Today in History

30th December, 1460. The Wars of the Roses: The defeat and death of Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York and claimant to the English throne, at the Battle of Wakefield.

The Battle of Wakefield took place in Sandal Magna near Wakefield in northern England, on 30 December 1460. It was a major battle of the Wars of the Roses. The opposing forces were an army led by nobles loyal to the captive King Henry VI of the House of Lancaster and his Queen Margaret of Anjou on one side, and the army of Richard, Duke of York, the rival claimant to the throne, on the other.

You could say that poor old Richard didn't have a good day.
 

This day in History December 31st

1907 The first annual ball drop at Times Square

The annual tradition of dropping a ball at 11:59 pm to mark the start of the New Year was organized for the first time by Adolph Ochs, the owner of the New York Times.

1909 Manhattan Bridge opens for traffic
The Manhattan Bridge, one of the first suspension bridges ever constructed, was opened to traffic on this day. The bridge was designed by Leon Moisseiff and crosses the East River in New York City.

1983 Coup in Nigeria

A military coup in Nigeria overthrew the civilian government of Shehu Shagari and installed Maj-Gen Muhammadu Buhari.

1994 Date skipped in Kiribati
The Phoenix Islands and the Line Islands in Kiribati skip December 31st due to a change in their time zone from UTC−11:00 to UTC+13:00 and UTC−10:00 to UTC+14:00, respectively.

2009 Both a Blue Moon and lunar eclipse occurred on the same day

The next such event to happen on New Year's eve will be in 2028.
 
1600
British East India Company was chartered,it acted as a agent for British imperialism in India until 1873
1841
Alabama becomes the 1st state to licensed dental surgeons
1904
The 1st New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square in NYC. In 1907,the ball drops for the 1st time in Time's Square to signal the new yr
1935
Charles Darrow becomes the 1st millionaire game designer when he patents board game 'Monopoly'
1970
Paul McCartney files lawsuit to dissolve The Beatles
 

This day in History January 1st

1999 The Euro becomes the official currency in 11 countries

While the Euro was already valid for bank transfers, notes and coins were introduced on January 1, 2002.

1993 Czechoslovakia is dissolved
The country was peacefully divided into the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic.

1992 Russia is formed
The formation of the Russian Federation followed the disintegration of the Soviet Union.

1958 The European Economic Community is founded
The EEC was a predecessor of today's European Union (EU)

1912 Republic of China is founded
It was succeeded by the People's Republic of China in 1949.
 
1724
in a paper to Royal Society of London glassblower/inventor/physcist, Daniel Fahrenheit proposes a system for making thermometers, and the Fahrenheit scale
1892
Ellis Island opens as U.S. immigration station,would become the 'gateway' to the U.S. for more than 12 million people
1934
Alcatraz officially becomes a federal prison, ceases operations in 1963 because it was too expensive to operate. The remaining 27 inmates are sent to other federal prisons
1954
NBC airs the 1st live color coast-to coast telecast of the Tournament of Roses Parade from Pasadena, Calif
1966
all U.S. cigarette packs had to carry this warning'caution smoking maybe hazardous to your health'.
1994
NAFTA{North American Free Trade Agreement} goes into effect
2018
Calif becomes the largest state to legalise canabis for recreational use
 
This day in History January 2nd

1981 The “Yorkshire Ripper” is caught

Peter Sutcliffe confessed to murdering 13 women and was sentenced to life imprisonment.

1971 66 football fans die in the Ibrox disaster
Over 200 people were injured in the crash, which occurred at the end of an association football game between the Glasgow-based clubs, Rangers, and Celtic, at Ibrox Park.

1967 Ronald Reagan is sworn in as Governor of California
Reagan became the 40th U.S. president in 1981.

1959 Luna 1 is launched
The Soviet spacecraft was the first to reach the vicinity of the moon and orbit the sun.

1860 Urban Le Verrier announces the discovery of the planet Vulcan
Despite a thorough search, the planet was never actually sighted.
 
1893
The 1st U.S. stamp to picture a woman was Queen Isabella,patron of Christopher Columbus
1906
air condtioning engineer, Willis Carrier receives U.S. patent for world's 1st air conditioner
1929
United States&Canada agree to preserve Niagara Falls
1938
book publisher Simon&Schuster is founded by Richard Simon{singer Carly Simon's father} Max Schuster
2018
World Health Org{WHO} reveals it will classify gaming addiction as a mental health condition in its next classification of diseases
 
This day in History January 3rd

1994 Millions of people from the former Apartheid Homelands gain South African citizenship

The apartheid regime had stripped the black inhabitants of the right to citizenship to ensure a white majority of the de jure population.

1993 The second Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START II) is signed
The U.S.A. and Russia agreed to reduce the number of nuclear warheads by about 3,000.

1961 The United States breaks diplomatic relations with Cuba
In April 1961, the U.S. government launched an unsuccessful attempt to overthrow the Cuban government by invading the country at the bay of pigs.

