American to produce chewing gum commercially. He made it in his home and called it ‘State of Maine Pure Spruce Gum.’
Freud Dies
Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, dies of cancer. Forced to flee from Nazi persecution he had settled in London.
September 22
A Jury of Peers
The first all-woman jury in America sits to decide the fate of a woman accused of murdering her child. They acquit.
Downing Street
Sir Robert Walpole becomes the first British Prime Minister to live at 10 Downing Street.
Shaka Zulu Killed
Shaka, the leader of the Zulus and a great military commander who centralized Zulu power and made his people into one of the most dominant forces in southern Africa, is murdered by his brother, Dingane. Shaka had become mentally ill and his people turned against him.
Emancipation Proclamation
President Lincoln declares that any slaves in states who do not return to the Union fold are free. Slaves in any state that does return stay slaves. Gee...what a deal (not).
Black Sox Jury
A Chicago grand jury convenes to investigate charges that 8 White Sox players conspired to fix the World Series.
There And Back
Argentinian swimmer, Atonio Albertondo, becomes the first man to swim across the English Channel and back again. He does it in 43 hrs 10 mins. Maybe he didn't like French food.
September 21
Virgil Mortus
Roman poet, Virgil, dies at Brundisium. He felt that the Aeniad wasn't finished and requested that it be burned on his death. It wasn't.
Edward II Murdered
Edward II was one of England's most disastrous kings. He lost Scotland and endured constant rebellions against his high-handed style of rule. He was eventually overthrown by his queen, Isabella, and her lover, Mortimer. He was imprisoned in Berkeley Castle and came to a particularly gruesome end.
Read All About It...
The first successful US daily newspaper, the Pennsylvania Packet and General Advertiser is first published.
H.G. Wells Born
Novelist, historian, sociologist and journalist H.G. Wells is born in Bromley, Kent. Most famous for his extremely prescient science fiction stories (The Time Machine, War of the Worlds, etc.)
Stonehenge Sold
The ancient (and massive) Stonehenge is sold at auction to C.H. Chubb for £6,600. Mr. Chubb gives it to the nation three years later.
The Hobbit
J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit is published.
September 16
Force Et Dure
Eighty year old Giles Corey is crushed to death in Salem, Massachusetts after refusing to testify at his witchcraft trial. The crushing punishment (known as “force et dure”) was traditionally used for those who wouldn’t testify. They were made to lie on the ground, then a board was placed on them and heavy rocks added one at a time.
Bard Abode Saved
The United Shakespeare Company buys the bard’s home in Straford-on-Avon. The building to be preserved for the nation.
GM Arrives
General Motors is founded by William Crapo “Billy” Durant in Detroit.
Blimp Port
An airship is moored to the Empire State Building for the first and only time. It was intended as a port for airships, but the winds (and the enormous distance down) discouraged anyone from disembarking.
Algeria Gets The Nod
After a lengthy and bloody insurrection, French President De Gaulle recognizes Algeria’s right to self-determination.
Sabra and Chatila Massacre
Lebanese Phalangist militia under Israeli command enter the Sabra & Chatila refugee camps. Over two days they kill nearly 1,000 Palestinian refugees. The UN General Assembly declares it an act of genocide.
September 15
Mayflower Sails
The Mayflower sets sail for America from Plymouth, England with 102 pilgrims on board.
What Train?
British MP William Huskisson crosses the tracks during the opening ceremony for the Manchester and Liverpool railway and becomes the first person killed by a train.
Agatha Christie Born
Mystery novelist Agatha Christie is born in Torquay, Devon. Christie wrote hundreds of books, creating such memorable sleuths as Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot.
Tanks Debut
Military tanks, designed by Ernest Swinton, are first used in battle by the British Army at Flers, during the Somme offensive.
Penicillin
Alexander Fleming discovers the antibacterial effects of penicillin mold. It had grown by accident following another experiment.
Nuremberg Laws
The Nuremberg Laws are passed in Nazi Germany, legalizing anti-Semitism, making intermarriage between Germans and Jews illegal and adopting the swastika as the official German flag.
September 14
First Board Game
”A Journey Through Europe, or the play of Geography” goes on sale for 8 shillings (about 60 cents). It is the earliest dated English board game.
Napoleon Enters Moscow
Napoleon and his troops finally march into Moscow. The retreating Russians set fire to the city.
First Blood
In New York, Henry Bliss becomes the first automobile fatality.
Teddy Roosevelt President
President McKinley dies of wounds received from a gun wielded by an assassin on September 6. Initially not thought to be serious, gangrene set in and saw him off. Vice President Theodore Roosevelt becomes President.
Duncan Dies
Dancer Isadora Duncan dies when her long scarf gets caught in the wheel of her open sports car and strangles her.
National Peace Accord
The South African Government, the African National Congress, and the Inkatha Freedom Party sign the National Peace Accord which leads to multi-racial elections and the end of apartheid in 1994.
September 13
Dante Dies
Poet Dante Alghieri dies in Ravenna after wandering from city to city following his banishment from his birthplace, Florence. Best known for his “Divine Comedy” (and his love for Beatrice), he was 56.
Battle of Quebec
The British attack the French on the Plains of Abraham outside the city of Quebec. British general James Wolfe dies in the attack, but the city falls in less than half an hour and a decisive victory in the French and Indian War is won.
First Baseball Club
The Knickerbocker Club, the first baseball club, is founded in New York.
Employer Liability
England passes the first Employer’s Liability Act, which grants compensation to workers injured on the job.
Dahl Born
Writer Roald Dahl is born in Llandaff, Wales. The man who brought us Willy Wonka and James and the Giant Peach, was also known for his adult tales of weirdness.
Declaration of Principles
Yitzhak Rabin and Yassir Arafat sign a peace agreement that provides for Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and the West Bank and limited Palestinian self-rule.
September 10
Nathan Hale Volunteers
Nathan Hale volunteers to go to New York to spy for George Washington.
Bolivar Rules
Simon Bolivar becomes the dictator of Peru, where he is known as "The Liberator."
Sewing Machine
Elias Howe patents his lockstitch sewing machine. It wasn't the first sewing machine invented, but it proved to be the best design.
H.D. Born
Imagist poet, Hilda Doolittle, is born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Best known as H.D. The imagists followed three principles in their poetry: direct treatment of the subject, allow no word that is not essential, and follow the musical phrase rather than strict regularity in rhythm. Read a short sample of her work here.
Dusseldorf Bombed
In a single raid, the RAF drop 100,000 bombs on Dusseldorf.
Guernica Returns
Picasso's painting, Guernica, is returned to Spain after 40 years in the US. Picasso had refused to allow the painting to be shown in Spain before the restoration of democracy.
September 9
It's Official!
The Second Continental Congress renames the former ‘United Colonies’ the ‘United States’.
Under Water
The ‘Erie’ a Great Lakes steamer, sinks off Silver Creek, New York -- 300 perish.
Horsing Around
The first mounted police patrol New York City.
Birth of a Network
The Radio Corporation of American creates the National Broadcasting Company (NBC).
John Meets Yoko
John Lennon meets Yoko Ono at an art gallery.
Attica
Prisoners take control of Attica, a maximum-security prison near Buffalo, New York. The siege lasts four days claiming over forty lives.
September 8
Magellan Ship Returns
The Victoria, one of Ferdinand Magellan’s five ships, returns to Spain completing the first circumnavigation of the globe. Magellan, who died in the Philippines, did not make it back.
New Amsterdam
The Dutch surrender New Amsterdam to 300 British soldiers who later rename it New York.
The Last Spike
The last spike of the Northern Pacific Railroad is driven at Independence Creek, Montana joining the transcontinental system.
Deadly Hurricane
Galveston, Texas is struck by a hurricane and tidal wave that kills 6,000 people.
First Miss America
Sixteen-year old Margaret Gorman of Washington, D.C. is named the first Miss America in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Star Trek Debuts
Star Trek premieres on NBC introducing the Enterprise and its captain, James T. Kirk, boldly going where no man has gone before.
September 7
Elizabeth I Born
Anne Boleyn, second wife of English king Henry VIII, gives birth to a daughter, Elizabeth. The failure to produce a son was bad news for Anne, but ultimately good news for England.
Battle of Borodino
Napoleon's forces defeat the Russians under General Katuzov. The Russians retreat to Moscow, pursued by the French. Once there the Russians evacuate the city and then burn it, leaving the French forces with no food or shelter as winter sets in.
Brazil Declares Independence
Brazil declares independence from Portugal. The Portuguese crown prince leads the revolt and in December has himself crowned Emperor Pedro I.
Grace Darling
Grace Darling and her father, the keeper of Longstone Lighthouse off Northumberland, rescue the survivors of the steamship Forfarshire. Grace became one of the first media heroines, lauded by the press and pursued by the public as the beautiful saintly rescuer of lost seamen.
Panama Canal Treaty
The US and Panama sign the Panama Canal Treaty which returns the Panama Canal to...Panama.
Keith moon Dies
The Who's maniacal drummer, Keith Moon, dies in London in the same flat where Mama Cass breathed her last. The cause of death was an overdose of hemenephirin, a prescription drug he was taking to help with alcohol.
September 2
Crusade Ends
Opposing leaders Saladin and Richard the Lion Heart sign a peace treaty ending the Third Crusade.
Great Fire of London
The Great Fire of London rages, destroying eighty percent of the city and leaving hundreds of thousands homeless in just four days.
Time Warp
Britain and her New World colonies use the Julian calendar for the last time. The next day they jump to September 14 overnight.
Atlanta Falls
Union General, William T. Sherman, and his troops capture the city of Atlanta.
VJ Day
Japan formally surrenders aboard the U.S.S. Missouri ending World War II.
More News
CBS and NBC networks expand their news broadcasts from fifteen to thirty minutes.
September 1
First Yacht Race
Britain’s King Charles and his brother James participate in the world’s first yacht race.
Acquitted
Former U.S. Vice President Aaron Burr is found not guilty on charges of treason.
Me Tarzan! You Jane!
Famous novelist and creator of Tarzan, Edgar Rice Burroughs is born in Chicago.
Disaster
An earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter Scale strikes Tokyo and Yokohama, Japan killing over 100,000.
WWII Begins
Germany invades Poland marking the start of World War II.
Libyan Coup
Colonel Moammar Gadhafi overthrows King Idris I and seizes power in Libya.
August 31
Caligula Born
Caligula is born into the Roman imperial family. He became the 3rd emperor on the death of Tiberius. Everyone was glad when the old emperor died...little did they know what fate had in store.
Jack the Ripper
The mutilated body of Mary Ann 'Polly' Nichols, the first victim of Jack the Ripper, is found in Bucks Row in London's East end. One of the first serial killers, Jack would kill 5 more times in the next three months before vanishing without a trace. Read a newspaper account of the first Ripper murder here.
Moving Pictures
Thomas A. Edison patents his 'Kinetescope,' one of the early systems for creating motion pictures.
American Communists
The American Communist Party forms in Chicago.
Marciano Dies
Rocky Marciano, former heavyweight boxing champ, dies in a plane crash at 45.
Di Dies
Princess Diana, Dodi Fayed and their driver die in a car crash in the Place de l'Alma underpass in Paris, France.
August 30
Cleopatra Dies
Cleopatra, last Ptolemaic ruler of Egypt, takes her own life following the disasterous Battle of Actium in which Octavian (later Augustus) defeats the combined forces of Antony and Cleopatra.
Mary Shelley Born
Mary Godwin is born to feminist Mary Wollstonecraft (A Vindication of the Rights of Woman) and radical William Godwin. Her mother dies 11 days later of puerperal fever. Mary survives, marries poet Shelley and goes on to write one of the best known tales of horror.
Mirror of Freedom
The first African-American magazine, The Mirror of Freedom, begins publication in New York City.
Children Evacuated
In anticipation of the outbreak of war with Germany, England embarks on a massive evacuation of children out of her cities.
Siege of Leningrad
The siege of Leningrad begins as the Germans succeed in encircling the city.
BatPhone
In an effort to reduce the chance of nuclear war, a hotline phone is set up between the US president and the Soviet premier.
August 25
Galileo Demonstrates
Galileo demonstrates his first telescope for Venetian lawmakers.
Pinkerton Born
Allen Pinkerton is born in Scotland. He founded his detective agency in the wake of the American Civil War, but became best known as a ruthless strike breaker.
Bret Harte Born
Author and poet Bret Harte is born in Albany, New York. He left school at 13 and traveled around the country. His stories and poems of the California Gold Rush are classics.
Berlin Bombed
The RAF take the war to Germany with the first air raid on Berlin.
Paris Liberated
Allied troops liberate Paris. German troops fail to follow Hitler's orders to burn the city to the ground.
Truman Capote Dies
Truman Capote (In Cold Blood, Breakfast at Tiffany's), author, journalist and society butterfly, dies.
August 24
Vesuvius Erupts
Mount Vesuvius erupts, burying the towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum in hot volcanic ash.
Rome Falls
The Visigoths, led by Alaric, overrun and sack Rome. The event has come to symbolize the end of the Western Empire.
Chatterton Dies
Poet Thomas Chatterton, starving in a London garret, takes his own life with arsenic. He was 17. He soon comes to represent the romantic ideal to a generation of poets and writers including Poe.
Washington Burned
British troops take Washington and burn the White House and the Capitol. American troops had fled, leaving the city undefended.
Jane Eyre Mailed
Charlotte Bronte sends her novel "Jane Eyre" to the publishing house of Smith, Elder & Co. under the pseudonym of Currer Bell.
Gorby Out
Mikail Gorbachev resigns as head of the Communist Party in the USSR.
August 17
Roanoke Abandoned
John White returns to Roanoke, Virginia and finds no trace of the colonists he had left there three years earlier.
Crockett Born
Davy Crockett, American frontiersman, is born. Goes on to become an icon.
Births, Marriages, Deaths
The Registration Act introduces the registration of all births, marriages and deaths in Britain.
Come Up and See Me
Mae West (another American icon) is born in Brooklyn, New York.
Gold!
Gold is discovered at Bonanza creek in Canada's Yukon Territory. The great gold rush begins two years later.
President of Pakistan Killed
President Zia ul-Haq and the US Ambassador to Pakistan are killed when the plane carrying them explodes in mid-air.
August 16
Boxing Rules
The earliest code of rules for boxing is formulated by champion boxer Jack Broughton in England.
Peterloo Massacre
The militia open fire on a crowd of people who have gathered to hear discussion of reform in Manchester, England. Eleven people are killed.
The Tate Debuts
Endowed by the sugar merchant, Henry Tate, the Tate Gallery is opened in London.
Deadly Baseball Accident
Ray Chapman of the Indians is hit on the head by a pitch from the Yankees Carl May. He dies the next day, becoming the only baseball fatality in the history of the game.
Margaret Mitchell Dies
Margaret Mitchell dies in Atlanta after being run over by a taxi. She wrote one book—Gone With The Wind.
Elvis Dies
Elvis Presley dies of a drug overdose in his bathroom at Graceland. He was 42.
August 12
NYPD
The first U.S. police corps is formed in New Amsterdam (New York).
Germ Free
Dr. Joseph Lister is the first surgeon to use disinfectant during an operation. His system works, but his colleagues still regard him as a crank.
Edison Records Sound
Thomas Alva Edison invents his Edisonphone and records sound.
Pipeline Pumps
Pipe Line Under the Ocean (PLUTO) begins operation beneath the English Channel supplying gas to the Allied Forces in France.
Mann Dies
German author Thomas Mann (Dr. Faustus) dies in Zurich at age 80 leaving behind his diaries and ordering that they must remain sealed for the next 20 years.
Squeaky Clean
Aaron Marshall sets an all time record for staying in the shower
--336 hours.
August 11
Eruption Kills
Three thousand are killed off Papandayan, Java when an explosive eruption blows 4,000 feet.
MacDiarmid Born
Scottish poet Hugh MacDiarmid is born in Langholm, Dumfriesshire.
Help!
The Arapahoe, somewhere off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, is the first American ship to use the SOS distress signal.
San Quentin
Alcatraz, the prison island in San Francisco Bay, opens its doors to federal inmates for the first time.
Pollack Dies
Abstract expressionist artist Jackson Pollack is killed in an automobile crash in East Hampton, New York.
Satchel Signed
Sixty-two year old Satchel Page is signed by the Atlanta Braves. He needs 158 days on a major league payroll to qualify for a pension.
August 10
Cabot Finds Canada
Henry VII rewards John Cabot with 10 pounds for finding Canada (Cabot thought it was Asia).
Vasa Sinks
The great Swedish warship, Vasa, sinks only a mile into her maiden voyage. In 1962 she’s brought up intact from Stockholm Harbor, one of the best (and only) examples of 17th century shipbuilding.
Royal Observatory
King Charles II lays the foundation stone of the Royal Observatory at Greenwich. The Merry Monarch was fascinated by science, and even helped found the Royal Society.
Last Island
A hurricane hits the fashionable Louisiana resort of Last Island, killing 400 people.
Manson Murders
A cult gang led by Charles Manson goes on a killing spree in Los Angeles. Their victims include actress Sharon Tate.
Sorry
The US government offers apologies and reparations to Japanese-American citizens interned during World War II.
August 9
Bronck Settles
Holland’s Jonas Bronck is the first European settler in The Bronx.
Columbia Returns
After three years, the Columbia returns to Boston and becomes the first ship to travel around the world with the American flag.
Canada Treaty
England and America sign The Webster-Ashburton Treaty clearly defining the border between Canada and the United States.
Edward Crowned
Edward VII is crowned King of England following the death of his mother, Queen Victoria.
