The History Shack

OTD April 30 is the twentieth day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 245 days remain until the end of the year. Events 1492 – Spain gives Christopher Columbus his commission of exploration. He is named admiral of the ocean sea, viceroy, and governor of any territory he discovers. 1789 – On the balcony of Federal Hall on Wall Street in New York City, George Washington takes the oath of office to become the first President of the United States. 1803 – Louisiana Purchase: The United States purchases the Louisiana Territory from France for $15 million, more than doubling the size of the young nation. 1900 – Hawaii becomes a territory of the United States, with Sanford B. Dole as governor. 1939 – NBC inaugurates its regularly scheduled television service in New York City, broadcasting President Franklin D. Roosevelt's N.Y. World's Fair opening day ceremonial address. 1993 – CERN announces World Wide Web protocols will be free. Birthdays 1857 – Eugen Bleuler, Swiss psychiatrist, ...

 OTD April 29th is the one-hundred-nineteenth day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 246 days remain until the end of the year.   Events 1429 – Joan of Arc arrives to relieve the Siege of Orléans. 1483 – Gran Canaria, the main Canary Islands island, is conquered by the Kingdom of Castile. 1521 – Swedish War of Liberation: Swedish troops defeat a Danish force in the Battle of Västerås. 1770 – James Cook arrives in Australia at Botany Bay, which he names. 1826 – James Dunlop discovers the galaxy Centaurus A or NGC 5128. 1862 – American Civil War: The Capture of New Orleans by Union forces under David Farragut. 1903 – A landslide kills 70 people in Frank, in the District of Alberta, Canada 1916 – Easter Rising: After six days of fighting, Irish rebel leaders surrender to British forces in Dublin, bringing the Easter Rising to an end 1953 – The first U.S. experimental 3D television broadcast shows an episode of Space Patrol on Los Angeles ABC affiliate ...

  Joan of Arc, a peasant girl from the small village of Domrémy in northeastern France, rose from humble beginnings to become one of history’s most revered and legendary figures. Born around 1412 amidst the turmoil of the Hundred Years' War—a brutal conflict between France and England—Joan’s world was one of occupation and despair. However, her destiny was forever altered by what she described as divine visions. At the tender age of 13, Joan began to experience extraordinary spiritual encounters. She claimed that saints—Michael, Catherine, and Margaret—began speaking to her, entrusting her with a formidable task: to support Charles VII, France's uncrowned king, and help expel the English from French soil. The audacity of her mission was matched only by her unyielding faith. By 1429, the young maiden, armed with nothing but her convictions, persuaded Charles VII to allow her to join the besieged city of Orléans as part of a relief army. Donning armor and carrying her banner, Joa...

 Buddhism, one of the world's major religions, has a history as rich and diverse as the tapestry of life itself. It all began in the lush groves of Lumbini, now located in modern-day Nepal, around the 5th century BCE. Here, a prince named Siddhartha Gautama was born into the opulence of the Shakya royal family, destined to become the Buddha. Siddhartha's journey to Enlightenment is a compelling narrative of human struggle and spiritual discovery. As a young prince, he lived a sheltered life of luxury, his every need catered to within the walls of his palace. However, this life of ease could not quench his thirst for understanding the deeper truths of existence. Propelled by a profound sense of curiosity and compassion, Siddhartha ventured beyond his golden gates. It was outside these walls that he encountered the harsh realities of life—sickness, old age, and death—which profoundly disturbed him. These encounters, known as the "Four Sights," ignited a burning desire w...

 OTD April 28th is the one-hundred-eightteenth day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 247 days remain until the end of the year.   Events 1253 – Nichiren, a Japanese Buddhist monk, propounds Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō for the first time and declares it to be the essence of Buddhism, in effect founding Nichiren Buddhism. 1503 – The Battle of Cerignola is fought. It is noted as one of the first European battles in history, which was won by small arms fire using gunpowder. 1625 – A combined Spanish and Portuguese fleet of 52 ships commences the recapture of Bahia from the Dutch during the Dutch–Portuguese War. 1789—Mutiny on the Bounty: Lieutenant William Bligh and 18 sailors are set adrift, and the rebel crew briefly returns to Tahiti and then sets sail for Pitcairn Island. 1792 – France invades the Austrian Netherlands (present-day Belgium and Luxembourg), beginning the French Revolutionary Wars. 1881 – Billy the Kid escapes from the Lincoln County jail in Mesil...