1959 Alaska becomes the 49th U.S. state
The territory had been bought from Russia in 1867 for a mere $7.2 million.

1957 The first electric watch is available
The Hamilton Electric 500 came in “modern” asymmetrical designs to reflect the revolutionary technology.
 
1853
Solomon Northup author of memoir'12 Years a Slave' is freed after 7 illegal years in slavery.He gets help from Washington Hunt who was Gov of NYS at the time
1918
U. S. Employment Service opens as a unit of Dept of Labor
1941
Canada&United States acquire air bases in Newfloundland with a lease for 99yrs
1977
Steve Wozniak&Steve Jobs incorporate Apple Computer,Inc
1987
The'Queen Of Soul" Aretha Franklin is the 1st female artist to be inducted into the Rock&Roll Hall of Fame
2004
The Bitcoin Network is created as a digital currency by a group of people using the name'Satoshi Nakamoto
 
This day in History January 4th

2010 Burj Khalifa is opened

Burj Khalifa in Dubai is currently the world's tallest building, at 829.8 m (2,722 ft).

1958 Sputnik 1 falls to Earth from orbit
The Soviet Union was the first nation to send an artificial Earth satellite into space.

1948 Burma gains independence from the United Kingdom

Burma (Myanmar) came under British rule on January 1, 1886.

1896 Utah becomes the 45th state of the U.S.A.
One condition for statehood was that a ban on polygamy had to be written into the state constitution.

1847 Samuel Colt sells his first revolver

Captain Samuel Walker of the Texas Rangers placed an order for 1000 revolver pistols after having witnessed their devastating effect.
 
1863
James Plimpton of NY receives patent for 4 wheeled roller skates
1944
'Operation Carpetbagger' U.S. Army Air Force begins aerial droppings of supplies/weapons to resistance fighters in Italy,France
1970
The Beatles last recording session at Abbey Road Studios. John Lennon not there,was on vacation
1974
Pres. Richard Nixon refuses to hand over tapes requested by Watergate Committee
2007
U.S. Congress convenes elects Nancy Pelosi{D,Calif} as the 1st female Speaker of the House
2010
The Burj Khalife,world's tallest building is offically opened in Dubai. It stands at 2,722 ft{829.8 m}
 
This day in History January 5th

2005 The solar system's largest known dwarf planet is discovered

The discovery of “Eris” ultimately lead to the International Astronomical Union (IAU) downgrading Pluto, which has roughly the same size, to a dwarf planet.

1993 The oil tanker MV Braer runs aground on the coast of the Shetland Islands
The oil tanker spilled twice as much crude oil as the Exxon Valdez in 1989.

1968 The Prague Spring begins
The period of political liberalization in Czechoslovakia began with the election of Alexander Dubček as the country's leader.

1933 Construction of the Golden Gate Bridge begins
The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco is one of the best-known symbols of the United States.

1895 Alfred Dreyfus is sentenced to life imprisonment
The French artillery officer was accused of treason. He was later exonerated.
 
1896
On front page of German newspaper,'Die Presse' article announcing German physicist, Wilhelm Rontgen's discovery of X-Rays,the potential of mew methods of medical diagnoses
1933
construction of The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco which is a 4,200 foot orange painted steel suspension bridge began. It took 4 yrs to complete ,opened to public on May 27,1937
1959
singer/songwriter, Buddy Holly releases his last single'It Doesn't Matter',sadly 29 days later he's killed in a plane crash
1963
original musical 'Camelot' ends its Broadway run after 873 performances. The musical starred Richard Burton,Julie Andrews, Robert Goulet in his 1st Broadway production. The show won 4 Tony awards: Burton for lead actor in musical,costume&scenic design, musical direction
 
This day in History January 6th

1970 The Wiener Musikverein is inaugurated

The famous concert hall is the home of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.

1929 Mother Theresa arrives in India
Through her tireless work in helping the poor and ill, the Albanian religious sister later received the Nobel Peace Prize and was posthumously beatified.

1912 German scientist Alfred Wegener presents his theory of continental drift

His work laid the foundation for the theory of plate tectonics, which explains why continents move.

1907 Maria Montessori opens her first school
Montessori's revolutionary educational approach is practiced at about 30,000 schools today.

1838 Samuel Morse presents the telegraph to the public
Together with Alfred Vail, the inventor relayed the message “A patient waiter is no loser” over a distance of 2 miles (3 km).
 
Also on January 6th...
In 2021, 100s of people who didn't like the outcome of the 2020 U.S. election stormed the capitol to disrupt the counting of electoral votes and to hang people they didn't like. Many members of Congress were involved, as were members of the executive branch and the military. It was the first major attempt at a coup (that I know of) in U.S. history.
 