Owens Wins...Again
Jesse Owens wins his fourth gold medal at the Summer Olympic Games Berlin.
In The Buff
The seaside resort of Brighton becomes Britain’s first nude beach.
August 5
Newfoundland
Gilbert founds the first British colony in North America and fittingly calls it Newfoundland.
Income Tax
The U.S. government levies an income tax for the very first time -- 3% of incomes over $800.
Stop and Go
Cleveland, Ohio installs the first electric traffic light at the intersection of Euclid Avenue and East 105th Street.
Daddy Warbucks et al
Harold Gray’s ‘Little Orphan Annie’ debuts in the funny papers.
Bandstand Debuts
Philadelphia’s American Bandstand, hosted by a forever-young Dick Clark, makes its network debut on ABC.
Monroe Dies
Actress Marilyn Monroe dies mysteriously causing a whirl of theories and speculations for years to come.
August 4
Bubbly Born
Frenchman, Dom Perignon, invents champagne.
The First Circus
The modern circus is founded by retired British cavalry officer, Philip Astley. Creates the circus ring, introduces clowns to interrupt the trick riding, adds a cover over the arena, and later includes jugglers and rope tricks.
Shelley Born
English poet, Percy Bysshe Shelley is born in Sussex. His work in generally regarded as among the best in the English language.
Lizzie Borden Took An Axe
Andrew Borden and his wife are hacked to death in their home in Fall River, Massachussetts. Borden's youngest daughter, Lizzie, is arrested. After a sensational trial, she is acquitted.
Britain Declares War
Britain declares war on Germany followed that country's violation of the Treaty of London. US announces that it will remain neutral.
Mandela Arrested
Nelson Mandela is arrested in South Africa.
August 3
Columbus Sets Off
Christopher Columbus sets sail from Palos de la Frontera, Spain, on his first voyage to the New World (he hopes).
Mind The Doors
Elisha Graves Otis, inventor of the safe elevator, is born. "Safe" meant he came up with a safety device to stop it plummeting to the ground and killing everybody. Important feature.
Source of Nile Found
It was one of the great adventures of its age — the search for the source of the Nile river. English explorer John Speke finally completed the journey and discovered the source on this day.
Forbidden City
A British expedition, led by Francis E. Younghusband (great name!) becomes the first group of westerners to enter the 'forbidden city' of Lhasa in Tibet.
World War I Gets Going
Germany invades Belgium and declares war on France.
Beatles Bow out
The Beatles play their last gig at the Cavern in Liverpool.
August 2
William Rufus Shot
William Rufus, King of England and son of William the Conqueror, is shot while hunting in the New Forest. It was presented as an accident, but he was deeply unpopular and an assassination was immediately suspected. One of the great murder mysteries of history.
Declaration Signed
The US Declaration of Independence is formally signed.
East India Company
The rule of the East India Company, which extended throughout India, is transferred to the British Crown.
Income Tax
In an effort to raise money for the Union army, the first income tax is introduced in the US.
Hickock Shot
Wild Bill Hickock is shot in the back and killed while playing poker in a saloon in Deadwood, South Dakota.
Iraq Invades Kuwait
Iraq, led by President Saddam Hussein, invades Kuwait. The US immediately freezes Iraqi and Kuwaiti assets, and the UN calls on Hussein to withdraw. He doesn't.
July 29
Spanish Armada Defeated
The British defeat the attacking Spanish Armada at the Battle of Gravelines near Plymouth.
Van Gogh Dies
Dutch artist Vincent Van Gogh dies after shooting himself in Auvers, France.
Hello?
First transcontinental telephone call is made between New York and San Francisco.
Let The Games Begin
After a twelve-year hiatus caused by the war, Britain’s King George VI officially opens the fourteenth modern Olympic Games in London.
Chuck and Di Marry
Over 700 million television viewers watch as The Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer marry at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London.
Dee-Lish
Ben & Jerry of ice cream fame reach an agreement with singer Jerry Garcia concerning a new flavor, Cherry Garcia.
July 28
Cromwell Executed
Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII’s chief minister, is executed after persuading Henry to wed Anne of Cleves. Bad choice.
Bergerac Bows Out
French writer and soldier, Cyrano De Bergerac, takes his final breath in Paris at the age of 36.
Robespierre Dies
French revolutionary, Maximilien Robespierre, is sent to the guillotine along with 19 others.
Independence
Peru is liberated from Spain by San Martin and his troops.
Over There
Austria-Hungary attacks Serbia marking the start of World War I. They all thought it would be over by Christmas.
Turmoil
Amid heavy fog, a U.S. Army twin-engined B-25 bomber crashes into the 79th floor of the Empire State Building leaving 14 dead.
July 26
Nobody Expects...
Pope Clement IV forms the Inquisition in Rome. It soon became a notorious instrument of religious oppression.
Witchfinder General
Matthew Hopkins, the 'Witchfinder General' helps to condemn 26 people of witchcraft in the English county of Norfolk.
Rochester Dies
John Wilmot, the 2nd Earl of Rochester dies. Restoration poet, wit and man about town, he was constantly being banished for saying exactly what he thought. Things must have been dull after he popped off.
Liberia Lives
Liberia becomes the first African colony to secure independence.
Evita Exits
Eva Peron, wife of Argentine President Juan Peron, dies of cancer. A nation mourns and Andrew Lloyd Webber gets an idea...
Suez Canal
Egypt seizes the Suez Canal leading to confrontation with Britain, France and Israel.
July 22
Vanished...Again!
A second British colony is established on Roanoke Island off North Carolina only to end up mysteriously disappearing just like the first one.
I Think I'll Name It...
General Moses Cleveland founds (what else?) the city of Cleveland.
Trouble By The Bay
The San Francisco Preparedness Day Parade is interrupted when a bomb explodes killing ten and injuring forty.
Flying High
Wiley Post completes the first solo flight around the world in just 7 days and nineteen hours.
Patton In Palermo
U.S. General George S. Patton and his troops liberate Palermo, Sicily.
Hendrix Declines
The Monkees lose their opening act when Jimi Hendrix calls it quits.
July 21
Burns Dies
Scottish poet Robert Burns dies at 37 in Dumfries. He leaves a wife and five children to struggle on (he never made much money).
Napoleon Victorious
Napoleon Bonaparte’s 25,000 strong force defeats the 40,000 Egyptian army in the Battle of the Pyramids.
First Battle of Bull Run
The Confederates win the first Battle of Bull Run at Manassas, Virginia.
Stick 'Em Up
Jesse James and his gang pull off their first train robbery, derailing a train near Adair Iowa and stealing $2,000.
Hemingway Born
American novelist and short story writer, Ernest Hemingway, is born in Oak Park, Illinois.
France Bows Out
France signs the Geneva Accord freeing Vietnam from French colonial rule.
July 20
Petrarch Born
Francesco Petrarch, scholar, romantic and poet was born on this day.
A Little Cheese, Anyone?
Elisha Brown, Jr. makes a 1,235 lb ball of cheese which he loads on a wagon and sends to President Thomas Jefferson. Bet he never got anything like that in Paris...
The Train Now Standing...
London's first train station is opened. Called Euston, it is still open.
Hitler Assassination Attempt
A clique of German officers attempt a coup. Colonel laus von Stauffenberg left a briefcase at Hitler's feet during a meeting. The bomb killed 4 people, but Hitler survived. In Berlin, the conspirators took over, but by midnight they and von Stauffenberg had been shot.
One Small Step...
Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin become the first men to set foot on the moon.
Bruce Lee Dies
Martial Arts immortal, Bruce Lee dies suddenly. Rumors immediately fly.
July 19
Mary Rose Sinks
The Mary Rose, pride of Henry VIII's fleet, sinks in the Solent with the loss of over 700. The ship was raised in 1982.
Seneca Falls
The first Women's Rights Convention is held in Seneca Falls, New York. The convention was organized and led by Elizabeth cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott.
Borden Born
Lizzie Borden, best known for her arrest for murdering her father and step-mother with an axe, is born in Fall River. The trial was a sensation and resulted in her acquittal, and in the first examination of the role of the media in the justice system.
Out of Order...?
The first parking meters are installed. In Oklahoma City.
Somoza Out
Nicaraguan "Sandinista," rebels overthrow US-supported dictator Somoza. Mass celebrations in the streets of Managua...much to the irritation of the US.
Dr. Feelgood
Dr. George Nichopoulos, former physician to Elvis Presley, is deprived of his medical license for being a tad too liberal in prescribing addictive drugs.
July 15
Jerusalem Taken
Crusaders, led by Godfrey and Robert of Flanders and Tancred of Normandy, capture Jerusalem.
La Chanson
The French adopt ‘The Marseillaise’ by Rouget de Lisle as their national anthem.
Imitation Butter
Hippolyte Mège-Mouriès patents margarine in Paris.
Circus Mourns
General Tom Thumb, only 40 inches tall, dies of a stroke at age 44.
AA Arrives
Alcoholics Anonymous is founded in London, thirteen years after it began in the U.S.
Irreconcilable Differences
Prince Charles and Princess Diana divorce.
July 14
Vive La France!
The French Revolution officially takes of when Parisians storm the Bastille releasing seven prisoners.
General Strike
The U.S. railroad is brought to a screeching halt by a general strike.
Billy the Kid Dies
Sheriff Pat Garrett kills Billy the Kid in Fort Sumner, New Mexico.
Guilty
Sacco and Vanzetti are convicted of first-degree murder in the slaying of a shoe company paymaster and his guard, in Dedham, Massachusetts.
Disaster
Fire destroys a Guatemalan insane asylum killing 225 and injuring 300.
Politics
Jimmy Carter wins the Democratic Presidential nomination in New York City.
July 13
John Dee Born
John Dee, an alchemist/mathematician and astrologer is born in London, England. Known as Elizabeth I's astrologer he is perhaps best known for raising the dead.
Marat Murdered
Paul Marat, a French revolutionary is murdered in his bath by Charlotte Corday.
Buck House
Queen Victoria becomes the first monarch to move into Buckingham Palace.
Go West!
Horace Greeley advises American youth to "Go West Young Man." All very well to say. He hadn't.
Miaow
The first cat show is organized by Harrison Weir and held at Crystal Palace, London.
Live Aid
Two simultaneous Live Aid concerts are held, one in London and one in Philadelphia. They raise over $70 million in aid for famine victims in Africa.
July 6
Thomas Moore Beheaded
Philosopher Thomas Moore is beheaded for treason. He refused to acknowledge Henry VIII's divorce from Katherine of Aragon, that his marriage to Anne Boleyn was legal, or that the king was now the head of the Church in England.
Captain Kidd Captured
Captain William Kidd, a rather enterprising pirate, is captured in Boston and sent back to Vermont for trial.
This Won't Hurt...
A human being is vaccinated against rabies for the first time. Louis Pasteur does the honors.
USSR Born
The USSR officially comes into being, along with its constitution.
Circus Fire
The big top of Ringling Brothers Circus catches fire at Hartford, Connecticut. In the ensuing panic, 168 were killed and 487 injured.
A Hard Day's Night
The Beatles' first film, A Hard Day's Night, receives a Royal Premiere in London. The quick cutting style perfectly captured the essence of the band. Still being copied today.
July 2
Battle of Marston Moor
The bloodiest battle of the English Civil War and the first big victory for the Parliamentarians. It was fought in the dark, between 7 and 10pm and over 4,000 died, including Cromwell's nephew. (Read Cromwell's letter to his brother-in-law here.)
Votes for Women
New Jersey gives "all inhabitants" of adult age, with a net worth of $50 and residing in the country for 12 months, the right to vote. In 1790 it dawned on them that they had given women the vote. The law was changed in 1807 to "free white males."
Gettysburg Continues
And speaking of bloody battles in civil wars. This was the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg.
Zeppelin
Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin's first airship, the LZ-1, takes to the skies.
Amelia Earhart Vanishes
Aviatrix, Amelia Earhart, and her co-pilot Frederick Noonan vanish while truing to fly around the world. Their last recorded position was near Howland Island in the Pacific. The disappearance remains a mystery.
Hemingway Dies
Ernest Hemingway, Nobel prize-winning author, kills himself at his home in Idaho. He had suffered from depression for years and had recently checked himself out of a hospital where he was undergoing treatment.
June 30
Montezuma Assassinated
Montezuma and the Aztec nobles are killed by Cortez. The Aztecs counter-attack, killing two thirds of the conquistadors before succumbing.
Dickens Speaks
Charles Dickens gives his first-ever public reading of 'A Christmas Carol.' A frustrated actor, Dickens would become famous for his dramatic readings.
Don't Look Down!
Frenchman, Charles Blondin, becomes the first to cross Niagara Falls on a tightrope. (We're guessing they weren't lining up round the block to be first at this!)
Tunguska Event
A fireball explodes near the Podkammenaya Tunguska river in Siberia. To this day it is not known what caused the explosion (it doesn't appear to have been a meteor), but its mass has been estimated at about 100,000 tons and the force of the explosion 2,000 times that at Hiroshima in 1945.
Gone With The Wind
Margaret Mitchell's 'Gone With The Wind' is published. It becomes the fastest selling novel in US history. In October 50,000 copies sell in one day. Sheesh. Go figure.
Another King Assassination
Martin Luther King, Jr.'s mother (69) is shot and killed as she plays the organ in Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta.
June 29
Caesar Victorius
Julius Caesar finally defeats Pompey at Pharsalus and becomes the absolute ruler of Rome.
The Globe Is Toast
The Globe theatre burns down during a production of Shakespeare's Henry VIII.
Barrett Browning Dies
Elizabeth Barrett Browning, poet and wife to Robert Browning, dies in Florence at home. She was 55.
Apartheid Begins
The South African Citizenship Act imposes a ban on mixed marriages between Europeans and non-Europeans. It is the beginning of Apartheid.
Jayne Mansfield Dies
One-time blonde bombshell, Jayne Mansfield is killed while driving to Las Vegas. Her kids are in the back seat and are unharmed. (No, she wasn't really decapitated.)
Cruel And Unusual
The US Supreme Court rules that the death penalty is "cruel and unusual" punishment. A later ruling in 1976 allows states to resume executions so long as they rewrite their laws addressing the issues of the 1972 case.
June 28
Henry VIII Born
Henry VII and Elizabeth of York welcome their second son, Henry. He's intended for the church but the death of his older brother Arthur sets him on a different path.
Cool School
Anthony Benezet and other Quakers open a non-segregated school for African-American and white children in Philadelphia.
Crown Vic
Queen Victoria is crowned in Westminster Abbey. She's 19 years old and about 5' tall but proves indomitable.
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles is signed, bringing an end to World War I....and setting the stage for World War II.
Ali Not Guilty
The US Supreme Court overturns boxer Muhammed Ali's conviction for draft evasion. The decision means he can box again.
Ouch!
Mike Tyson is disqualified in round 3 of the WBA world heavyweight title fight for biting a chunk out of Evander Holyfield's ear.
June 25
Fork Lore
The fork is introduced to America by Governor Winthrop of the Massachussetts Colony.
Oxford Surrenders
The town of Oxford surrenders to the Parliamentary forces signalling the end of the English Civil War. (Oxford had been the Royalist capital.)
Little Big Horn
Lakota, Cheyenne & Arapahoe, resisting the authority of the US government efforts to herd them onto "reservations," kill Red-baiting General Richard Armstrong Custer & wipe-out his troops at Little Big Horn, Montana.
Robot
Czechoslovakian playwright Karel Capek's play RUR premieres and a new word is introduced: robot.
School Prayer Ruling
The US Supreme Court rules that prayer in public schools is unconstitutional.
Ace
Martina Navratilova wins her 100th singles match. It's a record.
June 24
Battle of Bannockburn
Led by King Robert the Bruce, Scotland regains its independence from England in the Battle of Bannockburn.
Coronation
Henry VIII is crowned King of England.
Shocking
Lord Baltimore’s niece, Margaret Brent, is kicked out of the all-male Maryland Colonial Assembly for demanding the right to vote.
Dempsey Born
Jack Dempsey, World Heavyweight Boxing Champion from 1919-1926, is born.
War Update
France signs armistice agreement with Italy.
Unequaled
Equal Rights Amendment is defeated in the U.S. Only 33 of the required 36 states have ratified it within the ten year deadline.
June 22
Vanished -- Again!
A second British colony is established on Roanoke Island off North Carolina only to end up mysteriously disappearing just like the first one.
I Think I'll Name It...
General Moses Cleveland founds (what else?) the city of Cleveland.
Trouble by the Bay
The San Francisco Preparedness Day Parade is interrupted when a bomb explodes killing ten and injuring forty.
Flying High
Wiley Post completes the first solo flight around the world in just 7 days and nineteen hours.
Freed
U.S. General George S. Patton and his troops liberate Palermo, Sicily.
Done
The Monkees lose their opening act when Jimi Hendrix calls it quits.
June 21
US Constitution
New Hampshire becomes the 9th state to ratify the US Constitution, which becomes law.
Vittoria
The British, led by the Duke of Wellington, rout the French at the Battle of Vittoria. Napoleon's brother, Joseph, who was King of Spain, is forced to flee to France.
Big Wheel
The world's first Ferris Wheel debuts at the Columbian Exposition in Chicago.
German Fleet Scuttled
At the end of World War I, 74 ships of the German fleet had been interned at Scapa Flow in the Orkneys. Realizing that Germany would surrender, the German admiral scuttles the fleet. Eight ships are still there.
Jacklin Wins
Golfer Tony Jacklin wins the US Open. He is the first Briton to win since Ted Ray in 1920.
New Monkey
A new species of monkey, Callithrip saterei, is discovered in the rainforests of Brazil. It's orange-haired and about the size of a squirrel.
