October 2010
25 posts
Today in History...This Stuff Happened
312 – Constantine the Great sees the “Vision of the Cross” before a pivotal battle against Maxentious, which leads to his conversion to Christianity and the subsequent conversion of the Roman Empire.
1275 – According to tradition, Amsterdam is founded on this day.
1682 – The City of Brotherly Love (Philadelphia) is founded.
1787— The first of the Federalist Papers, to rally...
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Today in History...This Stuff Happened
1825— The Erie Canal opens, connecting Lake Erie and the Hudson River in upstate New York. 1881—The infamous gunfight at the OK Corral takes place in Tombstone, Ariz.
1905 – Norway wins its independence from Sweden.
1944 – The Battle of Leyte Gulf, the biggest naval battle in history, ends. The Americans emerge victorious. 1972— Henry Kissinger announces that “peace is at...
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Today in History...This Stuff Happened
1520 – While circumnavigating the globe, Ferdinand Magellan discovers a strait now known as Strait of Magellan: a (somewhat) navigable sea route immediately south of mainland South America and north of the Tierra del Fuego.
1797 –The Navy frigate USS Constitution “Old Ironsides” is launched in Boston Harbor, where is remains to this day except for occasional tall-ship voyages.
1805...
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Today in History...This Stuff Happened
1740 – Maria Theresa is crowned queen of Austria. France, Prussia, Bavaria and Saxony refuse to honor the “Pragmatic Sanction” (which allowed her to become queen) thus beginning the War of the Austrian Succession. I’ve always liked Maria Theresa, a tough female ruler who did not back down.
1803 – US Senate ratifies the Louisiana Purchase, which doubles the US in size.
1818 – The...
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Today in History...This Stuff Happened
October 19th has been a tough day for Carthage, take note of these first two dates.
202 BC – The Romans, led by Scipio Africanus defeats the invading Hannibal in the Second Punic War.
439 – The Vandals take Carthage.
1453 – The Hundred Years’ War ends (finally!) when the the French recapture Bordeaux. Leaving the English with only Calais as an outpost in France.
1469 – The marriage of...
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Today in History...This Stuff Happened
1648 – Who knew? Boston Shoemakers form the first labor union in the U.S.
1685— Sun King Louis XIV revokes the Edict of Nantes, thus denying legal toleration of the Protestant Huguenots.
1767 – The Mason-Dixon line survey is finished. The “imaginary” line persists to this day.
1775 – African-American poet Phillis Wheatley is freed by her slave owners in Boston.
1851 – Herman...
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Today in History...This Stuff Happened
1582 – October 15 follows October 4th in Italy, Portugal, Poland and Spain due the implementation of the Gregorian calendar. The question is, what day was it in the rest of Europe?
1793 – French Queen Marie-Antoinette is sentenced to death in a pre-determined trial in Paris. She is guillotined the next day.
1815 – Napoleon Bonaparte begins his exile on Saint Helena, where he dies in...
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Today in History...This Stuff Happened
1066 – At the Battle of Hasting the Norman forces of William the Conqueror kill King Harold II of England and defeat the English Army, thus achieving the “Norman Conquest” of England.
1322 – Scotland’s Robert the Bruce defeats England’s King Edward II at Byland, and demands Scotland’s independence. Scotland is officially recognized as independent in 1328 and remains...
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Today in History...This Stuff Happened
54 – Nero is crowned Roman Emperor. According to legend in AD 64 he would fiddle as Rome burned. It’s a fact that he killed his mother and step-brother.
1362 –Britain’s Parliament is opened with an English speech for the first time since its creation.
1775 – Anchors away! The United States Continental Congress creates the Continental Navy.
1792 – The cornerstone of the US Executive...
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Today in History...This Stuff Happened
1492 – Christopher Columbus lands in the The Bahamas. The explorer mistakenly believes he has reached India, much confusion ensues. For his error, Americans celebrate with a day off of work.
1692 – The Salem Witch Trials come to an end.
1810 – Raise your beer steins! Bavarian royalty invites the citizens of Munich to join the celebration of the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria to...
Harry Reid on "Greatest living Americans" →
mitch-finch:
HARRY REID: “I’m glad I had the opportunity to know Ted Kennedy. Whether you agreed with him or not, what a life he lead with his two brothers being assassinated, his other brother being killed in World War II. And Robert Byrd who just died. What a– he was in the Congress of the United States…
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Today in History...This Stuff Happened
1600 – San Marino, the longest independent land locked nation in Europe, adopts its written constitution.
1871— Thanks to Mrs. O’Leary’s cow knocking over a lantern in her barn (so they say), the Great Chicago Fire erupts destroying four square miles of the city, killing about 250 people and displacing 90,000.
1918 – In France’s Argonne Forest, United States Corporal Alvin...
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Hysterical Headlines
Kimchi crisis leaves South Koreans hot under collar
October 05, 2010|By John M. Glionna, Los Angeles Times
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Today in History...This Stuff Happened
3761 BC – The beginning of the modern Hebrew calendar.
1571 – The Battle of Lepanto is fought, Spain and Italy destroy the Turkish/Ottoman fleet, halting their advance into Europe.
1765—The Stamp Act Congress convenes in New York to draw up complaints about English rule in the colonies . 1849— Edgar Allan Poe dies.
1879— Leon Trotsky (Lev Davidovich Bronshtein) is born in the...
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Today in History...This Stuff Happened
1600 – Euridice, the earliest surviving opera, premieres in Florence. Art and music historians note this performance as the beginning of the Baroque Period
1683 – William Penn immigrates to his American (and modestly named)colony of Pennsylvania bringing with him 13 German families. These “Pennsylvania Dutch” were the first official German immigrants in America. Thanks to them we...
12+ News Media Tumblrs To Follow →
theatlantic:
mashablehq:
With the help of Mark Coatney from Tumblr, we’ve compiled a list of news media Tumblrs to follow.
What’s your favorite?
We’re flattered to be considered so tech-savvy, especially since we’re so old we do our Tumbling on this:
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Today in History...This Stuff Happened
1143 – Spanish King Alfonso VII of Leon recognizes Portugal as an independent kingdom.
1582 – Due to the institution of the Gregorian calendar this never happens in 1582 for Italy, Poland, Portugal and Spain.
1789 – Parisian women “March on Versailles” or “The October March/Bread March” to protest Louis XVI. They demand the end of feudalism, bread and insist the court...
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Today in History...This Stuff Happened
Today is Cinnamon Roll Day or” kanelbullens dag” as celebrated in Sweden.
1537 – The first Bible translated to English is printed in its entirety.
1582 – Pope Gregory XIII institutes the Gregorian Calendar. In Italy, Poland, Portugal, and Spain, October 15, 1582 follows October, 4th. Mass confusion and miss birthdays ensue.
1830 –Belgium is established as free state after its...
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Today in History...This Stuff Happened
959 – Best title ever? Edgar the Peaceable is named king of England. This period was marked by some interesting “nicknames”, Edgar was succeeded by Edward the Martyr, although there was some dispute as to whether Aethelred the Unready should take the thrown—surely the nickname did not help his cause! After Edmund’s death, Aethelred did indeed become king. 1814 – In the...