1687: Isaac Newton’s great work Principia published by Royal Society in England, outlining his laws of motion and universal gravitation 1811: Venezuelan Declaration of Independence: 7 provinces declare themselves independent of Spain 1852: Frederick Douglass, fugitive slave, delivers his ‘What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?’ speech to the Ladies’ Anti-Slavery Society in Rochester, condemns the […]
1776: US Congress proclaims the Declaration of Independence and independence from Great Britain 1785: James Hutton, geologist, publicly reads an abstract of his theory of uniformitarianism for the first time at the meeting of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1803: The Louisiana Purchase is announced to the American people by President Thomas Jefferson 1838: Huskar Colliery Mining Disaster in Silkstone England: mining pit […]
324: Battle of Adrianople: Roman Emperor Constantine I defeats his co-emperor Licinius, who flees to Byzantium 1187: Battle of Horns of Hattin: Saladin, Sultan of Egypt and Syria, destroys Jerusalem’s crusader army 1863: Battle of Gettysburg, largest battle ever fought on the American continent, ends in a major victory for the Union during the US Civil War 1884: Dow Jones publishes its […]
626: Incident at Xuanwu Gate: Prince Li Shimin ambushes and kills his rivals, the brothers Li Yuanji and Li Jiancheng, sons of Emperor Gaozu; he then forces the emperor to name him as successor to the throne 1776: Continental Congress resolves “these United Colonies are and of right ought to be Free and Independent States” 1823: Bahia Independence […]
1689: Matsuo Basho, zen poet, leaves for 150 days journey on Honshu, Japan 1858: The joint reading of Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace’s papers on evolution to the Linnean Society 1863: Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania; Lee’s northward advance halted 1867: The Dominion of Canada is formed, comprising the provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario & Quebec, with John A. Macdonald serving as […]
1520: Spanish conquistadors are expelled from Tenochtitlan following an Aztec revolt against their rule under Hernán Cortés during “La Noche Triste” (the Night of Sadness). Many soldiers drown in the escape, and Aztec emperor Moctezuma II dies in the struggle 1860: Famous debate on Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution held at the Oxford University Museum and dominated by arguments between Thomas Henry […]
1613: Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London, burns down during a performance of “Henry VIII” 1900: The Imperial Chinese Court issues what is essentially a declaration of war against foreigners in China blaming them for hostilities and giving license to the Boxers for even greater ferocity 1964: Civil Rights Act of 1964 passes after an 83-day filibuster in the US Senate 1966: Vietnam War: US […]
1389: Ottomans defeat Serbian army in the bloody Battle of Kosovo, opening the way for the Ottoman conquest of Southeastern Europe. Large losses on both sides including Sultan Murad and Serbian leader Prince Lazar. (NS date) 1519: King Carlos I elected Holy Roman Catholic Emperor Charles V 1838: Coronation of Queen Victoria in Westminster Abbey, London 1919: Treaty of Versailles, ending WWI […]
1542: Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo sets sail from the Mexican port of Navidad to explore the west coast of North America on behalf of the Spanish Empire 1743: War of the Austrian Succession: Battle of Dettingen: in Bavaria, King George II of Britain personally leads troops into battle. The last time a British monarch commanded troops in the field. 1950: North Korean troops […]
363: Roman Emperor Julian is killed during retreat from the Sassanid Empire. General Jovian is proclaimed Emperor by troops on the battlefield. 1794: Battle of Fleurus: major victory by forces of the First French Republic under General Jean-Baptiste Jourdan over the Coalition Army (Great Britain, Hanover, Dutch Republic, and Habsburgs) first use of reconnaissance balloon 1857: The first […]