June 17
Drake's California Holiday
Sir Francis Drake lands in California near what is now San Francisco Bay. He names the land New Albion and claims it for England.
Battle of Bunker Hill
American forces fortify Breed’s Hill near Boston (also near Bunker Hill, confusingly) and take on the British. The British eventually defeat them, but only after taking huge losses. The battle showed the Americans that the British could be beaten.
Kansas City Massacre
Pretty Boy Floyd and two others gun down an FBI agent, 4 policemen and their prisoner Frank Nash.
Disneyland Opens
Walt Disney’s “Magic Kingdom” opens its gates in Anaheim, California.
Watergate Break-in
Five would-be burglars are arrested trying to break into the offices of the Democratic National Committee in the Watergate Building. Efforts to cover up their connection to the burglary would ultimately result in the resignation of president Richard Nixon.
Bronco Chase
After leading the police on the bizarre slow-speed chase in his white Ford Bronco, O.J. Simpson is arrested and charged with the murders of his wife Nicole and Ronald Goldman.
June 15
Magna Carta Signed
King John signs the Magna Carta at Runnymede in England. For the first time, the king is forced to acknowledge that even he is subject to the laws of the land.
Luther Excommunicated
Pope Leo X issues bull Exsurge, excommunicating Martin Luther. Luther has 60 days to recant. He doesn’t.
Dutch Sluices Opened
French king Louis XIV invades the Netherlands, the Dutch respond by opening the sluices and breaching the dykes, turning most of Holland into an impassable lake.
General Slocum Disaster
The pleasure steamboat General Slocum catches fire in the East River of New York. Over 1,000 people die as the paddle-wheeler burns to the water line.
Lennon and McCartney
John Lennon (15) and Paul McCartney (13) meet for the first time as Lennon’s band The Quarrymen perform for a church dinner.
Education for All
The U.S. Supreme Court decides that all children, regardless of citizenship, are entitled to a public education.
June 8
Mohammad Dies
The Prophet Mohammad dies in Medina after a brief illness. He was 62.
Paine Passes
Radical essayist Thomas Paine dies in poverty in New York. Only six people follow his coffin. Ten years later, one-time critic William Cobbett exhumes Paine and sneds the body to England, with the idea that a suitable monument will be built. The plan falls through and the coffin is lost.
Sand Signs Off
George Sand (aka Amandine Dudevant) dies. A prolific and hugely popular author in her day, Sand is also remembered for her love affairs with such notables as Alfred de Musset, Frederic, Chopin and Eugene Delacroix. She was 72.
First Westminster Dog Show
The first Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is held in Gilmore’s Gardens, NYC. It is the second oldest continuously run sporting event in the US (after the Kentucky Derby).
George VI Visit
King George VI of England visits the USA. He is the first reigning British monarch to do so.
Ray Arrested
James Earl Ray is arrested in London after an international manhunt. Ray’s fingerprints were found on the rifle that was used to murder Martin Luther King Jr. After his capture, Ray confessed and was jailed for life, but he later recanted and maintained he was “set up”.
June 7
EU Elections
The first direct elections for the European Parliament are held.
Mallory Vanishes
George Leigh-Mallory vanishes without trace 775’ from the peak of Mount Everest. He’s most famous for his comment when people kept asking him why he wanted to climb the mountain: “Because it’s there!”
Gwendolyn Brooks Born
Pullitzer Prize-winning African-American poet Gwendolyn Brooks is born in Topeka, Kansas. Her family moved to Chicago shortly after her birth, and it is with this city that her work is most closely identified.
First Reform Act
The Reform Act finally passes in Britain, adding middle and working class people to the electorate, and re-apportioning the way seats were distributed, giving greater representation to the new industrial cities of the north.
Mumtaz Mahal Dies
Mumtaz Mahal, wife of Shah Jahan of India, dies. Her inconsolable husband built one of the world’s most beautiful structures as her mausoleum – the Taj Mahal.
Treaty of Tordesillas
Spain and Portugal draw a line around the globe and divide the New World between them. Spain got everything west of the line, while Portugal got everything east of it (such as Brazil).
June 3
Crusaders Take Antioch
The Crusaders take the city of Antioch, killing hundreds of thousands of the inhabitants, including, by their own account, impaling women and children.
Becket Consecrated
Thomas Becket is consecrated as Archbishop of Canterbury. One of Henry II’s closest friends, the king had hoped to control the church. Unfortunately, Thomas went and got religion and it ended badly for everyone concerned.
Baseball Uniforms
The first baseball uniforms are worn. The Knickerbockers wear straw hats, white shirts and long trousers.
Casey Strikes Out
Casey At The Bat makes its first appearance, written by Ernest L Thayer under the pen name “Phin” and published in the San Francisco Examiner.
Josephine Baker Born
Dancer and actress Josephine Baker is born in St Louis, Missouri. She ran away from home at 15 and went on the stage, when she moved to Paris she was an immediate hit. The country took her to its heart, and on her death she became the only American woman to be honored with a 21-gun salute.
Kafka Dies
Franz Kafka dies in Kierling, Austria. He orders his friend Max Brod to destroy all his unpublished manuscripts, including The Trial, The Castle and Amerika. Brod doesn’t.
May 19
Boleyn Executed
Anne Boleyn, second wife of Henry VIII, is beheaded. She could have escaped if she’d admitted to her so-called crimes, but that would have taken her daughter out of the running for the throne. The little girl grew up to be Elizabeth I.
Commonwealth Declared
England is declared a Commonwealth by the remnants of Parliament, known as the Rump Parliament. Chaos ensues and a mere two years later Oliver Cromwell takes power as Lord Protector.
Wilde Released
Oscar Wilde is released from Reading Gaol. He was a broken man and lived out the rest of his life in a rented room in Paris.
Fraterville Mine Disaster
An explosion in the Fraterville coal mine in Coal Creek, Tennessee kills 214. Only three men were left alive in the town after the disaster.
Malcolm X Born
Activist and Muslim convert Malcolm X is born as Malcolm Little in Omaha, Nebraska.
Lawrence Checks Out
T.E. Lawrence, better known to history as Lawrence of Arabia, dies in a motorcycle accident.
May 13
Jamestown
Captain John Smith and 105 cavaliers in three ships arrive on the Virginia coast. They establish the first English settlement in the New World and call it Jamestown, after the king.
US Declares War
The United States declares war against Mexico. By the time the US is victorious, it will have annexed most of California, Texas, Arizona and New Mexico.
Brazil Bans Slavery
Brazil outlaws slavery. About time: Brazil imported more African slaves than any country in the Western hemisphere (including the US).
DuMaurier Born
Daphne DuMaurier is born in England. A prolific author, she is probably best known for penning ‘Rebecca’.
Coop Fades Out
Gary Cooper, the quintessential everyman of countless movies, dies. He had been acting since the silents. My fave is “The Westerner”.
Pope Shot
Turkish terrorist Mehmet Ali Agca shoots and seriously wounds Pope John Paul II in St. Peter’s Square, Rome.
May 12
Templars Burned
Convicted as heretics, 54 Knights Templar are burned at the stake in France. The case had less to do with heresy, and a good deal more to do with power and the Templar’s vast treasury (which the French king wanted).
Boleyn Boys Tried
Mark Smeaton, Sir Francis Weston and George Boleyn (her brother) all stand trial accused for treason for allegedly having affairs with Anne Boleyn. They will be executed on the 17th.
Lear Lives
Nonsense poet and supposed inventor of the limerick, Edward Lear, is born in London, England.
Nightingale Arrives
Florence Nightingale is born in Florence, Italy. She volunteered as a nurse during the Crimean War, and subsequently developed professional standards and training for nurses.
On Your Marks...
Charles Sherrill of the Yale track team becomes the first runner to use the now familiar crouching start in a race.
Lindbergh Baby Found
The body of Charles Lindbergh, Jr., son of the famed aviator, is found in the woods near the family home, 72 days after the kidnapping.
May 10
Vikings!
Norse raiders devastate the island of Angelsey in North Wales. At the time it was a great center of monastic learning.
Astor Place Riots
Partisans of actor Edwin Forrest are outraged when his competitor, William Charles Macready, appears at New York’s Astor Place Theater, that they attack. The militia is called out and the theatrical rioters attack them too. The soldiers open fire, and before it is all over, 31 people are dead and over 100 injured.
Indian Mutiny
Indian sepoys (soldiers) mutiny against their English officers in Meerut after rumors spread that the rifle cartridges contain pig or cow fat. The rebellion spreads and lasts until June 1858, by the time it is over the Mughul Empire and East India Company have been destroyed, and the British government takes over direct administration. It’s the birth of the Raj.
Golden Spike
The Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads meet at Promontory Summit, Utah. A golden spike is pounded in by the two crews and the two coasts of the US are finally united with a transcontinental railroad.
Astaire Arrives
Immortal dancer Fred Astaire is born in Omaha, Nebraska. One half of an internationally successful dancing team (with sister Adele), he was already middle-aged by the time Hollywood came calling.
House of Commons Destroyed
The British House of Commons is destroyed by German bomb. Rebuilt after the war, the current chamber was first used in 1950.
May 7
Joan of Arc Triumphs
Joan of Arc lifts the English siege of Orleans. The siege had been going on for 8 months before the 19-year old peasant girl presented herself at court and asked to lead the army. She was pretty feisty, read a letter from Joan to the king of England here.
Browning Born
The English poet Robert Browning is born. A master of the dramatic monologue, his works are often decried as “difficult”. Such rubbish. They’re terrific, read one here.
Tchaikovsky Arrives
Pyotr Ilych Tchaikovsky is born in Votkinsk, Russia. His family was wealthy but not musical and at 19 he was sent to attend law school. He soon dropped out and took up music.
KOdak Camera
George Eastman patents the Kodak box camera. It didn’t really work very well, and it was a few more years before he came up with a really reliable version. Once he did, photography became a mass medium and revolutionized the family holiday.
Sinking of the Lusitania
The Lusitania, en route from New York to England, is hit by German torpedoes within sight of Ireland. The ship sinks within twenty minutes with a loss of 1,201 lives. Only 764 were rescued. The sinking outraged the previously neutral United States and was a major cause of the change of opinion within the country against Germany.
Votes for Women
The age of women’s suffrage in Britain is reduced from 30 to 21.
May 6
Sack of Rome
Rome is pillaged by imperial forces led by the Duke of Bourbon. He was killed early in the conflict, but his mutinous troops (they hadn’t been paid in a while) went on to shock Europe with their brutal destruction of the city and capture of the Pope.
Manhattan Bought
Dutchman Peter Minuit “buys” the island of Manhattan from the Manahatta Indians for $24 worth of beads.
Haitian Revolution
Ex-slave Toussaint L’Ouverture leads the first successful slave revolt in the New World, and creates an independent Haiti.
Penny Black
In England, the first postage stamp is issued. It becomes known as the Penny Black, for its color and price.
Hindenburg Disaster
The hydrogen-filled airship Hindenburg bursts into flames while coming in to dock near Lakehurst, New Jersey. 35 of the 97 passengers on board are killed.
Channel Tunnel
The Channel Tunnel is officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II of England and President Francois Mitterand of France.
May 4
Battle of Tewksbury
The final battle of the Wars of the Roses is fought between the forces of Edward IV (Yorkist) and those of Margaret of Anjou and her young son (Lancastrian). Although outnumbered, Edward is victorious. Around 2,000 were killed in the battle, and many more slaughtered in retreat, Margaret’s son is killed as are most of the Lancastrian leaders.
Pope Divvies Up
Pope Alexander VI issues the first Bull Inter Cetera and divides the New World between Spain and Portugal.
First Derby
The first Derby is run at Epsom Downs in England. The winner was Diomed.
Haymarket Square Bombing
A bomb explodes at a rally protesting the killing of four demonstrators by police the day before. A bomb explodes killing 8 policemen. The speakers are all arrested, although there was no evidence that any of them was involved, and in a travesty of a trial were found guilty. Three others were sentenced to life, but later pardoned by the Governor of Illinois.
General Strike
The General Strike begins in the UK, with almost half of the country’s 6 million union members taking part. It continues until the 12th.
Kent State
Four Kent State University students are killed by Ohio National Guardsmen at a demonstration protesting the American incursion into Cambodia.
May 3
Machiavelli Is Born
Nicolo Machiavelli is born in Florence, Italy. Machiavelli was a diplomat who observed the workings of those in power. In 1513 he wrote “The Prince” in which he advocated that all means may be used to maintain power.
Byron Swims
Romantic poet Lord Byron swims the Hellespont in Greece, emulating the Greek hero Leander. He swam the four miles in one hour and ten minutes.
First Black Lawyer
Macon B. Allen is admitted to the bar in Massachusetts. He is the first African American lawyer in the U.S.
Under Milk Wood
Dylan Thomas reads his poem “Under Milk Wood” for the first time in America.
May Upheaval
The first fights of the May Upheaval begin in Paris and 600 are arrested. By the time the Upheaval ends in June, schools, factories and offices across France will have been occupied as the French rebel against authority.
Thatcher Elected
The Conservative Party wins the British general election and Margaret Thatcher becomes the first female Prime Minister.
April 28
Elizabeth Buried
Queen Elizabeth I is buried at Westminster Abbey.
Mutiny On The Bounty
Fletcher Christian leads a mutiny against Captain William Bligh on the HMS Bounty.
Cool It
W.H. Carrier patents the air conditioner.
Harper Lee Arrives
Pulitzer-prize winning author Harper Lee is born in Monroeville, Alabama. Best known for penning “To Kill A Mockingbird.”
Mussolini Dies
Italian fascist leader Benito Mussolini is hanged by partisans in the street.
Ali Refuses
Muhammad Ali declines the draft and refuses to be inducted into the army. He is stripped of his boxing title. In 1971 the Supreme Court overturned the conviction and three years later Ali won the title back.
April 23
Shakespeare Exeunts
William Shakespeare dies in Stratford-on-Avon. He took ill on his way home from a party at Ben Jonson’s. (Read Shakespeare's Will here.)
Charles II Crowned
English King Charles II is crowned at Westminster Abbey. The monarchy had been restored the year before following nearly 20 years of rule by the Commonwealth.
Rupert Brooke Dies
Poet Rupert Brooke dies of blood poisoning on the Greek island of Skyros. He had been eager to serve his country, but never lived to see battle…or the disaster that World War I would actually become for the youth of Europe. (Read his most famous work The Soldier here.)
Yeah Yeah Yeah!
The Beatles play the Hollywood Bowl.
Decimalization
The first decimal coins are introduced in the UK. People worry that prices will go up...they’re right.
Cesar Chavez Dies
Civil rights activist and founder of the United Farm Workers, Cesar Chavez, dies at 66.
April 22
Brazil Found
Portuguese explorer Pedro Cabral lands on the coast of Brazil and claims it for Portugal.
Royal Society
Charles II grants a charter to the Royal Society of London, which became one of the most important venues for scientific discovery.
Fielding Enters
Henry Fielding was a prolific writer of plays, but is best known today for his novels (e.g. “The History of Tom Jones”). He was also a judge and created the first professional police force, known as The Bow Street Runners.
First Steamship
The Sirius becomes the first steamship to cross the Atlantic. She made the trip in 15 days. Four days after her departure Brunel’s Great Western set off, making the crossing in 13 days.
Lenin Lives
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin is born into a family of minor nobility in Russia. He goes on to become a Marxist and lead the Russian Revolution.
Nixon Dies
Richard Nixon, the only US president to resign, dies following a stroke. He was 81. Vilified as a crook following Watergate, he lived to be regarded as a respected elder statesman.
April 21
Abelard Exits
Peter Abelard, French theologian and philosopher dies in Burgundy. He’s most famous today for his torrid affair with Heloise, a student.
Cortes Lands
Hernan Cortes, Spanish explorer, lands at Veracruz, Mexico. With just a few hundred soldiers (and a lot of luck), he would defeat the vast Aztec empire.
Bronte Born
Charlotte Bronte is born in Thornton, Yorkshire. Together with her sisters Emily and Anne, Charlotte would infuse the novel with passion and intelligence, shocking Victorian readers who clung to the idea that young ladies didn’t have such thoughts.
Spanish-American War
The U.S. declares war against Spain, ultimately defeating the aging empire and acquiring Puerto Rico, Guam and The Philippines. Later that year the U.S. also annexes Hawaii.
Twain Signs Off
Mark Twain dies in Redding Connecticut.
Free Speech?
Frank Zappa’s record label refuses to release his single, “I Don’t Wanna Be Drafted.”
April 20
Marcus Aurelius Born
Philosopher and Roman Emperor, Marcus Aurelius is born. A Stoic, he is best known for his “Meditations”.
Cartier Arrives
French explorer, Jacques Cartier, arrives in North America, landing on the coast of Labrador.
Luddite Attacks
Miners from Hollinwood attack a local manufactory in Middleton, England, as protests against the increasing use of automation amid workers’ fears for their livelihoods.
First Detective Tale
Edgar Allen Poe’s “Murders In The Rue Morgue” is published. It is the first modern detective story.
Hitler Born
Adolf Hitler is born in the small Austrian village of Braunau Am Inn, just across the border from Germany.
Christopher Robin Signs Off
Christopher Robin Milne, son of author A.A. Milne and the inspiration for the Winnie the Pooh stories, dies.
April 19
Drake Burns
Francis Drake sinks the Spanish fleet in Cadiz harbor. The incident became known as “singeing the King of Spain’s beard”.
Lexington
The first battle of the American War of Independence begins with a skirmish on Lexington Common in Massachusetts.