 OTD April 26th is the one-hundred-sixteenth day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 249 days remain until the end of the year.   Events 1564 – Playwright William Shakespeare is baptized in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England (date of birth is unknown) 1721 – A massive earthquake devastates the Iranian city of Tabriz. 1803 – Thousands of meteor fragments fall from the skies of L'Aigle, France; the event convinces European scientists that meteors exist. 1805 – First Barbary War: United States Marines captured Derne under the command of First Lieutenant Presley O'Bannon. 1903 – Atlético Madrid Association football club is founded 1954 – The first clinical trials of Jonas Salk's polio vaccine begin in Fairfax County, Virginia. 1986 – The Chornobyl disaster occurs in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic.   Birthdays 121 – Marcus Aurelius, Roman emperor (d. 180) 1785 – John James Audubon, French American ornithologist and painter (d. 18...

 OTD April 27th is the one-hundred-seventeenth day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 248 days remain until the end of the year.   Events 711 – Islamic conquest of Hispania: Moorish troops led by Tariq ibn Ziyad land at Gibraltar to begin their invasion of the Iberian Peninsula (Al-Andalus). 1521 – Battle of Mactan: Explorer Ferdinand Magellan is killed by natives in the Philippines, led by Chief Lapu Lapu. 1595 – The relics of Saint Sava are incinerated in Belgrade on the Vračar plateau by Ottoman Grand Vizier Sinan Pasha; the site of the incineration is now the location of the Church of Saint Sava, one of the largest Orthodox churches in the world. 1667—Blind and impoverished, John Milton sells Paradise Lost to a printer for £10 so that it can be entered into the Stationers' Register. 1805 – First Barbary War: United States Marines and Berbers attack the Tripolitan city of Derna (The "shores of Tripoli" part of the Marines' Hymn). 1861 – Americ...

Oliver Cromwell, a figure whose name evokes a rich tapestry of controversy, brilliance, and authoritarianism, remains one of the most enigmatic leaders in British history. Born into the quietude of Huntingdon on April 25, 1599, Cromwell's early life hinted little of the monumental influence he would one day wield over the British Isles. Cromwell's journey from a minor gentry family to a pivotal historical figure is a study of ambition driven by deep religious convictions. After a truncated stint at Cambridge due to his father's death, Cromwell married Elizabeth Bourchier in 1620, settling into the life of a country gentleman. It wasn’t until he entered Parliament in the late 1620s that the first sparks of his revolutionary zeal were fanned into flame. As civil strife broke out in 1642, Cromwell emerged as a formidable force for the Parliamentary side, opposing Charles I's autocratic rule. His military prowess became apparent when he reorganized the parliamentary army, e...

 OTD April 25th is the one-hundred-fifteenth day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 250 days remain until the end of the year.   Events 404 BC – Admiral Lysander and King Pausanias of Sparta blockade Athens and bring the Peloponnesian War to a successful conclusion. 1607 – Eighty Years' War: The Dutch fleet destroys the anchored Spanish fleet at Gibraltar. 1707—In the War of the Spanish Succession, a coalition of Britain, the Netherlands, and Portugal was defeated by a Franco-Spanish army at Almansa (Spain). 1792 – Highwayman Nicolas J. Pelletier becomes the first person executed by guillotine. 1846 – Thornton Affair: Open conflict begins over the disputed border of Texas, triggering the Mexican-American War. 1901 – New York becomes the first U.S. state to require automobile license plates. 1945—World War II: Liberation Day (Italy): The National Liberation Committee for Northern Italy called for a general uprising against the German occupation and the I...

 OTD April 24th is the one-hundred-fourteenth day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 251 days remain until the end of the year.   Events 1183 BC – Traditional reckoning of the Fall of Troy marking the end of the legendary Trojan War, given by chief librarian of the Library of Alexandria Eratosthenes, among others. 1558 – Mary, Queen of Scots, marries the Dauphin of France, François, at Notre Dame de Paris. 1704 – The first regular newspaper in British Colonial America, The Boston Newsletter, is published. 1800—The United States Library of Congress was established when President John Adams signed legislation appropriating $5,000 to purchase "such books as may be necessary for the use of Congress." 1885 – Nate Salesbury hires American sharpshooter Annie Oakley to be a part of Buffalo Bill's Wild West. 1916—Easter Rising: Irish rebels, led by Patrick Pearse and James Connolly, launched an uprising in Dublin against British rule and declared the Irish Re...