6th January

The coronation of Harold II, the last Anglo-Saxon King of England, succeeding Edward the Confessor. He reigned for ten months before he died at the Battle of Hastings, fighting the Norman invaders led by William the Conqueror. Harold was the first of only three Kings of England to have died in battle; the other two being Richard I and Richard III.

1540 King Henry VIII married ‘the Flanders Mare’, Anne of Cleves, his fourth wife. The King found her so different from her picture that he swore they had brought him a Flanders mare. She was Queen of England from 6th January 1540 to 9th July 1540. The marriage was never consummated, and, following the annulment of their marriage, Anne was given a generous settlement by the King and was referred to thereafter as the King's Beloved Sister.

1928 Four people were drowned, and many paintings in the basement of the Tate Gallery were severely damaged, when the Thames flooded. The water was deep enough to fill the moat of the Tower of London.

1977 The music publisher EMI ended its contract with the notorious punk rock group, Sex Pistols, after reports of abusive behaviour at Heathrow Airport.
 
1639
Virginia becomes the 1st colony to order surplus crops{tobacco} be destroyed
1968
The Beatles album'Magical Mystery Tour' hits #1 on the music charts,stays there for 8 weeks
1994
U.S. figure skater, Nancy Kerrigan is attacked after practice at Cobo Arena in Detroit,Michigan the day before the U.S. Figure Skating Championships,one month before the Winter Olympics in Norway,she was the gold medal favorite. An unidentifed man struck her on the right knee with a collapsible metal baton. The police arrested Jeff Gillooly, ex husband of Nancy's rival Tonya Harding who took a plea deal. Tonya plead guilty to conspiracy in hindering the case,was barred for life from amateur skating competitions in U.S.
2005
Edgar Ray Killen,ex Klan member is arrested and convicted of killing 3 Mississippi Civil Rights workers in 1964. He is sentenced to 60 yrs in prison,he died in 2018 age 92
2019
a record price for a giant bluefin tuna was bought at Toyoko's Toyosu fish market by a sushi restaurant owner,Kiyoshi Kimua. He paid $ 3.1 million
 
Also on January 6th...
In 2021, 100s of people who didn't like the outcome of the 2020 U.S. election stormed the capitol to disrupt the counting of electoral votes and to hang people they didn't like. Many members of Congress were involved, as were members of the executive branch and the military. It was the first major attempt at a coup (that I know of) in U.S. history.
Wow, I totally forgot about that, that was so scary.
 
This day in History January 7th

1989 Akihito is sworn in as Emperor of Japan

His accession to the throne followed the death of his father, Emperor Hirohito, on the same day.

1979 The Khmer Rouge government of Cambodia is overthrown
Vietnamese forces captured the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh that day.

1927 The first transatlantic telephone service is established
A 3-minute call between New York and London costs about $45 USD, which is roughly $550 in today's dollars.

1785 Hot air balloon crosses the English Channel
French inventor Jean-Pierre Blanchard took about 2½ hours to fly from Dover (UK) to Guînes (France).

1610 Galileo Galilei discovers the Galilean Moons
The Italian astronomer spotted the four largest moons of Jupiter that day: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.
 
1610
Galielio discovers the 1st 3 moons of Jupiter Io, Europea,Ganymede
1782
The 1st U.S. commerical bank opens in Philadelphia,Bank Of America
1904
Guglielmo Marconi establishes'CQD" as 1st international radio distress signal
1980
Pres. Jimmy Carter authorizes legislation to bail out Chrysler Corp with a $1.5 billion loan
2011
movie' The Kings' Speech' is released directed by Tom Hopper. The movie stars Colin Firth,Helena Bodham Carter, Guy Pearce, Geoffrey Rush.It won 4 Academy awards, picture,director actor{Firth} original screenplay
 
This day in History January 8th

1994 Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov begins his record spaceflight

Polyakov stayed aboard the Mir space station for a record-breaking 437 days and 18 hours.

1959 Charles de Gaulle becomes president of France
His right-wing political ideology, Gaullism, still influences French politics today.

1912 The African National Congress (ANC) is founded

The ANC, whose most famous member is Nelson Mandela, played an important role in the fight against the South African apartheid regime and it is now the country's governing political party.

1889 Computer pioneer Herman Hollerith patents his punched card calculator

His invention paved the way for modern automatic computation.

1790 George Washington delivers the first State of the Union address

The U.S. president typically uses this annual speech to outline his political agenda.
 
1806
Lewis&Clark while in Oregon find a skeleton of a 105 ft blue whale
1835
The U.S. national debt is 0 for the 1st and last time. At the end of 2021,it was $28.43 trillion
1884
chrome tanning process for leather is patented by Augustus Schultz
1956
Elvis Presley single' Don't Be Cruel'/ 'Hounddog' goes to # 1 on music charts stays there for 11 weeks a record for a single
2021
storm 'Filomena' dumps 20 inches of snow in Madrid, Spain,kills 4 people strands thousands
 


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