Byron Bows Out
Poet Lord Byron dies of malarial fever while fighting for Greek independence.
Hitchcock Exits
Alfred Hitchcock, legendary director of suspense movies (“Psycho”) dies at the age of 80.
Waco Siege Ends
The FBI siege of the Branch Davidian headquarters in Waco, Texas, ends after 51 days with a conflagration that destroys the compound and everyone in it.
Oklahoma City Bombing
A bomb explodes outside the Alfred P. Murrah federal building in Oklahoma City, killing 166 (including 19 children) and injuring over 400.
April 16
Aphra Exits
Aphra Behn, the first woman to make a living as a writer, dies in London. She was 49.
Culloden
Bonnie Prince Charlie, the last hope of the Jacobites, is defeated at Culloden. 2,000 Scotsmen died, but Charles Stuart escaped (funny how that happens).
Chaplin Born
Charlie Chaplin begins life in a London slum. His father was absent, his mother went insane, and he made the whole world laugh.
Harriet Flies
American pilot Harriet Quimby becomes the first woman to fly across the English Channel. (Find out more about Harriet Quimby here.)
Baseball On TV
The first televised baseball game, broadcast by WGN-TV. It was an exhibition game, White Sox vs. Cubs.
O, Canada
Queen Elizabeth II proclaims Canada’s new constitution, breaking that country’s last colonial links with Britain.
April 15
Johnson's Dictionary
Samuel Johnson publishes his Dictionary of the English Language. It had taken him eight years to compile it.
Lincoln Dies
President Lincoln dies at 7:22 am. He had been shot in Ford’s Theatre the day before.
Kinetoscope
Thomas Edison gives the first public demonstration of his kinetoscope, a moving picture machine.
Titanic Sinks
The Titanic sinks at 2:20am after hitting an iceberg. Over 1,500 people die in the icy waters of the North Atlantic.
Draft Cards Burned
The first mass burning of draft cards takes place as 400,000 in New York, and 80,000 in San Francisco demonstrate against the Vietnam War.
Hillsborough Disaster
96 Liverpool fans die at an FA Cup semi-final in Hillsborough, Sheffield when police keep cramming people into the stands after they have filled to capacity. High fences prevented escape.
April 13
Edict of Nantes
The Edict of Nantes is issued by French King Henri IV. It guarantees freedom worship to the Protestant Huguenots. Barely 30 years later it was being chipped away, and in 1685 Louis XIV revoked it, leading to persecutions and a mass exodus of Protestants from France.
Poet Laureate
John Dryden becomes the first Poet Laureate. (read more about poets laureate here.)
Jefferson Lives
Thomas Jefferson is born in Shadwell, Virginia. Revolutionary, intellectual, writer of the Declaration of Independence and 3rd President of the U.S.
Beckett Born
Samuel Beckett is born in Dublin. A poet and playwright of prodigious talents, he’s probably best known for the play “Waiting for Godot”.
Amritsar Massacre
The Amritsar Massacre takes place in Punjab, India as British troops fire into a crowd of people protesting the arrest of two Congress Party leaders. 379 are killed, and 1,200 wounded.
Tiger Wins
Tiger Woods, 21, wins the US Masters in his first year as a professional golfer. He’s the youngest champion ever, with the lowest total ever recorded in the Masters (270).
April 12
Cops
The first U.S. police corps is formed in New Amsterdam (New York).
Listening
Thomas Alva Edison invents his Edisonphone and records sound.
Listening
Thomas Alva Edison invents his Edisonphone and records sound.
Gas Pipe
Pipe Line Under the Ocean (PLUTO) begins operation beneath the English Channel supplying gas to the Allied Forces in France.
Secret
German author Thomas Mann (Dr. Faustus) dies in Zurich at age 80 leaving behind his diaries and ordering that they must remain sealed for the next 20 years.
Squeaky Clean
Aaron Marshall sets an all time record for staying in the shower
--336 hours.
April 8
Petrarch Crowned
Francesco Petrarca, better known to history as Petrarch, is crowned Poet Laureate on the steps of the capitol in Rome.
Great Western Sails
Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s enormous steam ship, the Great Western, sets out on her maiden voyage. She went from Bristol to New York in 15 days.
Pickford Enters
Mary Pickford is born as Gladys Marie Smith in Toronto, Canada. She would go on to become the first (and biggest) movie star, and found United Artists.
Picasso Passes
Spanish painter Pablo Picasso dies in France. He changed the way the world looked at itself.
Punch Out
Britain’s satirical magazine, Punch, publishes its final issue. It poked fun at the status quo for 151 years.
Cobain Exits
Kurt Cobain, lead singer of Nirvana, commits suicide at his Seattle home. He was 27.
April 7
Turpin Swings
Dick Turpin, famous English highwayman, is hanged.
Wordsworth Arrives
William Wordsworth is born. The most famous of the English romantic (or Lake) poets, his early revolutionary fire faded, and he ended up as the bane of schoolchildren everywhere.
Johnson Speaks
Samuel Johnson, famous wit and writer of the first English dictionary, goes out to a tavern for dinner with his chronicler James Boswell and other friends and remarks, “Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.”
Barnum Bows Out
American showman and circus maven, P.T. Barnum, dies in Philadelphia.
Holliday Debuts
Jazz legend Billie Holliday is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Thompson Signs Off
Jim Thompson, underappreciated author of noir short-stories and novels (The Grifters, After Dark, My Sweet, The Getaway, etc.), dies.
April 6
The Lionheart Dies
Richard the Lionheart dies of a minor shoulder wound that became infected. He was besieging the fortress of Chalus at the time because he had heard there was treasure in it. Not very chivalric.
Laura Dies
The beautiful married woman whom Petrarch called ‘Laura’ and to whom he dedicated 366 poems, dies of the Black Death.
Slave Revolt
23 slaves set fire to a building in New York City, then ambush the whites who arrive to extinguish the blaze, killing nine. Soldiers are sent out and 27 slaves are arrested, 6 commit suicide and the rest are executed (some are burned alive).
Mormons Founded
Joseph Smith founds the Mormon Church in Fayette, New York.
Phew!
The longest boxing match in history finally ends after Andy Bowen and Jack Burke box 111 rounds in 7 hours and 19 minutes. There was no decision.
African Plane Crash
The presidents of Burundi and Rwanda are killed in a plane crash. Their deaths spark the massacre of millions of Tutsis by Hutus.
April 1
Eleanor Exits
Eleanor of Aquitaine, wife of two kings and mother of three more, including Richard the Lionheart, dies of old age (surprisingly). She was 82.
Harvey Born
William Harvey is born in England. Doctor to king James I and Charles I, he theorized that the blood circulated throughout the body and was able to prove that the heart was a pump which forced the blood around the body.
Fire Money
Cincinnati becomes the first city in the U.S. to pay fire fighters a regular salary.
Joplin Checks Out
Composer Scott Joplin dies in New York. Best known for his ragtime pieces (Maple Leaf Rag), he also wrote the first grand opera by an African-American musician, Treemonisha.
RAF
The Royal Air Force is formed in Britain when the Royal Naval Air Service and the Royal Flying Corps are merged.
Apple Debuts
Steve Wozniak, Steven Jobs and Ron Wayne found Apple Computers. The following month they make their first sale – 50 computers to the Byte Shop.
March 31
Descartes Debuts
French philosopher Rene Descartes is born in La Haye, France. Best known for the quote “Cogito ergo sum” (I think therefore I am), Descartes revolutionized thought.
Donne Dies
English poet and priest John Donne dies in London. He is regarded as one of the greatest poets of his age, but is also known for his sermons (“No man is an island…”).
Pickwick Published
The first monthly part of “The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club” is printed. It is Charles Dickens’ first novel. Initially the print run was 400 copies, but by part 15 40,000 were hitting the streets.
Bronte Bows Out
Charlotte Bronte, the longest lived of the literary sisters and author of “Jane Eyre”, dies at Haworth, Yorkshire. She was 38.
Eiffel Tower Completed
The Eiffel Tower is finished. It was originally built for the Paris Exposition of 1884.
US Limits Vietnam Bombing
US President Johnson responds to growing concern within the country and announces that he will not seek re-election. He also announces a partial halt to bombing in Vietnam and appoints Averell Harriman to seek negotiated peace talks with North Vietnam.
March 30
Sicilian Vespers Massacre
The people of Sicily rose against their Angevin (French) overlords and killed 2,000 people at church in Palermo. They succeeded in wresting power from the French, but at the cost of years of turmoil.
Breathe Deeply
Ether is first used as an anaesthetic during surgery, by American doctor Crawford Long.
Pencil Patent
Hyman Lipman gets a patent for inventing a pencil with an eraser on it. Proving that the simple ideas are always the best!
Treaty of Paris
The Crimean War officially ends with the signing of the Treaty of Paris.
Alaska Bought
The United States buys Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million.
Reagan Shot
US president Ronald Reagan is shot by John Hinckley, Jr.
March 25
Henry II Arrives
Matilda, domineering daughter of Henry I, gives birth to another Henry. This one will become one of England’s most turbulent and best known kings, and founder of the Plantagenet dynasty.
The Bruce
Robert the Bruce is crowned king of Scotland.
Slave Trade Outlawed
The British Parliament outlaws the slave trade.
Shelley Expelled
Poet Percy Bysshe Shelley is expelled from Oxford after he refuses to admit writing “The Necessity of Atheism.”
Triangle Shirt Waist Fire
The Triangle Shirt Waist Company, occupying the top floors of a 10-storey building in New York City, is consumed by fire. With exits locked or boarded up in the sweatshop, 147 women and girls die. It became a turning point in labor, health and safety laws – Triangle had been fighting Fire department orders to install sprinklers.
Civil Rights March
Martin Luther King, Jr. leads 25,000 marchers into Montgomery, Alabama. They had started in Selma. By the end of the week, the crowd had expanded to 50,000 and the march had become a rallying point for civil rights in the United States.
March 24
Gloriana Dies
Queen Elizabeth I of England dies at 69. Her successor, James I of England and VI of Scotland, unites the two kingdoms.
Tarred and Feathered
Mormon leader Joseph Smith is beaten, tarred and feathered in Ohio.
Houdini Arrives
Magician and escapologist Harry Houdini is born in Budapest.
Verne Checks Out
French writer Jules Verne, the father of modern science fiction, dies in Amiens.
Grand National
Out of 32 horses that start the Grand National in Aintree, Liverpool, only 3 finish.
Great Escape
76 Allied officers escape from Stalag Luft 3 in what became known as ‘The Great Escape’.
March 23
Hallelujah
Handel’s oratorio, "Messiah", premieres in London.
Patrick Henry
American revolutionary Patrick Henry says, “Give me liberty or give me death.” He gets both.
Fannie Farmer
Boston Cooking School whiz, Fannie Farmer, is born in Boston. In 1896 she edited The Boston Cooking School Cook Book, which went through 21 editions before her death in 1915, and is still in print.
Fascism Born
Benito Mussolini founds the Italian Fascist Party.
Evolution Banned
The state of Tennessee outlaws the teaching of evolution. A move which did nothing to improve the stature of the state.
Japanese Internment
The US government begins sending Americans of Japanese ancestry to concentration camps in the desert. They were stripped of all their belongings, except what they could carry and were forced to sell or forfeit their business and careers. Even so, the sons of many of these families didn’t hesitate to join the military to fight for the U.S.
March 22
Pilgrim Treaty
The Plymouth settlers and Massasoit agree to a league of friendship. The treaty is kept by both sides for 50 years.
Goethe Goes
Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe, one of the greatest German writers in the Romantic tradition, dies less than two months after completing Faust.
Movies
Brothers Auguste and Louis Lumiere give the first public demonstration of motion pictures. People are impressed.
L'Amour Debuts
Louis L’Amour is born. At his height he would write several Western novels a year.
Tally Ho!
66 horses run in the Irish Grand National. Not so much a race as a cavalry charge.
Jordan Independant
Jordon achieves independence from British rule.
March 18
Bus Birth
The first public bus service begins, in Paris.
Tolpuddle Martyrs
Six farm laborers from Tolpuddle in Dorset were sentenced to transportation to Australia for trying to form a Trade Union. Public outcry led to their return eight years later, but local antagonism was so strong that all but one ended up emigrating to Canada.
Paris Commune
One thousand women begin the Paris Commune by successfully blockading canons. The protest began as an action against occupying German troops, but soon grew into one against the ruling bourgeois party in France. It would end badly.
Wilfred Owen Born
Poet Wilfred Owen is born is Plas Wilmot, near Oswestry. One of the best known poets of World War I, he was injured and could have escaped further duty, but instead returned to the front. He died on November 4, six days before the Armistice.
Cambodia Bombed
The U.S. begins bombing neutral Cambodia, escalating the war in south east Asia.
March 17
NYC St. Patrick's Day
New York City stages its first St. Patrick’s Day parade.
Arise!
Henry Jones of Bristol, England, patents self-raising flour.
Birth Control
After years of struggle, Dr. Marie Stopes opens Britain’s first birth control clinic.
Dalai Lama Flees
The Dalai Lama flees Tibet and heads for India.
Meir Rules
Golda Meir becomes prime minister of Israel. She is 70 years old and the first woman to hold the office.
March 11
Siege of Rome
The Goths besiege Rome, marking the end of the Classical period.. By the time they left, the once-great classical city had become a small Medieval town.
Read All About It
The first English daily newspaper, the Daily Courant, is published.
McClellen Replaced
After much time spent doing very little, President Lincoln removes McClellen as general-in-chief of the Union army and makes him head of the Army of the Potomac. Gen Henry Halleck replaces him as general-in-chief.
Oops!
A US B-47 accidentally drops a nuclear bomb on South Carolina. The bomb doesn’t go off, thanks to 6 safety catches.
Fleming Bows Out
Scottish bacteriologist Alexander Fleming dies. His discovery of penicillin has saved millions of lives.
To Boldly Go...
The ashes of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry are launched into space.
March 10
Byron Publishes
The first two cantos of Lord Byron’s “Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage” are published to wild acclaim. He is famous overnight.
Lincoln Patents
President-to-be Abraham Lincoln applies for a patent for a device for “buoying vessels over shoals”. He is the only U.S. President to apply for one.
Worst Mining Disaster
A coal dust explosion at a mine in Courrieres, France, kills 1,060 workers. It is the worst mining disaster of the 20th century.
Tubman Dies
Underground railroad conductor Harriet Tubman dies in New York City. Before the Civil War she helped slaves escape from the south through a network of safe houses.
Zelda Incinerated
Zelda Fitzgerald, wife of F. Scott Fitzgerald, dies in a fire in the mental hospital where she was living. Seven other women also died in the blaze. She was 48 and a talented author in her own right.
Narrow Escape
A US B-47 accidentally drops a nuclear bomb on the town of Mars Bluffs in South Carolina. The conventional explosives in the device create a crater 50 feet wide, and injure six people, but fail to set off the nuclear warhead.
It's Over?
A Japanese soldier is found on the island of Lubang, where he has been hiding out under the impression that World War II was still in full swing.
March 9
Rizzio Murdered
David Rizzio, secretary to Mary Queen of Scots, is murdered in front of the Queen by a band of courtiers, reputedly led by her husband Lord Darnley. Darnley himself is murdered the following year.
Napoleon and Josephine
French army commander Napoleon Bonaparte marries Joesphine de Beauharnais.
Amistad Slaves Freed
The slaves who revolted and took over the slave ship Amistad are declared free men by the Supreme Court. Their leader, Joseph Cinque, returns to Africa and becomes a slave trader himself.
Ironclad Battle
The ironclad warships, the Monitor and the Merrimac fight to a draw during the US Civil War.
Smothers Brothers Cancelled
“The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” is cancelled by CBS following controversy over censorship.
Bukowski Dies
Novelist Charles Bukowski, who lived the life as well as wrote about the down and out, dies in California.
March 8
Anne Rules
King William III of Britain dies in a riding accident and his sister-in-law Anne becomes Queen.
Graham Born
Kenneth Graham is born. He would grow up to work in a bank and write “The Wind In The Willows”.
License To Fly
The first pilot’s licenses are issued. To Englishman J.T.C. Moore Brabazon and Frenchwoman Elise Deroche.
February Revolution
The February Revolution begins, sparked by a strike by women workers in Petrograd.
Carrie Chapman Catt Dies
Women’s suffrage pioneer, Carrie Chapman Catt, dies in New Rochelle, New York. She was 82.
Lloyd Bows Out
Silent film comedian Harold Lloyd (“Safety Last!”) dies at the age of 77.
March 4
Saladin Dies
One of the greatest leaders of the Arab world, Saladin taught the Crusaders what chivalry was all about. He won Jerusalem back from the Europeans in 1187, and died in Damascus, where his tomb can still be seen.
Mallory Exits
Sir Thomas Mallory, author of the series of tales that Became known as the Morte d’Arthur, dies. He began his stories of the Knights of the Round Table while in prison for rape. Very chivalric.
Penn's Land
King Charles II grants a royal charter to William Penn, allowing him to establish a colony in North America.
US Copyright Act
The International Copyright Act is finally passed, preventing America from pirating British, Belgian and French Books. Dickens had fought for this for years, but didn’t live to see it happen.
Swan Lake
The Russian Imperial Ballet stages the first performance of Swan Lake.
More Popular Than...
John Lennon gives an interview in which he says The Beatles are more popular than Jesus. Puritanical America goes berserk. Ah...Cotton Mather would be proud.
March 3
Godwin Born
Philosopher and writer William Godwin is born in Wisbech, England. He was a friend of Thomas Paine and William Blake, the husband of Mary Wollstonecraft and father of Mary Shelley.