  Otto Fredrik Gideon Sundbäck, born on a crisp spring day in 1880 in the verdant landscapes of Småland, Sweden, would go on to stitch his name permanently into the fabric of everyday life with his revolutionary invention: the zipper. After honing his engineering skills amidst the historic and innovative aura of Germany's Polytechnic School in Bingen am Rhein, Sundbäck crossed the ocean to America, landing in the bustling streets of Hoboken, New Jersey, in 1905. At the Universal Fastener Company, Sundbäck took a flawed prototype—the clasp locker, a cumbersome and unreliable device designed for securing shoes—and transformed it into something elegantly simple and robust. His major breakthrough came when he reimagined the device with numerous scooped-out teeth interlocking seamlessly. By December 1913, this tinkering gave birth to the "Hookless No. 2," a name that hardly hinted at the revolution it would spark. By 1917, this design had evolved into the "Separable Faste...

 OTD April 23rd is the one-hundred-thirteenth day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 252 days remain until the end of the year.   Events 215 BC – A temple was built on Capitoline Hill dedicated to Venus Erycina to commemorate the Roman defeat at Lake Trasimene. 599 – Maya king Uneh Chan of Calakmul attacks rival city-state Palenque in southern Mexico, defeating queen Yohl Ik'nal and sacking the city. 1635 – The first public school in the United States, Boston Latin School, was founded in Boston. 1348—King Edward III announces the founding of the Order of the Garter on St. George's Day. 1516 – The Munich Reinheitsgebot (regarding beer ingredients) takes effect in all of Bavaria. 1724—Johann Sebastian Bach leads the first performance of his cantata Du Hirte Israel, höre, BWV 104, which illustrates the topic of the Good Shepherd in pastoral music. 1661 – King Charles II of England, Scotland, and Ireland is crowned in Westminster Abbey. 1879 – Fire burns ...

O.T.DApril 22nd is the one-hundred-thirteenth day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 253 days remain until the end of the year.   Events 1500 – Portuguese navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral lands in Brazil. 1519 – Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés establishes a settlement at Veracruz, Mexico. 1836 – Texas Revolution: A day after the Battle of San Jacinto, forces under Texas General Sam Houston identified Mexican General Antonio López de Santa Anna among the captives of the battle when some of his fellow soldiers mistakenly gave away his identity. 1876 – The first National League baseball game is played at the Jefferson Street Grounds in Philadelphia. 1889 – At noon, thousands rushed to claim land during the Land Rush 1889. Within hours, the cities of Oklahoma City and Guthrie will be formed, with populations of at least 10,000. 1915 – World War I: The use of poison gas in World War I escalates when chlorine gas is released as a chemical weapon in the Second Battle ...

 OTD April 21st is the One Hundred-twelfth Day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 254 days remain until the end of the year.   Events 753 BC – Romulus founded Rome (traditional date). 900—The Laguna Copperplate Inscription (the earliest known written document found in what is now the Philippines): The Commander-in-Chief of the Kingdom of Tondo, as represented by the Honourable Jayadewa, Lord Minister of Pailah, pardons the Honourable Namwaran and his relations from all debt. 1509 – Henry VIII ascends the throne of England on the death of his father, Henry VII. 1615 – The Wignacourt Aqueduct is inaugurated in Malta. 1789 – John Adams was sworn in as 1st U.S. Vice President (nine days before George Washington) 1789 – George Washington's reception at Trenton is hosted by the Ladies of Trenton as he journeys to New York City for his first inauguration. 1836 – A moment of triumph for the Republic of Texas: The Battle of San Jacinto, where the Republic of Tex...

 OTD April 20th is the One Hundred-eleventh Day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 255 days remain until the end of the year.   Events 1653 – Oliver Cromwell dissolves England's Rump Parliament. 1657 – English Admiral Robert Blake destroys a Spanish silver fleet under heavy fire from the shore at the Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. 1657 – Freedom of religion is granted to the Jews of New Amsterdam (later New York City). 1789 – George Washington arrives at Grays Ferry, Philadelphia, en route to Manhattan for his inauguration. 1861—Thaddeus S. C. Lowe, attempting to demonstrate the value of balloons, makes a record journey, flying 900 miles from Cincinnati to South Carolina. 1902 – Pierre and Marie Curie refine radium chloride. 1918 – Manfred von Richthofen, a.k.a. The Red Baron, shoots down his 79th and 80th victims, his final victories before his death the following day. 1972 – Apollo program: The Apollo 16 lunar module, commanded by John Young and ...

