Thursday, December 5, 2024
Today: 1492 – Christopher Columbus became the first European to set foot on the island of Hispaniola, now divided into Haiti and the Dominican Republic. 1766 – James Christie held the first auction of his now-famous auction house in London, England. 1776 – The first fraternity in the United States, Phi Beta Kappa, was founded […]
Wednesday, December 4, 2024
Today: 771 – Charlemagne becomes the sole ruler of the Frankish Kingdom after the death of his brother, Carloman I. 1110 – The Crusaders conquer Sidon in present-day Lebanon during the First Crusade. 1563 – The final session of the Council of Trent convenes, marking the conclusion of the Catholic Counter-Reformation. 1619 – Thirty-eight colonists […]
Tuesday, December 3, 2024
Today: 1563 – The final session of the Council of Trent was held, marking the end of the Catholic Church’s Counter-Reformation efforts initiated in 1545. 1755 – Gilbert Stuart, an American painter best known for his portraits of George Washington, was born in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. 1775 – The first official American flag, the […]
Monday, December 2, 2024
Today: 1804 – Napoleon Bonaparte crowned himself Emperor of the French in a ceremony at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. 1823 – President James Monroe outlined the Monroe Doctrine in his annual message to Congress, warning European nations against further colonization in the Americas. 1845 – President James K. Polk reaffirmed the Monroe Doctrine, asserting […]
Sunday, December 1, 2024
Today: 1640 – Portugal regained independence from Spain after 60 years of Iberian Union, marking the start of the Portuguese Restoration War. 1821 – Santo Domingo (now the Dominican Republic) declared independence from Spain. 1824 – The U.S. presidential election was decided in the House of Representatives after no candidate secured a majority of electoral […]
Saturday, November 30, 2024
Today: 3340 BCE – The oldest known eclipse is recorded in Ireland, as later dated from ancient carvings. 1016 – Cnut the Great (Canute), King of Denmark, claims the English throne after the death of Edmund Ironside. 1700 – The Battle of Narva occurs during the Great Northern War, where Swedish forces under Charles XII […]
Friday, November 29, 2024
Today: 1775 – The Second Continental Congress established the American Navy, appointing Esek Hopkins as its first commander in chief. 1781 – The crew of the British slave ship Zong massacred more than 130 African slaves by throwing them overboard to collect insurance money, sparking one of the most infamous events in abolitionist history. 1847 […]
Thursday, November 28, 2024
Today: 1520 – Ferdinand Magellan entered the Pacific Ocean after navigating through the South American strait that now bears his name, the Strait of Magellan. 1660 – The Royal Society of London was founded, a key institution in the development of modern science. 1814 – The Times of London was the first newspaper to be […]
Wednesday, November 27, 2024
Today: 1095 – Pope Urban II delivered the speech at the Council of Clermont that launched the First Crusade, calling Christians to reclaim the Holy Land. 1295 – The first elected representatives to the English Parliament convened in Westminster, marking the beginnings of modern parliamentary democracy. 1703 – The Great Storm of 1703 began, considered […]
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
Today: 1778 – Captain James Cook became the first European to visit Maui in the Hawaiian Islands during his third Pacific voyage. 1789 – A national Thanksgiving Day was observed in the United States for the first time as proclaimed by President George Washington. 1863 – President Abraham Lincoln declared November 26 as the official […]