Ice Hockey
The first organized ice hockey match is played in Montreal, Canada.
Beautiful and Damned
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Beautiful and Damned” is published.
Rodney King Born
Los Angeles police beat Rodney king in an incident that is captured on video. The resulting trial and acquittal of the officers leads to riots in Los Angeles.
March 2
First Ballet
The first ballet, “Loves of Mars and Venus”, is performed at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.
Wesley Dies
John Wesley, founder of Methodism, dies in London. He was 89.
Slave Importing Banned
The U.S. bans the import of slaves. Over 15,000 have been brought to America since 1637, but the ban goes largely ignored. Another 215,000 slaves are brought from Africa before the Civil War.
Dr. Seuss Debuts
Theodore Geisel is born in Springfield, Massachusetts. He began writing children’s books and became known to generations as Dr. Seuss.
The Babe Cashes In
Babe Ruth becomes the highest-paid baseball player with a deal that will bring him $70,000 per year.
Lawrence Dies
D.H. Lawrence (“Lady Chatterley’s Lover”) dies of tuberculosis in Venice. He was 45.
Philip K. Dick Dies
Science fiction writer Philip K. Dick dies in Santa Ana, California. The author of many seminal tales of dystopian futures, he has become more widely known in recent years through movie versions of his books, such as “Do Anderoids Dream of Electric Sheep?” (Blade Runner), “We Can Remember It For You Wholesale” (Total Recall), “Imposter” and “Minority Report”.
February 26
Earthquake
An earthquake in Lisbon, Portugal, kills 20,000 people.
In For A Pound
The first pound notes are issued by the Bank of England.
Hugo Born
French poet, playwright and author Victor Hugo (The Hunchback of Notre Dame) is born in Besancon.
Napoleon Escapes
Napoleon Bonaparte escapes from exile on the island of Elba and begins his reconquest of France.
...And They're Off!
The first Grand National Steeplechase is run at Aintree near Liverpool.
Barings Bust
Barings Bank, the oldest merchant bank in the UK, declares bankruptcy after discovering that the company’s chief trader in Singapore, Nicholas Leeson, has lost approximately $1 billion on unauthorized futures and options transactions.
February 25
Essex Axed
The charming Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, was the last of Elizabeth I’s favorites. Brave and daring, he was also rash and foolish. When he tried to mount a rebellion against her, Elizabeth had no choice but to execute him for treason.
Revolver
Samuel Colt patents the six-shooter. The gun would become a symbol of the American West.
Temporary Insanity
A plea of “temporary insanity” is first used successfully in the US in the trial of Rep. Daniel E. Sickles of NY who shot Phillip Barton Key. Key was having an affair with Sickles’ wife; Sickles saw him in the street signaling to his wife in her bedroom, followed Key to a park and emptied his gun into him.
Suffragette Trial
The trial of British suffragette, Emmeline Pankhurst, begins. She was accused of planting a bomb outside the home of Chancellor of the Exchequer, David Lloyd George.
Cassius Clay Wins
Cassius Clay beats Sonny Liston in 6 rounds for the World Heavyweight Title. Clay then announces his conversion to Islam and becomes Muhammad Ali.
Tennessee Williams Dies
Playwright Tennessee Williams dies in New York at 71, after swallowing a small plastic bottle cap.
February 23
Pepys Debuts
Diarist Samuel Pepys is born in London. He began his famous diary in 1660, keeping it in a shorthand that wasn’t deciphered until the 19th century.
Cato Street Conspiracy
Radicals calling themselves Spencereans (after their founder John Spencer), plot to kill some of England’s cabinet who they believe will be going to dinner in nearby Grosvenor House. The idea was to kick start a revolution, but the police are tipped off and raid the barn in Cato Street where the conspirators were meeting. Four of them are convicted of treason and hanged.
Keats Exits
Poet John Keats dies of tuberculosis at 25. Widely regarded as one of England’s greatest poets, he was disappointed with his life, his chosen epitaph was, “Here lies one whose name was writ in water.”
W.E.B. DuBois Born
The first African American to receive a PhD from Harvard University, W.E.B. DuBois was born on this day in Barrington, Massachusetts. A sociologist and intellectual, he was one of the founders of the NAACP. He died in 1963 just before the March on Washington.
Zola Convicted
Emile Zola is convicted of libel as a result of publishing “J’Accuse”, which accused the French government of anti-Semitism and corruption in the Dreyfus case. His conviction was overturned on appeal, then the appeal result was itself overturned. Zola hightailed it to England.
Polio Vaccinations
The first mass polio inoculations with the Salk vaccine take place in Pittsburgh.
February 18
What A Way To Go!
George, Duke of Clarence, is drowned in a butt of malmsey (wine) on the orders of his brother, Richard, Duke of Gloucester (soon to be Richard III).
Luther Dies
Firebrand founder of the Reformation, Martin Luther, dies.
Pilgrim Published
John Bunyan’s book, “The Pilgrim’s Progress,” is published. He had started writing while serving time for preaching without a license.
Pluto Spotted
American astronomer, Clyde Tombaugh, discovers the planet Pluto.
Henie Rules
Sonja Henie wins her sixth straight women’s world figure skating title.
3D Debut
The first 3D movie, “Bwana Devil,” premieres.
February 17
Moliere Moves On
French playwright Moliere dies in Paris at 51. The church at first denies him burial on holy ground, then permits it but insists that the funeral take place at night. Thousands show up and honor the writer with a torchlight procession.
Tie Breakder
The US house of Representatives breaks a tie in the 1800 Presidential election by selecting Thomas Jefferson over Aaron Burr on the 35th ballot.
Baltimore ligts Up
The city of Baltimore becomes the first city to illuminate its streets with gaslight.
Hunley Sinks Housatonic
The Confederate submarine the H.L. Hunley torpedoes the Union ship USS Housatonic near Charleston, South Carolina. The attack is successful and the Housatonic sinks, but in the process the Hunley is also lost with all on board.
First Female Judge
Esther Morris becomes a justice of the peace in Wyoming. She serves for 8 ½ months and tries 26 cases, becoming the first woman judge in the US.
EC OK
Britain’s Parliament votes in favor of joining the European Common Market.
February 12
Jane Grey Beheaded
Lady Jane Grey, a pawn in the machinations of her family, is beheaded for treason after reigning as England’s queen for nine days. She was 15.
France Invades Britain
In one of the more peculiar events in the Napoleonic Wars, the French attempted to invade Britain by landing in Wales with a force of 1,000 led by William Tate, an Irish-American soldier in his seventies. The invasion was a disaster (one Welsh housewife took 12 prisoners single-handed!) and the force surrendered on February 25th. Find out more about this comedy of errors here.
Darwin Evolves
Charles Darwin is born in Shrewsbury, England. The son of an eminent scientist, his journey on the HMS Beagle led to the writing of “On The Origin of Species” (1859) which revolutionized scientific thought.
Telephone Demo
Alexander Graham Bell publicly demonstrated his telephone by placing a call between Boston and Salem, Massachusetts.
NAACP
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is founded in New York City by W.E.B. Du Bois among others.
South Africa Transitions
The ANC reaches an agreement with the South African Government in which both parties will govern together for five years in a “government of national unity.”
February 11
Pomp Arrives
Sacagewea gives birth to her son, Jean-Baptiste Charbonnaeu. A few days later she heads out with Lewis and Clark, where the young Charbonnaeu rapidly became a favorite among the explorers, who nicknamed him “Pomp.” Pomp had a really interesting life, read about it here.
Fos Talbot Debuts
Henry Fox Talbot, a pioneer of photography, is born in England.
Bernadette at Lourdes
A French peasant girl, Bernadette Soubirous, reportedly has a vision of the Virgin Mary in a grotto at Lourdes.
Flint Strike Ends
The Great Flint Sit Down Strike ends as 48,000 GM workers triumph in one of the most tightly controlled company towns in the US. The strike had lasted 44 days.
Plath Exits
Poet Sylvia Plath commits suicide. She was 30 and it was her third attempt.
Mandela Freed
Political prisoner Nelson Mandela is freed from jail in South Africa after 27 years. His lack of bitterness and willingness to help create a new South Africa free from reprisals are an inspiration to the world.
February 10
Tom Jones Published
The final installment of Henry Fielding’s novel “Tom Jones” is published.
Pushkin Pushes Off
Great Russian author Alexander Pushkin dies in Moscow of wounds received in a duel defending his wife’s honor.
Nonsense Published
Edward Lear’s “A Book of Nonsense” is published. It consists of two volumes with 72 limericks.
Brecht Born
Playwright Bertolt Brecht is born in Augsburg, Germany. Brecht revolutionized ideas about the theatre and eventually fled the Nazis. After living in the US for many years he was forced to flee again after the McCarthyites came after him.
Ingalls Exits
Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of “Little House on the Prairie” and other books documenting her family’s pioneering days, dies at home in Rocky Ridge.
Powers Pinched
CIA pilot Francis Gary Powers is captured, along with his secret airplane, by the Russians. He confesses to being a spy in court and is eventually exchanged for a Russian spy captured by the Americans.
February 9
Holy Roman Empire Expires
The Holy Roman Empire officially ends with the signing of the Peace of Luneville between Austria and France.
Davis Elected
Jefferson Davis is elected President of the Confederate States.
Lowell Born
Imagist poet Amy Lowell is born in Brookline, Massachusetts. Championed by Ezra Pound, she is largely forgotten today.
Dostoeyevsky Signs Off
Russian literary genius Fyodor Dostoeyevsky dies.
McCarthy Revs Up
Senator Joe McCarthy makes a speech in Wheeling, West Virginia in which he accuses State Department employees of being members of the Communist Party. He brandished a piece of paper that he claimed was a list of 250 party members. He later admitted it was his laundry list.
Beatles Rock USA
The Beatles appear on “The Ed Sullivan Show” and the British Invasion officially takes off.
February 5
Carlyle Departs
Historian and author, Thomas Carlyle (Sartor Resartus), dies in London. He was the son of a Scottish stonemason and rose to become one of the most admired men of his day.
Fall of Khartoum
News of the fall of Khartoum and the death of General Gordon reached London.
The General
Buster Keaton’s movie “The General” is released. It was a dud at the time but is now regarded as a classic of the silent screen.
Marley Lives
Reggae legend Bob Marley is born in Spanishtown, Jamaica.
Turn On Turned Off
Comedy show “Turn On” becomes the shortest lived TV show ever. It was cancelled on its first day – one station yanked it in the middle of the broadcast.
At Last
Byron de la Beckwith is convicted of murdering civil rights leader Medgar Evars in Jackson, Mississippi in 1963.
February 4
Secession
Six southern US states vote to secede from the Union in Montgomery, Alabama. They form the Confederate States of America.
Rosa Parks Born
Civil rights activist Rosa Parks is born in Tuskegee, Alabama. In 1955, Parks refused to surrender her bus seat to a white passenger, sparking the successful Montgomery bus boycott.
Olympic First
The first Winter Olympic Games close in Chamonix, France.
Yalta
Churchill, Eisenhower, and Stalin meet in Yalta.
Hearst Kidnapped
Patty Hearst, 19-year old granddaughter of William Randolph Hearst is kidnapped by the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA). She ends up joining them and serves time for bank robbery.
Carpenter Exits
Karen Carpenter, one half of The Carpenters, dies of heart failure brought on by anorexia nervosa. She was 32.
Newton Born
Isaac Newton is born in Woolsthorpe, Lincolnshire. A founder of the Royal Society and Lucasian Professor at Cambridge, Newton is generally regarded as one of the greatest scientific minds of his (or any other) age.
Roller Skates
Four wheeled roller skates are patented by James Plimpton of New York.
First Appendectomy
The first successful surgical removal of an appendix was performed by Dr. W.W. Grant of Iowa. The patient was 22-year old Mary Gartside.
Eliot Dies
Nobel prize-winning poet T.S. Eliot dies in London, England. Born in the US, in 1927 Eliot became a British citizen. From early struggles he went on to become one of the most distinguished literary figures of the 20th century.
Nope...
US President Richard Nixon refuses to hand over tapes subpoenaed by the Watergate Committee.
Embargo
Following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, President Jimmy Carter announces the US boycott of the Moscow Olympics.
February 3
Cesena Massacre
The future Pope Clement VII orders the deaths of every man, woman and child in the town of Cesena, Italy. 8,000 are killed.
Paper Money
The first American paper money is issued in the Massachusetts Colony.
Blackwell Born
Elizabeth Blackwell is born. She will become the first American woman to qualify as a physician.
Income Tax
The US Federal Income Tax becomes law.
Buddy Holly Dies
A small plane carrying Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and the Big Bopper crashes near Mason City, Iowa killing all on board.
Endangered Species Act
President Richard Nixon sign the Endangered Species Act into law.
January 29
Beggar's Opera
John Gay’s “The Beggars Opera” opens in London. His friends tried to discourage him, thinking it was beneath his talents, but it went on to become the longest running play in British history until the 20th century.
Paine Debuts
Thomas Paine is born in Thetford, England. The conscience of the American Revolution, he is best known for Common Sense, Rights of Man, The Age of Reason, and The American Crisis.
George III Dies
King George III’s long reign saw many successes as well as some well-known failures. He oversaw the growth of Britain as a colonial power, the Second Act of Union, and the abolition of the slave trade, but it was largely as a result of his stubborn insistence that America pay for its own protection that the colony was lost. He struggled with insanity caused by porphyria, finally becoming permanently unfit to rule in 1811.
Nevermore
Edgar Allen Poe’s poem, “The Raven” first appears in print. It was published in The New York Evening Mirror.
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be bestowed on British and Commonwealth forces, was founded today. Queen Victoria was closely involved in every aspect, from design, to the selection of the metal. She insisted the words on the cross be, “For Valour,” instead of “For Bravery,” which she felt implied that all the other soldiers had been lacking in bravery.
Greer Born
Feminist Germaine Greer is born in Australia. The author of “The Female Eunuch,” and “The Untamed Shrew,” among others, she became one of the leading lights of British feminism in the 1970s.
January 28
Charlemagne Dies
The first Holy Roman Emperor, Charlemagne (Charles the Great) conquered much of Europe that had been sinking back into barbarism following the fall of Rome. His empire eventually encompassed modern France, Switzerland, Belgium, The Netherlands, about half of Italy and Germany and parts of Austria and Spain. His empire set the stage for the rise of modern Europe. He was 72 on his death and had reigned for 47 years.
Diet of Worms
The Diet of Worms began. The Catholic Church wanted Martin Luther to recant his beliefs. He refused and the church declared him an outlaw, which meant that anyone could kill him without fear of reprisal.
Drake Checks Out
English explorer Sir Francis Drake dies of dysentery off the coast of Panama.
Botany Bay
The first British penal colony is founded in Botany Bay, Australia.
Paris Falls
Paris falls to the German Army as the Franco-Prussian War ends. The war marked the beginning of German imperialism, led by Bismarck. It also led to a desire for revenge on the part of the French, and the absorption of the Papal States into Italy. Europe was on the road to World War I.
Challenger Disaster
The US space shuttle, Challenger, exploded on take-off killing the five men and two women aboard. The subsequent investigation found that the explosion was due to an o-ring failure, and that NASA abandoned “good judgment and common sense” with regard to safety issues prior to the explosion.
January 26
The British Are Coming!
A fleet of eleven ships arrives in Port Jackson, Australia with the continent’s first 1,030 English settlers. The payload includes 736 convicts.
Jenner Born
Edward Jenner is born. A country doctor outside of the medical mainstream, he nevertheless developed a successful smallpox vaccine based on “cowpox”.
Dental Drill
The electric dental drill is patented by George F. Green.
Cullian Diamond
The Cullinan Diamond, weighing in at an impressive 1.25 lbs or 3,106 carats, is found by Captain Wells at the Premier Mine in South Africa.
Don't Touch That Dial!
Television makes its debut in a demonstration by John Logie Baird in London.
Auschwitz Liberated
The concentration camp at Auschwitz is liberated by Allied forces.
January 23
Deadly Earthquake
An earthquake in the Shanxi province of China reportedly kills 830,000 people. The most deadly earthquake in history.
First Night
"Titus Andronicus" is performed. The first known performance of a Shakespeare play.
Doctoress?
Elizabeth Blackwell becomes the first woman to qualify as a doctor. Having been turned down by almost every medical school in the country, she was accepted by Geneva Medical College in upstate New York. She graduated first in her class.
Labour Rules
Ramsay MacDonald forms Britain’s first Labour government.
Vietnam Cease-Fire
US President Nixon announces “peace with honor” after signing a cease-fire agreement with the North Vietnamese. He promises a total withdrawl of American troops within 60 days.
Robeson Dies
American singer, actor and activist Paul Robeson dies in Philadelphia, PA. Blacklisted as a Communist by his own country, he spent most of his working life in Europe.
January 22
Bacon Born
Francis Bacon, British philosopher, man of letters, and developer of modern scientific method, is born in London.
Byron Born
George Gordon, Lord Byron is born in London, after his mother takes a breakneck trip from Aberdeen to be sure the baby is born in England.
Battle of Isandlwana
In one of the greatest British military defeats, 25,000 Zulu warriors attacked an encampment at Isandlwana, making short work of the army and leaving 1400 dead.
Victoria Dies
Queen Victoria dies after a reign that lasted 64 years. She was succeeded by her son Edward VII who was 60. It was truly the end of an era.
Laugh-In Launched
Seminal American TV show, “Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In” debuts.
Roe v. Wade
The US Supreme Court reaches a decision in the case of Roe vs. Wade and legalizes abortion.
