Today In History

**armygrnt502** · 03-30-07, 04:17 PM

Everyday marks the anniversary of something in history, be it obscure or well known. I was thinking of this and realized that I should start a thread for this topic and post a couple of events that happened on that day. Call it useless knowledge, interesting party topics or something to at least make you say "Humm I didnt know that."

1867 - Alaska is purchased from Russia for roughly 2 cents to the acre. The man responsible was Sec. of State William Seward. This was called Seward's folly because at the time many thought the land barren and worthless.

1964 - The TV game show Jeapardy appears for the first time on TV.

1981 - Pres. Ronald Reagan is shot by John Hinckley Jr.

**Buttercup** · 03-30-07, 04:28 PM

Today is the birthday of both Francisco de Goya and Vincent van Gogh.

**BEB** · 03-30-07, 07:27 PM

cool thread

March 30, 1870 : 15th Amendment adopted
Following its ratification by the requisite three-fourths of the states, the 15th Amendment, granting African-American men the right to vote, is formally adopted into the U.S. Constitution.

**lynnz05** · 03-30-07, 07:33 PM

March 30th, 1987: My momma was in the hospital waiting for me to pop out.

**Buttercup** · 03-30-07, 07:37 PM

March 30, 1870 Texas becomes last confederate state readmitted to Union

March 30, 1943 Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Oklahoma!," premieres in New York City

**jcsdscott** · 03-30-07, 07:42 PM

Interesting, thanks to BugEye for bringing up the 15th amendment and to Buttercup for bringing a little class to us by discussing "the arts."

**BEB** · 03-31-07, 01:11 AM

Past midnight here, new day.

March 31, 1991 : Warsaw Pact ends
After 36 years in existence, the Warsaw Pact-the military alliance between the Soviet Union and its eastern European satellites-comes to an end.

March 31, 1900 : First car ad runs
The first car advertisement to run in a national magazine appeared in the Saturday Evening Post. The W.E. Roach Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ran an ad featuring its jingle, "Automobiles That Give Satisfaction."

March 31, 1854 : Treaty of Kanagawa signed with Japan
In Tokyo, Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry, representing the U.S. government, signs the Treaty of Kanagawa with the Japanese government, opening the ports of Shimoda and Hakodate to American trade and permitting the establishment of a U.S. consulate in Japan.

**Buttercup** · 03-31-07, 10:14 AM

March 31, 1492 Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain expelled Jews who would not accept Christianity.

March 31, 1870 First black to vote in U.S. (Thomas P Mundy of Perth Amboy New Jersey)

March 31, 1889 The Eiffel Tower in Paris officially opened.

March 31, 1918 Daylight Saving Time went into effect in the United States.

March 31, 1967 Jimi Hendrix burns his guitar for the first time (London)

**armygrnt502** · 03-31-07, 11:56 AM

Damn guys..save some for the rest of us.

**Detective7653** · 03-31-07, 01:32 PM

March 31, 1865 -Battle of Boydton, Virginia (White Oaks Roads, Dinwiddie C H)
March 31, 1865 Gen Pickette moves to 5 Forks, abandoning the defense of Peterburg
March 31, 1863 Battle of Grand Gulf MS and Dinwiddie Court House VA
March 31, 1862 Civil War action at Island #10 on Mississippi River
March 31, 1861 Confederacy takes over mint at New Orleans

Yes I am a Civil War Nerd

**Detective7653** · 03-31-07, 01:42 PM

Just a couple of people who died on todays date too.

1. Selena, Mexican Grammy winning singer, killed by a fan at 24
2. Brandon Lee, U.S. actor (Crow)/son of Bruce Lee, accidentally shot at 28

**Buttercup** · 03-31-07, 02:44 PM

Originally Posted by armygrnt502

Damn guys..save some for the rest of us.

**BEB** · 04-01-07, 05:15 AM

Saving some for everyone. Just the one.

On April 1, 1918, the Royal Air Force (RAF) is formed with the amalgamation of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS). The RAF took its place beside the British navy and army as a separate military service with its own ministry.

**armygrnt502** · 04-01-07, 05:20 AM

One I could handle, gives the rest of us a chance.

1976 - Apple computer is formed today.

**Trojan 42** · 04-01-07, 06:13 AM

One for you Colonials.
1778 - Oliver Pollock, a New Orleans businessman, created the "$" symbol.
and one for anyone.
1924 - Adolf Hitler was sentenced to five years in prison for high treason in relation to the "Beer Hall Putsch." Shame they ever let the bastard out.

**BEB** · 04-01-07, 06:24 AM

Originally Posted by Trojan 42

One for you Colonials.
1778 - Oliver Pollock, a New Orleans businessman, created the "$" symbol.

Interesting. A Son of the Revolution who goes unsung.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Pollock

And now, for a bit of April 1 history. Bit long, sorry for that.

In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII introduced the new Gregorian Calendar. Ten days were deleted from the calendar, so that October 4, 1582 was followed by October 15, 1582, and New Year's Day was moved to January 1. One popular story credits the reform of the calendar to King Charles IX (born 1550 AD– died 1574 AD) in 1563. Notice this is prior to the "Gregorian calendar" change and the pope's edict in 1582. It is known that the Council of Trent (1545-1563) did authorized a calendar reform in 1545, so it is possible that King Charles IX could have moved New Year's Day to January 1 before the decree was made by Pope Gregory XIII.

Upon moving the official New Year's Day from April 1 to January 1, there were some people who hadn't heard or didn't believe the change in the date, so they continued to celebrate New Year's Day on April first. Others played tricks on them and called them "April fools." They were subject to some ridicule, and were often sent on "fools errands" or were made the butt of other practical jokes. In France today, April first is called "Poisson d'Avril." French children fool their friends by taping a paper fish to their friends' backs. When the "young fool" discovers this trick, the prankster yells "Poisson d’Avril!" (April Fish!)

This harassment evolved, over time, into a tradition of prank-playing on the first day of April. The tradition eventually spread to England and Scotland in the eighteenth century. It was later introduced to the American colonies of both the English and French. Eventually, April Fool's Day spread around the world, with different nationalities specializing in their own brand of humor at the expense of their friends and families.

**Buttercup** · 04-01-07, 09:49 AM

April 1, 1748 The ruins of Pompeii were found

**Trojan 42** · 04-02-07, 05:11 AM

2nd April1982 Great Britain went to war with Argentina, over their invasion of the Falkland Islands. (10 weeks later they were ours again).

**213th** · 04-02-07, 05:16 AM

1792: Congress establishes the US mint to coin American money

1801: During the naval battle of Copenhagen, Nelson ignores a signal to withdraw by putting the telescope to his blind eye

1958: National Advisory Council on Aeronautics renamed NASA (which stands for Need Another Seven Astronauts

)

1966: Soviet Union's Luna 10 becomes spacecraft to orbit Moon