Captain James Cook, synonymous with daring sea voyages and discoveries, left an indelible mark on the world map and the scientific community. His expeditions across the vast oceans during the 18th century expanded the European understanding of the world and set new standards in naval exploration. James Cook was the second of eight children born on October 27, 1728, in Marton, Yorkshire, England. His humble beginnings in a farmer's family hardly hinted at the legendary life he would lead. At 16, Cook moved to the coastal village of Staithes to work in a grocery store, but the sea call proved irresistible. He soon traveled to the nearby port town of Whitby to start his apprenticeship with John Walker, a shipowner and Quaker whose ships transported coal along the English coast. Cook’s early career in the merchant navy equipped him with essential seamanship skills. His transition to the Royal Navy in 1755 marked the beginning of his transformation into a pioneering explorer. Cook quick...

 OTD April 19th is the One Hundred-tenth Day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 256 days remain until the end of the year.   Events AD 65 – The freedman Milichus betrays Piso's plot to kill the emperor Nero, and all the conspirators are arrested. 1539 – The Treaty of Frankfurt between Protestants and the Holy Roman Emperor is signed. 1770 – Captain James Cook, still holding the rank of lieutenant, sights the eastern coast of Australia. 1770 – Marie Antoinette marries Louis XVI of France in a proxy wedding. 1839 – The Treaty of London establishes Belgium as a kingdom and guarantees its neutrality. 1927 – Mae West is sentenced to ten days in jail for obscenity for her play Sex. 1987—The Simpsons first appeared as a series of shorts on The Tracey Ullman Show, starting with "Good Night."   Birthdays 1787 – Deaf Smith, American soldier (d. 1837) 1877 – Ole Evinrude, the Norwegian-American engineer, invented the outboard motor (d. 1934) 1903 – ...

 OTD April 18th is the One Hundred-eighth Day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 257 days remain until the end of the year.   Events 796 – King Æthelred I of North Umbria is murdered in Corbridge by a group led by his ealdormen, Eldred and Wada. The patrician Osbald is crowned but abdicates within 27 days. 1506 – The cornerstone of the current St. Peter's Basilica is laid. 1775—American Revolution: The British advance by sea begins; Paul Revere and other riders warn the countryside of the troop movements. 1831 – The University of Alabama is founded in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. 1906 – An earthquake and fire destroy much of San Francisco, California. 1942 – World War II: The Doolittle Raid on Japan: Tokyo, Yokohama, Kobe, and Nagoya are bombed.   Birthdays 1813 – James McCune Smith, American physician, apothecary, abolitionist, and author (d. 1865) 1857 – Clarence Darrow, American lawyer (d. 1938) 1863 – Siegfried Bettmann, founder of the Triumph Motorcycle Company and Mayor...

 Nestled in the heart of Vatican City, St. Peter's Basilica stands as a towering beacon of faith and a masterpiece of human creativity. This sacred site, steeped in two millennia of history, not only embodies the spiritual heart of Christianity but also showcases an extraordinary tapestry of cultural and architectural splendor. St. Peter’s Basilica began as a humble monument in the whispering shadows of history. According to cherished tradition, it marks the resting place of Saint Peter, Christ’s apostle and the first Pope. Emperor Constantine, a pioneer among Roman rulers for embracing Christianity, laid down the basilica's first stones in the early 4th century. This ancient structure stood proudly as a pilgrimage beacon for nearly twelve centuries, a silent witness to the ebb and flow of the ages. By the dawn of the 16th century, the venerable basilica was showing its age, prompting Pope Julius II to envision a new grandeur. Initiated in 1506, this bold reconstruction spanned...

 OTD April 17th is the One Hundred-seventh Day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 258 days remain until the end of the year.   Events 1080 – Harald III of Denmark dies and is succeeded by Canute IV, who would later be the first Dane to be canonized. 1492 – Spain and Christopher Columbus sign the Capitulations of Santa Fe for his voyage to Asia to acquire spices. 1521 – The trial of Martin Luther over his teachings begins during the assembly of the Diet of Worms. Initially intimidated, he asks for time to reflect before answering and is given a stay of one day. 1869 – Morelos is admitted as the 27th state of Mexico. 1905 – The United States Supreme Court decides Lochner v. New York, which holds that the "right to free contract" is implicit in the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. 1907 – The Ellis Island immigration center processes 11,747 people, more than any other day. 1951 – The Peak District becomes th...