January 21
Louis XVI Dies
King Louis XVI of France dies on the guillotine in the Place de la Revolution, now the Place de la Concorde.
Dickens Edits
The first edition of the Daily News, edited by Charles Dickens, appears.
Leadbelly Lives
Huddie Leadbetter, better known as Leadbelly, was born on this day. The blues singer was one of the inspirations of the folk and blues revival of the 50s and 60s.
Monte Carlo Rally
The first Monte Carlo car rally is held. It’s won 7 days later by French driver Henri Rougier.
Lenin Dies
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, leader of the Russian Bolsheviks, dies of a stroke at 54.
Carter Pardons
US President Jimmy Carter issues an unconditional pardon to most Vietnam draft resisters on his first full day in office. 100,000 to 500,000 people can come in out of the cold.
January 20
First Parliament
The first English Parliament is called at Westminster Hall in London by Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester.
Hong Kong
Following the devastating Opium Wars, China ceded Hong Kong to the British.
Basketball Debuts
The first basketball game is played. It was at a YMCA in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Fellini Arrives
Italian surrealist film auteur, Federico Fellini, is born in Rimini, Italy.
Wannsee Conference
Nazi officials hold the infamous Wannsee conference outside Berlin. The attendees called for a “final solution” – the extermination of all Jews in Europe.
January 19
Bad News for Louis
French king Louis XVI is sentenced to death. The rest of Europe quaked in fear at the news that the revolutionaries might actually kill the king. It helped to unify opposition to the regime.
Poe Debuts
Edgar Allen Poe is born in Boston. His parents were actors and that was where they were performing that week. Three years later they were both dead and his life of woe began.
Tour de France
A new bicycle race is announced. It will test riders over some of the most difficult terrain in France and will be called the Tour de France.
Neon
The neon tube sign is patented by George Claude. Times Square should dedicate a monument to him!
Air Raid
England suffers its first air raid when two German Zeppelin’s drop bombs on Great Yarmouth and King’s Lynn, killing two and injuring three.
Indira Rules
Indira Ghandi is elected as India’s third prime minister.
January 16
Ivan Becomes Tsar
Seventeen year old Ivan IV Vasiljevich, better known as Ivan the Terrible, crowns himself as Russia’s first Tsar.
Service Begins
Canadian poet and author, Robert W Service, is born in Preston, Lancashire.
Prohibition
The 18th amendment to the US constitution is ratified and Prohibition begins. A spectacular failure, it didn’t stop people drinking, proving instead to be an incentive program for violent crime.
Lombard Dies
Movie star Carole Lombard is killed in a plane crash while returning from a war bond drive. Twenty others, including her mother, also perished.
Cavern Opens
The Cavern Club opens on Matthew Street in Liverpool. It started as a jazz club, but soon became world-famous as the home of The Beatles.
Speaking Again
Britain and the Vatican resume full diplomatic relations after a break of over 400 years.
January 15
Ellizabeth Crowned
The coronation of Queen Elizabeth I takes place at Westminster Abbey. Her reign became one of the greatest in English history and marked the flowering of the English Renaissance.
British Museum Debuts
The British Museum opens at Montague House in Bloomsbury, London.
Irish Free State
Michael Collins becomes the first Prime Minister of the Irish Free State.
King Born
American civil rights activist, Martin Luther King, Jr. is born in Atlanta, Georgia.
Black Dahlia
The mutilated body of Elizabeth Short is found in Los Angeles. She became known as the Black Dahlia and her brutal murder remains unsolved.
Aswan Dam
The Aswan High Dam opens in Egypt. The dam was financed by the USSR and involved moving the ancient temple of Abu Simbel out of the way of the encroaching waters.
January 14
Oops. Sorry.
Massachusetts holds a day of fasting in penance for wrongly persecuting “witches.”
Missed!
Italian nationalists led by Felice Orsini throw three bombs at Napoleon III’s carriage, killing 8 bystanders and injuring 148. The French leader escaped with minor injuries.
Labour Party
Britain’s Labour Party is founded by Keir Hardie in Bradford.
Carroll Exits
Charles L. Dodgson, better known as Lewis Carroll, dies. He was 66.
Ford Fires Up
The assembly line at Henry Ford’s factory begins production of the Model T, producing one car every 90 minutes.
Marilyn Marries
Movie goddess Marilyn Monroe marries baseball star, Joe DiMaggio.
January 13
Elizabeth Crowned
Elizabeth I is crowned as Queen of England in Westminster Abbey.
Spenser Signs Off
Poet Edmund Spenser (The Faerie Queen) dies. He was about 46.
Labour Party Arrives
The British Labour Party is officially formed. Its first leader is Keir Hardie.
J'Accuse!
Emile Zola exposes anti-semitism and military cover-up in the French army with his publication of “J’Accuse”, an expose of the Dreyfus case.
Earp Exits
Wyatt Earp, US Marshall (gunfight at OK Corral) and boxing referee dies in San Francisco at 80.
Karol Archbishoped
Karol Wojtyla becomes Archbishop of Krakow, Poland. You know him better as the Pope.
January 12
Cook's Tour
Captain Cook discovers the Sandwich Islands, better known as Hawaii.
Roget Arrives
Peter Mark Roget, compiler of the Thesaurus, is born, delivered, brought forth, produced.
Jack London Born
Writer Jack London is born in San Francisco.
X-Ray Vision
H.L. Smith takes the first x-ray photograph. It is of a bullet embedded in a hand.
All In The Family
US sitcom “All In The Family” debuts on CBS. The ground-breaking show was based on British classic “Till Death Us Do Part”.
Agatha Exits
Agatha Christie, mystery novel maven and creator of Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple, to name but two, dies in Oxfordshire. Her books sold over 100 million copies and were translated into 100 languages.
January 8
Galileo Dies
Astronomer Galileo Galilei dies in Arceti, Itlay. He was 78.
Wilkie Collins Debuts
Wilkie Collins, the first English detective novelist is born in London. Best known for “The Moonstone” and “The Woman In White.”
Gallipoli
After almost a year of fighting in WWI, allied forces finally retreat from Gallipoli.
Elvis Lives
Elvis Aaron Presley is born in Tupelo, Mississippi.
De Gaulle Takes Over
French General Charles DeGaulle becomes the first president of the Fifth Republic.
Plumbers Trial
The trial of 7 men accused of attempting to bug Democratic party headquarters in the Watergate building in Washington DC gets under way.
January 7
Adieu, Calais
Calais, the last English possession in France, is retaken by the French.
I Spy...
Galileo discovers Jupiter’s four moons, naming them Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.
Fannie Farmer
The redoubtable Fannie Farmer publishes her first cookbook, to the everlasting gratitude of American housewives.
London Calling...
The first London to New York telephone service begins operation. A three minute call costs more than $30.
Buck Rogers Arrives
The first science fiction comic strip, Buck Rogers, debuts.
Hirohito Exits
Japanese Emperor, Michinomiya Hirohito, dies at 87 after a 62 year reign.
January 6
Battle of Ashdown
King Alfred defeats the Danes at the Battle of Ashdown.
Joan of Arc Debuts
Joan of Arc is born in France. The simple country girl went on to hear voices that she interpreted as God and the saints. Whatever they were, they inspired her to take arms against the English and win.
Henry VIII Marries - Again
King Henry VIII marries for the fourth time. This wife is the German Anne of Cleves. She was bright, but plain and the marriage quickly ended in divorce. Anne survived but the man who had recommended the marriage wasn’t so lucky – Thomas Cromwell was beheaded.
Washington Weds
George Washington marries Martha Dandridge Custis.
Dot-Dot-Dash
Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail demonstrate the telegraph for the first time.
Pistols Dumped
Three months after signing The Sex Pistols and releasing one single, EMI dumps the band without explanation.
December 23
James II Takes Off
English King James II hightails it out of the country following the “Glorious Revolution”. His replacement, William of Orange, had already arrived with his wife, Mary (James’ sister).
Hansom Cabs
Architect Joseph Hansom patents the Hansom cab which becomes the standard horse-drawn taxi.
Van Gogh Slices
Vincent Van Gogh cuts off his ear following an argument with fellow artist Paul Gaugin.
Keystone Kops Debut
The first Keystone Cops movie, “Hoffmeyer’s Legacy”, is released.
Home Rule Act
The Home Rule Act becomes law. The Act had been passed in 1914 but was delayed by World War I. It partitioned Ireland into Southern Ireland with a devolved parliament in Dublin, and Northern Ireland with a devolved parliament in Belfast. Sinn Fein rejected the scheme and swore to continue fighting for an independent Ireland.
Bette Breaks In
Bette Davis arrives in Hollywood. Tinseltown won’t know what hit it.
December 22
Bacon Born
Francis Bacon, politician, bureaucrat, philosopher and scientist, is born in London.
Byron Debuts
George Gordon, Lord Byron is born. Best known as a poet, in Greece he is revered as a hero for joining in the fight for Greek freedom from the Turks and dying for the cause.
Isandhlwana
Overconfident British troops are massacred by superior Zulu forces at Isandhlwana in South Africa.
Victoria Dies
Queen Victoria dies and her son Edward VII becomes king. He was almost 60 by the time she popped off after a reign that lasted for 64 years.
Roe v. Wade
The US Supreme Court decides that women have the right to choose whether or not to have an abortion.
Ceausescu Ousted
Romanian president, Nicolae Ceausescu is deposed in a popular revolt after 23 years of dictatorial rule. He and his wife are later shot following a military trial.
December 17
Let My Poet Go!
Andrew Marvell petitions Parliament to release John Milton from prison.
Aztec Analog
The great Aztec stone calendar is discovered.
Bolivar Dies
Simon Bolivar, El Liberator, who led six countries (Bolivia, Panama, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela) to independence from Spain, dies in a farmhouse in Columbia.
Nutcracker Debuts
Tchaikovsky’s ballet, The Nutcracker, is first performed. The Christmas classic is premiered in St. Petersburg by the Russian Imperial Ballet.
Wright Brothers Fly
The first successful controlled flight in an aircraft is made by the Wright Brothers at Kill Devil Hill, near Kitty Hawk, NC. A mere 63 years later man would walk on the moon. Read Orville Wright's own account here.
Radio Radio (pt. 2)
Elvis Costello & the Attractions appear in the US on “Saturday Night Live” in place of the Sex Pistols (who couldn’t get visas). Banned from performing “Radio Radio” because it criticized the broadcast media, he plays a few bars of “Less Than Zero” before stopping the band and launching into the banned song anyway. He isn’t asked back for more than 20 years.
December 11
Llywelyn Dies
Llywelyn ab Gruffydd, the last king of Wales, is killed by the English in a skirmish at Irfon Bridge near Builth Wells.
Breathe Deeply
The first recorded use of nitrous oxide to extract a tooth. Prior to this, the gas had been used primarily for recreational purposes.
Statute of Westminster
Canada, Australia, Newfoundland, New Zealand, Ireland and South Africa gain legislative independence from Great Britain following the signing of the Statute of Westminster.
Edward Abdicates
King Edward VIII abdicates in order to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson.
War
Germany and Italy declare war on the USA.
Kyoto
Delegates at the Kyoto conference on global warming agree to cut emissions of greenhouse gases by 5.2% between 2008 and 2012.
December 10
Jmes II Takes Off
England’s king, James II, leaves London. He won’t return. A convert to Catholicism, he is replaced by his sister Mary and her husband William of Orange.
RA Arrives
The Royal Academy of Art is founded in London by George III. Joshua Reynolds is its first president.
Votes for Women
Wyoming becomes the first US state to grant voting rights to women.
Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris ends the Spanish-American War and grants Cuba independence. It also forces Spain to cede the Philippines, Guam and Puerto Rico to the US.
Nobels Debut
The first Nobel prizes are awarded in Sweden. The awards were devised by Alfred Nobel, who regretted the harm his invention of TNT had caused.
Human Rights
The United Nations passes the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
December 9
Milton Arrives
John Milton is born in Cheapside, London. The author of Paradise Lost is regarded as one of England’s greatest poets.
Webster's Paper
Noah Webster establishes New York’s first daily newspaper, the American Minerva.
Tennyson's Charge
Alfred Tennyson’s “Charge of the Light Brigade” is published just six weeks after the Battle of Balaclava.
Gladstone Elected
William Gladstone is elected Prime Minister of Great Britain. He would eventually serve four terms.
Mona Lisa Found
Leonardo DaVinci’s “Mona Lisa”, which had been stolen from the Louvre in 1911, is found in the apartment of a former Louvre guard in Italy.
Coronation Street Debuts
The first episode of “Coronation Street” airs on British television. It’s still going strong.
December 4
Omar Khayyam
Poet Omar Khayyam, best known through Fitzgerald’s translation, dies.
British Pope
Nicholas Breakspear becomes pope, taking the name Adrian IV. He is the only Englishman to become pope.
Carlyle Born
Thomas Carlyle, historian and curmudgeon, is born in Ecclefechan, Dumfriesshire (Scotland).
About Time!
Napoleon abolishes the Inquisition in Spain.
Zapata and Villa
Emiliano Zapata and Pancho Villa meet and agree to join forces to occupy Mexico City two days from now.
Zappa Dies
Musician and iconoclast Frank Zappa dies of pancreatic cancer at the age of 52.
December 3
Fries With Everything
Sir Thomas Heriot introduces the potato to England. He brought them from Columbia.
North Star
Abolitionist and ex-slave, Frederick Douglas, publishes the first issue of his newspaper “North Star”
RLS Dies
Robert Louis Stevenson dies in Apia, Samoa, leaving his last novel unfinished. He had always been sickly and was traveling for his health.
Plop-plop-fizz-fizz
Alka Seltzer goes on sale. Hangover sufferers breathe a sigh of relief.
Heart Transplant
The first human heart transplant is performed by Dr. Christian Barnard in South Africa.
Bhopal
A pesticide factory owned by US company Union Carbide, leaks and sends a poisonous cloud over the town of Bhopal, killing 2,500 and blinding thousands more. The US government blocks extradition of Union Carbide officials facing criminal prosecution in India.
December 2
St. Pauls
The newly rebuilt St Paul’s Cathedral opens in London. The earlier building had been destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666.
Battle of Austerlitz
Napoleon defeats the combined forces of Russia and Austria. The French lost 8,000 men, while the allies lost 27,000.
de Sade Dies
The Marquis de Sade dies in a mental asylum near Paris. His last will asked that his casket remain open for 48 hours to be sure that he’s dead.
Dickens Speaks
Charles Dickens gives his first public reading in the United States in New York City. Eager fans stand in two lines a mile long waiting for tickets.
Last Emperor
Pu Yi (Hsuan-T’ung) becomes China’s last emperor at the age of three.
McCarthy Censured
Senator Joseph McCarthy is censured by the US senate for “conduct that tends to bring the Senate into dishonor and disrepute” for his Communist witch-hunt. The House of Representatives continues with its hunt, however.
December 1
Napoleon Weds
Napoleon Bonaparte marries Josephine, his mistress of many years.
Brrrrr!
Extreme cold causes the Erie Canal to close for an entire month.
Great Expectations
The first installment of Charles Dickens’ novel “Great Expectations” is published in the magazine All The Year Round.
Holmes Debuts
Sherlock Holmes makes his first appearance. The great detective debuted in a story called “A Study in Scarlet” that appeared in Beeton’s Christmas Annual.
Check Your Oil?
The first drive-up gas station opens. It is in Pittsburgh.
Parks Sits
In Montgomery, Alabama, Rosa Parks, an African-American, refuses to give her seat to a white man and move to the back of the bus. A successful year-long bus boycott follows sparking the Civil Rights movement.
November 24
Tasmania Discovered
Dutch navigator Abel Tasman discovers an island that he names Van Dieman’s land (after his captain). It is later renamed Tasmania.
Darwin Publishes
Charles Darwin’s On The Origin of Species is published.
Joplin Born
Scott Joplin, ragtime composer (Maple Leaf Rag) is born in Texarkana, Texas.
Mousetrap
Agatha Christie’s play The Mousetrap opens in London. It’s still running.
Oswald Killed
Lee Harvey Oswald, the accused killer of JFK, is shot while in police custody by Jack Ruby, a strip club owner. Televised live.
D.B. Cooper
D.B. Cooper boards a plane in Portland, demands and receives a ransom of $200,000, then parachutes from the plane over Washington State. He is never found.
November 21
Voltaire Born
French writer, wit and iconoclast Francois Marie Arouet is born. Better known to posterity as Voltaire, he spent three whole days writing Candide.
Wheeeeeeee!
Jean Francois Pilatre de Rozier and the Marquis Francoise Laurent d’Arlandes become the first men to fly when they clamber into a balloon and take a 25 minute flight around Paris. Benjamin Franklin watches from below.
Phonograph Debuts
American inventor, Thomas Alva Edison, announces the invention of a “talking machine” to be called the phonograph.
Germans Surrender
The German High Seas Fleet formally surrenders to the Allies.
Benchley Checks Out
Algonquin Round Table wit Robert Benchley dies in New York.
Dick's Tricks
An 18 minute gap is discovered in a tape recorded by then-President Richard Nixon three days after the Watergate break-in.
November 20
First Seminole War
Settlers attack Indians in Florida, setting off the first Seminole War.
Bolivar
Simon Bolivar, the “Liberator,” declares Venezuela’s independence from Spain.
Who To Blame...
William Bundy patents the timecard clock.
Children's Hour
Lillian Hellman’s first play, “The Children’s Hour” debuts in New York. It runs for an unprecedented 691 performances.
Nuremberg
The Nuremberg war trials begins as 24 Nazi war criminals are tried by an international military tribunal.
