1787: The First Fleet, headed by Arthur Phillip, sets sail with 11 ships of convicts for Botany Bay, Australia [1] 1830: The Republic of Ecuador is founded with Juan José Flores as president 1940: Winston Churchill says “I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat” in his first speech as Prime Minister […]
1492: Christopher Columbus learns how to grow and harvest maize (corn) from Cuba’s indigenous population 1556: Second Battle of Panipat: Hindu Emperor of north India Hem Chandra Vikramaditya defeated by forces of Mughal Emperor Akbar, who captures and later beheads Hem Chandra 1605: Gunpowder Plot: Catholic conspirator Guy Fawkes attempts to blow up King James I and the British Parliament. Plot discovered, Guy Fawkes […]
1820: Russian Antarctic Expedition led by Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev discover the continent of Antarctica 1825: US Congress approves Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma), clearing the way for the forced relocation of the Eastern Indian tribes via the “Trail of Tears” 1888: The National Geographic Society is founded in Washington, D.C. for “the increase and diffusion of geographic knowledge” […]
930: World’s oldest parliament, the Icelandic Parliament, the Alþingi (anglicised as Althing or Althingi), established 1868: Christopher Latham Sholes patents the Sholes and Glidden typewriter, the first commercially successful of its kind 1960: 1st contraceptive pill is made available for purchase in the U.S. 1972: Hurricane Agnes becomes America’s costliest natural disaster, affecting 15 states, with 119 deaths and $3 billion in […]
1027: Pope John XIX crowns Conrad II Holy Roman Emperor, founder of the Salian dynasty 1812: Earthquake measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale destroys 90% of Caracas, Venezuela and kills an estimated 15,000–20,000 people 1871: Municipal elections bring revolutionaries to power in Paris to form Commune government 1909: In support of Mohammed Ali Shah’s coup d’etat against the constitutional government […]
1821: The Greek Revolution begins 31: Easter, according to calendar-maker Dionysius Exiguus 1436: Florentine cathedral Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore with then the largest dome in the world by Filippo Brunelleschi, consecrated by Pope Eugene IV (begun 1296) 1807: British Parliament abolishes slave trade throughout the British Empire; penalty of £120 per slave introduced for ship captains 1895: Italian […]
1616 Roman Inquisition delivers injunction to Galileo demanding he abandon his belief in heliocentrism, which states the Earth and planets revolve around the Sun 1797 Bank of England issues first £1 note 1815 Napoleon Bonaparte and his supporters leave Elba to start a 100 day re-conquest of France 1885 Berlin Conference gives Congo to Belgium and Nigeria to Great Britain 1935 RADAR (Radio […]