Thatcher Out
The British Conservative Party hold elections to select their leader and Margaret Thatcher finally fails to win enough votes.
November 19
Puerto Rico Discovered
Christopher Columbus, on his second voyage, discovers Puerto Rico.
Tennyson Honored
Alfred Tennyson (not a lord yet) becomes Britain’s Poet Laureate.
Gettysburg Address
Lincoln delivers his “Gettysburg Address” at the close of a dedication ceremony for a cemetery for Union dead at the Gettysburg battlefield.
Strayhorn Born
Billy Strayhorn is born in Dayton, Ohio. He wrote his first song, “Lush Life,” at 16 and went on to become Duke Ellington’s co-composer, assistant arranger and pianist for 18 years until his death. Together they wrote countless classics, including “Satin Doll,” and “Take the A Train.”
Pop Tarts
Pop Tart pastries are invented. Breakfast treats for people who find toast too complex.
Fire!
Fire breaks out in the Channel Tunnel, killing 34 and closing the tunnel between Great Britain and France.
November 18
Caxton Prints
The first dated book printed in England is published. It is Earl Rivers’ “Dictes and Sayenges of the Phylosophers”, published by William Caxton.
Daguerre Arrives
Louis Daguerre is born in France. His pioneering work in photography would result in the “daguerreotype”.
Jumping Frog
Mark Twain’s first fictional piece is published. “The Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” makes its writer into an instant celebrity.
Steamboat Willie
Mickey Mouse makes his sound debut in Steamboat Willie, the first synchronized sound cartoon. It opened at the Colony Theatre in New York City.
Sadat Visits
Egyptian President Anwar Sadat becomes the first Egyptian leader to visit Israel and speak before the Knesset.
Jonestown
Cult leader Jim Jones and 996 followers commit mass suicide in Jonestown, Guyana.
November 14
First Blood Transfusion
Diarist Samuel Pepys witnesses the world’s first blood transfusion. It was performed at a meeting of the Royal Society between two dogs. (Read his account here).
Nell Gwyn Dies
Nell Gwyn, orange seller, actress, wit and one of King Charles II’s most famous mistresses dies.
Moby Dick
Herman Melville’s Moby Dick is published. The massive tome would be his greatest success.
Nellie Bly Sets Out
New York World reporter Nellie Bly (Elizabeth Cochrane) sets out on her attempt to beat Phileas Fogg’s fictitious record by traveling around the world in under 80 days. She succeeds, returning in 72 days 6 hours.
Coventry Bombed
Devastating German bombing over England destroys Coventry’s Mediaeval cathedral.
Surtsey Arrives
The island of Surtsey off the coast of Iceland is “born” following the eruption of an underwater volcano.
November 13
St. Brice's Day Massacre
King Ethelred II of England orders the massacre of Danes living in England. The killings prompted Danish reprisals and led to an invasion in 1003.
Jane Grey Tried
Lady Jane Grey is tried for treason following her family’s ill-advised attempt to place her on the throne in place of the Catholic Mary Tudor. On the 14th, Mary pardons her, but after she weds the Spanish Prince Philip and survives Wyatt’s disastrous rebellion Mary will execute the hapless Jane in February 1554.
Anti-Slavery Party
The first U.S. anti-slavery party is founded.
RLS Arrives
Novelist, poet and essayist Robert Louis Stevenson is born in Edinburgh, Scotland. Plagued by ill-health for most of his life, Stevenson nevertheless managed to write some of the best loved fiction ever, including “Treasure Island” and “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.”
Battle of the Somme Ends
The five month long Battle of the Somme finally ends with over 600,000 casualties on each side for Allied gains of only 12 kilometres of muddy ground.
Pakistan Cyclone
Pakistan is hit by the worst cyclone on record and the most deadly natural disaster of the 20th century. Nearly 500,000 people die.
November 12
Bunyan Arrested
John Bunyan (“Pilgrim’s Progress”) is arrested for preaching without a license.
Stanton Arrives
Elizabeth Cady Stanton is born in Johnston, New York. She would grow up to become one of the founders of the American campaign for votes for women.
Scott Found
A search party finds the remains of Captain Robert Scott and his two companions in the Antarctic. The previous January they had made it to the South Pole, only to discover that the Norwegians had got there first. Scott and his men never made it back.
Trotsky Booted
Leon Trotsky is expelled from the Soviet Communist Party. Joseph Stalin is now in total control.
Tirpitz Sunk
The RAF sinks the battleship “Tirpitz.” It’s the last of the great German battleships in Hitler’s navy.
Orczy Exits
Hungarian-born novelist Baroness Orczy dies in London. Her best known work remains “The Scarlet Pimpernel.”
November 11
Mayflower Lands
Two days after sighting land, the Mayflower drops anchor in what is now Massachusetts. The same day the bickering colonists sign the Mayflower Compact.
Dostoyevsky Arrives
Russian novelist Fydor Dostoyevsky is born in Moscow. A tortured soul, he will go on to write such classics as “Crime and Punishment.”
Armistice Day
World War I ends on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. 8.5 million had died and 21 million been wounded. An entire generation is wiped out in Europe.
Vonnegut Debuts
Kurt Vonnegut (Slaughterhouse Five) is born in Indianapolis.
Milk and Moscone Murdered
San Francisco mayor George Moscone and gay city supervisor Harvey Milk are murdered by ex-supervisor Dan White. White uses the famous “Twinkie Defense” at his trial and gets the lightest sentence possible.
Irises Rake it In
Van Gogh’s painting “Irises” sells at auction for a record $53.9 million. Van Gogh painted it after entering an insane asylum in 1889.
November 8
Cortes arrives
Fernando Cortes and his Spanish troops are received in Tenochtitlan by Montezuma. (This is going to turn out badly.)
November 7
Milton Dies
John Milton, one of the greatest poets in the English language (it’s pretty much between him and Shakespeare) dies at 65. Milton is best known today for “Paradise Lost,” “Paradise Regained” and “Samson Agonistes.”
Mitchell Arrives
Margaret Mitchell is born in Atlanta Georgia. She only wrote one book, but it was “Gone With The Wind.”
Beer Hall Putsch
Hitler stages the unsuccessful “Beer Hall Putsch” in Munich.
Reagan Wins
Ronald Reagan, movie actor, is elected Governor of California.
Enniskillen
An IRA bomb explodes at a Remembrance Day service in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, killing 11.
November 5
Gunpowder Plot
The Gunpowder Plot to blow up the House of Lords during James I’s state opening of Parliament is discovered when Guy Fawkes is found in the cellars with rather a lot of explosives. Read Guy Fawkes' confession here.
Inkerman
British and French forces defeat the Russians at the battle of Inkerman during the Crimean War.
Susan B. Anthony Arrested
Suffragette, Susan B. Anthony, is arrested in Rochester, NY for trying to vote.
Censors Arrive
The British Board of Film Censors is appointed.
Monopoly
It’s the height of the Depression and untold numbers are out of work. Parker Brothers launches the board game Monopoly. Go figure.
Nixon Elected
Richard Nixon beats Hubert Humphrey by 0.7% and becomes the 37th US President.
November 4
Wolsey Arrested
Thomas Wolsey, Archbishop of Canterbury and the man who failed to get Henry VIII his divorce from Katherine of Aragon (and had to gall to be almost as wealthy as the king) is arrested.
Gatlilng Gun
Richard J. Gatling patents his invention – the first modern machine gun.
Cash Register
James Ritty patents the first cash register. He’d invented it in an effort stop bartenders in his Dayton, Ohio bar from stealing him blind.
Wilafred Owen Dies
Poet Wilfred Owen is killed on the Western Front one week before the armistice. One of the greatest poets of the Great War, he was only 25. Read more about him here.
Carter Gets Closer
Howard Carter discovers the staircase leading to Tutankhamun’s tomb. It would be two more weeks before he finally set eyes on the interior of the tomb.
Rabin Assassinated
Yitzhak Rabin, Prime Minister of Israel, is shot by a right wing zealot minutes after attending a peace rally.
October 31
Reformation Begins
Martin Luther nails his 95 theses to the door of the Castle church in Wittenberg, Germany. The theses chiefly protested against the sale of indulgences.
Nevada Gets Statehood
Nevada becomes the 36th state in the Union, even though its population is too low to meet legal requirements. Lincoln forced the approval through Congress in order to help ratify the 13th Amendment (that’s the anti-slavery one).
Flu Toll
The Spanish flu pandemic kills 21,000 in a single week in the United States.
Houdini Checks Out
Illusionist and escapologist extrordinaire, Harry Houdini dies after an unexpected punch to the stomach ruptures his appendix. He had been an ardent debunker of psychic phenomena, and his wife holds seances every year on the anniversary of his death waiting for him to signal that there is an afterlife via a pre-arranged signal. As they had both expected, it never comes.
Ghandi Assassinated
India’s Prime Minister Indira Ghandi is shot to death by members of her own security guard in the garden of her New Delhi home.
Galileo Rehabilitated
The Vatican finally admits that Galileo was right and the Earth is not the center of the solar system. Duh.
October 30
Beefeaters Born
The Yeoman of the Guard are established by England’s King Henry VII. Better known today as the Beefeaters, they still wear uniforms designed in the 16th century.
Austen Writes
“Sense and Sensibility,” Jane Austen’s first novel, is published. The book stated that it was by “A Lady” as Austen strove to conceal that she had written it.
Pound Arrives
Poet Ezra Pound is born in Hailey, Idaho.
Mass Hysteria
Orson Welles’ Mercury Theatre radio production of “The War of the Worlds” by H.G. Wells causes mass hysteria in America.
MLK Arrested
Martin Luther King, Jr. is arrested and jailed in Birmingham, Alabama on charges stemming from demonstrations in 1963.
Channel Tunnel Finished
French and British engineers digging the Channel Tunnel link up 40 meters beneath the English Channel. Britain is connected to the European mainland for the first time since the ice age.
October 29
Fall Of Babylon
Cyrus the Great of Persia conquers Babylon.
Raleigh Gets The Chop
Sir Walter Raleigh is executed by James I. A favorite of Elizabeth I, James has him imprisoned for life in 1614. In 1617 he was released, but a failed expedition against the Spanish led to his re-arrest and execution in 1618. Read his final letter to his wife here.
Red Cross Founded
The International Red Cross is founded by Swiss philanthropist Henri Dunant.
Ballpoint Pen
The first ballpoint pen goes on sale. A mere 45 years after it was patented.
Star Of India Stolen
The huge sapphire, the Star of India, is stolen from New York’s Museum of Natural History by Jack Murphy. Murphy was a cat burglar, smuggler and ex-surfing champion. The jewel was recovered a few months later.
Rumble In The Jungle
Muhammad Ali defeats George Foreman in Zaire and regains his world heavyweight title. It was the first heavyweight title fight held in Africa, and the 14th anniversary of Ali’s professional boxing debut.
October 28
Harvard Debuts
Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts is founded.
Gulliver's Travels
Jonathan Swift’s satirical novel “Gulliver’s Travels” is published.
Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty is dedicated on Bedloe’s Island in New York harbor. The island is later renamed Liberty Island.
Volstead Act
The Senate passes the Volstead Act enforcing Prohibition, over President Wilson’s veto.
Black Friday
The US stock exchange collapses, beginning a chain reaction that ushers in the Great Depression.
Missile Crisis Ends
The Cuban Missile Crisis come to an end as Kruschev announces that the USSR will remove all offensive Soviet weapons from Cuba.
October 22
Jump!
The first parachute jump is made by Andre-Jacques Garnerin from a balloon above the Parc Monceau in Paris.
Grizzly Debuts
John C. Adams is born in Medway, Massachussetts. Mrs. Adams’ little boy grows up to become mountain man Grizzly Adams.
Champion Idea
Sporting Life announces that both pennant winners will meet in a three game series to be played October 23-25 at the Polo Grounds in New York City. The winner will be the baseball champion.
Crippen Guilty
Dr. Hawley Crippen is found guilty of murdering his wife and sentenced to hang. He was the first criminal caught using radio. It was also famed forensic scientist Bernard Spillsbury’s first case.
Copy Guy
Chester Carlson demonstrates the first Xerox machine. Carbon paper’s days are numbered.
Cuban Missiles
President John F. Kennedy announces that Soviet missile bases have been installed in Cuba. It’s the beginning of the Cuban missile crisis.
October 21
Coleridge Lives
Samuel Taylor Coleridge is born in Ottery St. Mary, Devon. One of the great Romantic poets (Rime of the Ancient Mariner).
Battle of Trafalgar
The British fleet, led by Admiral Nelson, defeats the combined forces of France and Spain. Nelson is fatally wounded, living just long enough to see the victory secured.
Light Bulb
Edison perfects the carbonized cotton filament light bulb.
Dizzy Debuts
Jazz legend Dizzy Gillespie is born in Cheraw, South Carolina.
Aberfan Disaster
A mountain of coal waste cascades onto the village of Aberfan in Wales, burying the local elementary school. 144 are killed.
Kerouac Bows Out
Beat writer Jack Kerouac dies of abdominal bleeding caused by drinking. He was 47.
October 16
Webster Born
Noah Webster is born in West Hartford, Connecticut. He helped develop a distinctive voice for America through his dictionaries, “A Compendious Dictionary of the American Language” (1806) and “An American Dictionary of the English Language” (1828).
Off With Her Head
Marie Antoinette is executed in Paris. Her husband, Louis XVI had made his acquaintance with Madame Guillotine the previous January.
Ether Enters
The first public surgical operation using ether as an anaesthetic is performed at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Originally a recreational drug, it gained a growing following among doctors, particularly to alleviate the pain of childbirth.
Oscar Wilde Born
Irish author, playwright, poet and wit, Oscar Wilde is born in Dublin.
Harper's Ferry
Abolitionist, John Brown, leads an attack on Harpers Ferry ammunition depot. It was the beginning of guerilla warfare against slavery, but Brown wouldn’t live to see it. Two of his sons were shot on the spot, Brown was hanged six days later.
Polish Pope
Karol Wojtyla is elected Pope and takes the name John Paul II. He is the first non-Italian pope since 1542.
October 15
Virgil Is Born
Publius Vergilius Maro, better known to history as Virgil, is born on a farm near Mantua. The greatest Roman poet, he is best known for the Aeneid, a massive poem in 12 books which chronicles the journey of Aeneis from Troy to the founding of Rome.
On Your Toes
Catherine de Medici, regent of France, commissions the first ballet, “Ballet Comique de la Reine.”
Napoleon Exiled
Four months after escaping from his first exile on Elba and suffering his final defeat at Waterloo, Napoleon arrives it the island of St. Helena in the Atlantic. He would spend the rest of his life under guard.
What, Ho!
Author P.G. Wodehouse is born in England. He made a career out of affectionate parodies of upper class manners with such characters as Jeeves, Bertie Wooster and Lord Blandings. Spending six months of every year in New York, he also became known for his script doctoring work in movies.
Mata Hari Executed
Margaretha Gertruida Zelle, best known to history as Mata Hari, the Dutch dancer with the who’s-who list of lovers, is executed as a spy by French authorities. She was accused of being a double agent and revealing details of the allies new secret weapon, the tank.
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is established in London by British Lawyer Peter Benenson. It continues to work to promote human rights, with over 1 million members in 162 countries around the world.
October 14
Battle of Hastings
William, Duke of Normandy, defeats English King Harold at the Battle of Hastings. Britain falls to the French.
Mary On Trial
The trial of Mary, Queen of Scots, for conspiracy against Elizabeth I begins.
Freedom of Religion?
The Massachusetts General Court makes it illegal to harbor a Quaker.
e.e. cummings arrives
Poet E.E. Cummings is born in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Pooh Premieres
A.A. Milne’s “Winnie-the-Pooh” is published. Dorothy Parker's review read (in part), "Tonstant Weader fwowed up".
Rommel Exits
German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel commits suicide rather than face trial for his part in an attempted assassination of Hitler.
October 9
Henry VI Returns
British king Henry VI is restored to the throne following his deposition in 1461. A spectacularly incompetent king, he lost it again in 1471 after the Battle of Tewkesbury.
Luddites March
In Manchester, Luddites, protesting the introduction of machinery for spinning cotton, riot for the first time.
Speaking of Machines
Isaac Singer patents a sewing machine motor.
Monumental Opening
After many delays, Robert Mills’ huge Washington Monument is finally opened to the public.
Presidential Seal of Approval
Woodrow Wilson becomes the first US president to attend a World Series game.
Che Dies
Argentinian-born revolutionary, Ernesto “Che” Guevara, is murdered in Bolivia.
October 8
Chicago Burns
The Great Chicago Fire begins killing over 200 and leaving almost one hundred thousand homeless as it rages over three and half square miles of the city destroying 17,400 buildings.
News From The Front
World War I hero, Sergeant Alvin C. York single-handedly kills 25 German soldiers and captures 132 more in France’s Argonne Forest.
Hauptmann Charged
Bruno Hauptmann is indicted for the murder of Charles A. Lindbergh’s infant son.
Nelson Debut
CBS Radio airs “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet”, starring the Nelsons, for the very first time.
Solzhenitsyn Wins
Russian author, Alexander Solzhenitsyn, wins the Nobel Prize for literature.
Union Ban
The Polish government passes a new law banning Solidarity and the forming of any new labor unions.
October 7
Deadly Wave
Forty-foot high waves roll into Bengal, India sinking 20,000 small craft and killing hundreds of thousands.
Colonial Complaints
The Stamp Act Congress meets in New York to outline colonists’ grievances against the crown.
Perfect Copies
Ralph Wedgwood, a British inventor, patents the first carbon paper in London.
Quoth The Raven
Horror novelist and poet, Edgar Allen Poe dies in Baltimore at the age of forty.
Something New
The German Democratic Republic, otherwise known as East Germany, is formed from the Russian occupation zone. The first premier is Otto Greatwohl and the first president, Wilhelm Pieck.
MPAA Ratings Arrive
The Motion Picture Association of America adopts a film rating system
October 2
Aristotle Dies
The great philosopher dies from indigestion. Too much moussaka perhaps?
Saladin Takes Jerusalem
Sultan Saladin captures Jerusalem after 88 years of rule by the Crusaders. Read more about Saladin here.
Darwin Returns
Charles Darwin returns to England on the HMS Beagle after 5 years surveying the South American waters. It took 20 years for his observations and ideas to crystallize into “The Origin of Species.”
Queen Mary Disaster
The Queen Mary slices the British cruiser Curacao in half off the coast of Ireland. The cruiser sinks and 338 people drown.
Marshall Makes It
Thurgood Marshall becomes the first African-American to be appointed to the US Supreme Court.
Rock Dies
Rock Hudson dies of AIDS, becoming the highest profile victim and helping to raise awareness of the disease.
October 1
Battle of Arbela
Alexander the Great and his army defeat the forces of the Persian Empire led by Darius III. Alexander had roughly 47,000 troops while Darius had 250,000 plus 15 war elephants. The defeat marked the beginning of the decline of the Persian Empire.
Madame Bovary
The first installment of Flaubert’s “Madame Bovary” appears, but the publisher refuses to print the bit where Emma Bovary engages in a bit of adultery in the back of a cab.
Workers of the World
Karl Marx publishes “Das Kapital,” his greatest work. Though written in nearly impenetrable prose, it immediately becomes an international sensation.
Baby U Can Drive My Car
Henry Ford introduces the first Model T at the special rate of $825.00.
Baseball Blues
The World Series begins. Unfortunately, it ends in the Black Sox Scandal when the Chicago White Sox deliberately throw the series.
Mickey and Company
Orlando welcomes Mickey Mouse and friends as Walt Disney World opens those famous gates for the very first time.
September 30
Richard II Abdicates
English king Richard II is forced to abdicate by Henry Bolngbroke, who becomes Henry IV. Five months later Richard is murdered in Pontefract Castle, the first casualty of what would become known as the Wars of the Roses.
Hot Off The Presses
The first printed book hits the stands as Gutenberg prints his Bible.
First Execution
John Billington of Massachusetts becomes the first man executed in the American colonies. He was hanged for murder.
Alcott Publishes
The first volume of Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women” is published.
Nuremburg Sentences
22 Nazi leaders are found guilty of war crimes at Nuremberg. Goering and Von Ribbentrop are sentenced to death.
Dean Checks Out
James Dean is killed in a car crash in California while on his way to Monterey. “East of Eden” had been released, but “Rebel Without a Cause” and “Giant” had not.
September 29
Richard Resigns
King Richard II of England resigns his throne in favor of Bolingbroke, who becomes Henry IV.
Elizabeth Gaskell Born
Novelist Elizabeth Gaskell is born in Cheyne Row, Chelsea. Her works focused on the lives of people in the industrialized north of England. In 1850 she met Charlotte Bronte and the two became fast friends. Following Bronte’s death, she wrote a detailed biography.
Bobbies Debut
The Metropolitan Police Force, the first regular police force in London, is inaugurated. Called “bobbies” after Robert Peel, who was Home Secretary at the time.
McGonagall Dies
Scottish poet, William McGonagall, dies in Edinburgh at the age of 72. His work has been described as: “The worst poetry ever written, in any language, at any time.”
Double Wedding?
Norma Shearer weds Irving Thalberg in what was supposed to have been a double wedding. Greta Garbo never showed up to marry John Gilbert, who lost his presence of mind and decked Louis B. Mayer in the bathroom. So much for his career.
Drug Tampering
Cyanide inserted into Tylenol capsules kills 7 in Chicago. Copycat tampering cases crop up and the industry responds by creating tamper-proof seals.
September 26
Parthenon Bombed
The Parthenon is damaged by mortar bombs fired by Venetian forces besieging the Turkish-held Acropolis in Athens.
Daniel Boone Dies
Daniel Boone, American frontiersman, dies in Charette Village, Missouri. He was 85. An early explorer of the American frontier, Boone helped to open Kentucky and Missouri to settlement.
T.S. Eliot Born
One of the greatest poets of this, or any other, period. Eliot is born in St. Louis, Missouri. He was one of the first to reject conventional verse forms and language and his work was tremendously influential.
Battle of the Argonne
The final battle of World War I. The American First Army fought the Germans to a standstill in a struggle that lasted into October. 117,000 Americans and 94,000 Germans were killed or wounded. The battle caused the final collapse of German resistance and helped end the war.
No Pause For Breath
Fidel Castro delivers the longest speech in UN history to the General Assembly. He clocks in at 4hrs 29mins.
Olympic Scandal
Canadian runner, Ben Johnson, is stripped of his gold medal in the 100 metres at the Seoul Olympics after failing a drugs test.
September 25
Battle of Stamford Bridge
King Harold of England defeats Viking Harald Hadradi at Stamford Bridge in Yorkshire. Harold decimates the Viking force and kills Harald Hadradi. Then he and his men race south where Norman Duke William is invading. Three weeks later the exhausted English Army meet the French at Hastings.
First Blood Transfusion
The first blood transfusion using human blood (as opposed to earlier attempts with animal blood) takes place at Guy’s Hospital, London.
Battle of Loos
Part of the Artois Offensive which was an attempt by French and British troops to break through the German lines. The Battle of Loos was fought over three days and was an unmitigated disaster for the British. The offensive cost 60,000 casualties and control of British forces was taken from the French. General Haig was made Commander in Chief.
Little Rock High School
President Eisenhower orders the National Guard to escort nine black children to and from school in Little Rock, Arkansas. The military remain for the whole semester.
Jackie Wilson
Singer Jackie Wilson suffers a heart attack while on stage in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. He lapses into a coma that lasts 9 years before he dies.
El Salvador Peace
A peace accord is signed El Slavador, ending 11 years of civil war.
September 24
Horace Walpole Born
The youngest son of British Prime Minister, Robert Walpole, Horace dedicated his life to the arts. He wrote the first gothic novel “The Castle of Otranto” in 1765, created the neo-gothic castle of Strawberry Hill (which gave its name to a style of architecture) and opened his own printing press, publishing the likes of Thomas Gray, Joseph Spence and Hannah More.
And They're Off!
The St. Leger horse race is run for the first time. Instituted by Colonel St. Leger of Doncaster, it is the oldest Classic.
Black Friday
Jay Gould and Jim Fisk attempt to corner the gold market. Thousands are ruined when their efforts cause a panic on Wall Street.
F. Scott Fitzgerald Born
American Jazz Age writer, F. Scott Fitzgerlad is born in St. Paul Minnesota. The author of “The Great Gatsby” and “The Beautiful and Damned,” among others, he always felt he had failed to live up to his early promise.
Private Lives Debuts
Following a lively campaign to get it passed by the state censor, Noel Coward’s Private Lives opens in London.
September 23
Battle of Salamis
The Greeks defeat the Persian navy led by Xerxes. Around 1,100 vessels took part. One of the Greek leaders was the female warrior Artemesia.
Octavian Arrives
Octavian is born. Adopted by Julius Caesar he went on to become the first Roman Emperor.
Battle of Flamborough Head
American John Paul Jones, commanding the Bonhomme Richard, defeats British man-of-war, Serapis.
Victoria Woodhull Born
Victoria Woodhull is born in Homer, Ohio. She was the first female Wall Street broker, and an advocate of women’s rights. She was also an advocate of free love and legalized prostitution which caused her to be shunned by the mainstream women’s suffrage movement.
Chewing Gum
John Curtis becomes the first American to produce chewing gum commercially. He made it in his home and called it ‘State of Maine Pure Spruce Gum.’
Freud Dies
Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, dies of cancer. Forced to flee from Nazi persecution he had settled in London.
September 22
A Jury Of Peers
The first all-woman jury in America sits to decide the fate of a woman accused of murdering her child. They acquit.
Downing Street
Sir Robert Walpole becomes the first British Prime Minister to live at 10 Downing Street.
Shaka Zulu Killed
Shaka, the leader of the Zulus and a great military commander who centralized their power and made them into one of the most dominant forces in southern Africa, is murdered by his brother, Dingane. Shaka had become mentally ill and his people turned against him.
Emancipation Proclamation
President Lincoln declares that any slaves in states who do not return to the Union fold are free. Slaves in any state that does return stay slaves. Gee...what a deal (not).
Black Sox Jury
A Chicago grand jury convenes to investigate charges that 8 White Sox players conspired to fix the World Series.
There and Back
Argentinian swimmer, Atonio Albertondo, becomes the first man to swim across the English Channel and back again. He does it in 43 hrs 10 mins. Maybe he didn't like French food.
September 18
Samuel Johnson Born
Samuel Johnson was born on this day in Lichfield, Staffordshire. The son of an impoverished book seller, he went one to become one of the most renowned men of his day. Famous for his blistering wit, he was also a novelist, poet, and critic. Oh, yes, and he wrote the first dictionary of the English language.
And The Winner Is...
A race between the first US-built train and a horse is won by the horse. The train sprung a leak and failed to finish.
New York Times Debuts
The New York Times begins publication at 2 cents a copy.
Irish Home Rule
The Irish Home Rule bill is approved and goes into effect.
Hendrix Dies
Guitarist Jimi Hendrix dies of an accidental overdose of barbiturates in London.
Mme. Guillotine Retires
France abolishes the use of the guillotine for executions.
September 17
Hildegard of Bingen Dies
Hildegard of Bingen, theologist, healer and composer dies at 81. She was one of the first women to be known as an intellectual, and is also the first composer whose biography is known.
Constitution Adopted
The US Constitution is ratified by two thirds of the colonies and formally adopted.
Emperor Norton Rules
Joshua Norton, a speculator who lost all his money trying to corner the rice market, finally loses his grip and declares himself Norton I, Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico. A beloved eccentric, he lives out his days in San Francisco.
Battle of Antietem
General McLellan repulses Lee's invasion of the North at Antietem in what would be the bloodiest battle of the US Civil War. More than 23,000 men are killed, wounded or missing in action.
Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden, the British airborne invasion of Arnhem, Holland, begins.
Bewitched
"Bewitched" premieres on ABC. It would run for eight years and become a classic sitcom.
September 16
Fort Et Dure
Eighty year old Giles Corey is crushed to death in Salem, Massachusetts after refusing to testify at his witchcraft trial. The crushing punishment (known as “force et dure”) was traditionally used for those who wouldn’t testify. They were made to lie on the ground, then a board was placed on them and heavy rocks added one at a time.
Bard Abode Saved
The United Shakespeare Company buys the bard’s home in Straford-on-Avon. The building is to be preserved for the nation.
GM Arrives
General Motors is founded by William Crapo “Billy” Durant in Detroit.
Blimp Port
An airship is moored to the Empire State Building for the first and only time. It was intended as a port for airships, but the winds (and the enormous distance down) discouraged anyone from disembarking.
Algeria Gets The Nod
After a lengthy and bloody insurrection, French President De Gaulle recognizes Algeria’s right to self-determination.
Sabra and Chatila Massacre
Lebanese Phalangist militia under Israeli command enter the Sabra & Chatila refugee camps. Over two days they kill nearly 1,000 Palestinian refugees. The UN General Assembly declares it an act of genocide.
September 15
Mayflower Sails
The Mayflower sets sail for America from Plymouth, England with 102 pilgrims on board.
What Train?
British MP William Huskisson crosses the tracks during the opening ceremony for the Manchester and Liverpool railway and becomes the first person killed by a train.
Agatha Christie Born
Mystery novelist Agatha Christie is born in Torquay, Devon. Christie wrote hundreds of books, creating such memorable sleuths as Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot.
Tanks Debut
Military tanks, designed by Ernest Swinton, are first used in battle by the British Army at Flers, during the Somme offensive.
Penicillin
Alexander Fleming discovers the antibacterial effects of penicillin mold. It had grown by accident on another experiment.
Nuremberg Laws
The Nuremberg Laws are passed in Nazi Germany, legalizing anti-semitism, making intermarriage between Germans and Jews illegal and adopting the swastika as the official German flag.
September 11
Battle of Stirling Bridge
William Wallace defeats the English at the battle of Stirling Bridge. He went on to take further castles, but made his fatal mistake when he decided to try and invade England.
Battle of Brandywine
American troops led by George Washington are defeated by the British at Brandywine Creek in Pennsylvania.
O. Henry Born
William Sydney Porter, better known as O. Henry, is born in Greensboro, North Carolina. He published 10 collections and over 600 short stories in his lifetime and was famous for his surprise endings.
Jessica Mitford Born
English author and journalist Jessica Mitford is best remembered for her acerbic observations on American society. Her investigation of the funeral industry, The American Way of Death, caused a sensation when it was published in 1962 and is still a great read (and very funny!).
Allende Overthrown
One hundred and fifty years of democratic rule in Chile came to an end with the US sponsored coup and murder of President Salvador Allende. It led to 16 years of repression under General Pinochet.
World Trade Center Destroyed
Terrorists fly two hijacked jets into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York. The towers collapse killing thousands. Another hijacked plane crashes into the Pentagon in Washington DC, while a fourth is forced to crash by passengers before it reaches its target.
September 10
Nathan Hale Volunteers
Nathan Hale volunteers to go to New York to spy for George Washington.
Bolivar Rules
Simon Bolivar becomes the dictator of Peru, where he is known as "The Liberator."
Sewing Machine
Elias Howe patents his lockstitch sewing machine. It wasn't the first sewing machine invented, but it proved to be the best design.
H.D. Born
Imagist poet, Hilda Doolittle, is born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Best known as H.D. The imagists followed three principles in their poetry: direct treatment of the subject, allow no word that is not essential, and follow the musical phrase rather than strict regularity in rhythm. Read a short sample of her work here.
Dusseldorf Bombed
In a single raid, the RAF drop 100,000 bombs on Dusseldorf.
Guernica Returns
Picasso's painting, Guernica, is returned to Spain after 40 years in the US. Picasso had refused to allow the painting to be shown in Spain before the restoration of democracy.
September 9
It's Official
The Second Continental Congress renames the former ‘United Colonies’ the ‘United States’.
Ship Wreck
The ‘Erie’ a Great Lakes steamer, sinks off Silver Creek, New York -- 300 perish.
Horsing Around
The first mounted police patrol New York City.
Birth Of A Network
The Radio Corporation of American creates the National Broadcasting Company (NBC).
Fateful Encounter
John Lennon meets Yoko Ono at an art gallery.
Riot
Prisoners take control of Attica, a maximum-security prison near Buffalo, New York. The siege lasts four days claiming over forty lives.
September 8
Coming Home
The Victoria, one of Ferdinand Magellan’s five ships, returns to Spain completing the first circumnavigation of the globe. Magellan died in the Philippines and did not make it back.
New Amsterdam Lost
The Dutch surrender New Amsterdam to 300 British soldiers who later rename it New York.
The Golden Spike
The last spike of the Northern Pacific Railroad is driven at Independence Creek, Montana joining the transcontinental system.
Galveston Razed
Galveston, Texas is struck by a hurricane and tidal wave that kills 6,000 people.
Crowned
Sixteen-year old Margaret Gorman of Washington, D.C. is named the first Miss America in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Trek Launch
Star Trek premieres on NBC introducing the Enterprise and its captain, James T. Kirk, boldly going where no man has gone before.
September 4
Prohibition
America's first prohibition law is enacted in Massachusetts, making it illegal to drink toasts. It's repealed in 1645 as unenforceable.
Los Angeles Founded
A group of 46 Spanish settlers decide to rename their settlement. The small town in Bahia de las Fumas (Valley of Smokes) is renamed El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de Los Angeles de Porciuncula. A little long for the t-shirts.
Geronimo Surrenders
Apache leader, Geronimo, surrenders to General Nelson A. Miles at Skeleton Canyon, Arizona. His surrender marks the end of the last US-Indian conflict.
Richard Wright Born
Richard Wright is born in Natchez, Mississippi. A short-story writer and novelist (Native Son), he becomes one of the first African-American authors to criticize white treatment of blacks.
Edsel Unveiled
Ford Motor Co introduces its new car. The Edsel is greeted with almost universal scorn and enters popular mythology as Ford's most disastrous launch.
Schweitzer Dies
Albert Schweitzer, French organist and missionary doctor, dies in Lambarene, Equatorial Africa.
September 3
Utopia
Sir Thomas More's Utopia is sent to the printer. A still highly readable book, it speculates on the perfect society. A lot of it is very prescient; some not so much, but it illustrates his great faith in the ability of people to choose to do the right thing. (Except for his king, Henry VIII, who chose to chop his head off, but that's another story.)
Cromwell Dies
Milton called him "Our chief of men," and he certainly towered over his contemporaries in vision and skill. He created the Commonwealth, but failed to make it strong enough to outlast him. Still, he left us with many of our ideas about what makes a just state and planted the seed that led to modern constitutional democracies. Not too shabby.
Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris is signed and Britain officially recognizes American independence.
Frederick Douglass Escapes
Frederick Bailey escapes from slavery disguised as a sailor. He discards his old name and takes "Douglass" from the name of the hero of Walter Scott's poem "The Lady of the Lake." Self-educated and a powerful writer and orator, he becomes a major force in the abolitionist movement.
World War II Starts
Britain, France, New Zealand and Australia declare war on Germany following the invasion of Poland.