Today in History
Significant Events
- 644 Uthman ibn Affan, companion of Muhammad, appointed 3rd Caliph of Islam
- 1287 During St. Lucia's Flood in Northwest Netherlands the Zuiderzee seawall collapses with loss of over 50,000 lives. Fifth largest recorded flood in history
- 1542 Princess Mary Stuart succeeds her father James V and becomes Queen Mary I of Scotland at 6 days old
- 1911 Norwegian Roald Amundsen's expedition is the 1st to each the South Pole
- 1995 Yugoslav Wars: The Dayton Agreement is signed in Paris by leaders of various governments ending the conflict in former Yugoslavia
Today in Film & TV
- 1993 "Philadelphia" one of the first mainstream films about AIDS, directed by Jonathan Demme, starring Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington premieres in Century City, California
Today in Music
- 1849 1st chamber music group in US gives their 1st concert (Boston)
Today in Sport
- 1947 The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is founded in Daytona Beach, Florida
Did You Know?
Birth of Quantum Physics: German Physicist Max Planck presents a theoretical derivation of his black-body radiation law
On this day in 1900
Tycho Brahe
George VI
Jimmy Doolittle
Nero
Gustave Eiffel
Chico MendesWould You Believe?
University of Toronto scientists present findings of the world's oldest water - 2 billion years old from a mine in Canada
On this day in 2016
Famous Weddings
- 1490 Anna van Bretagne marries a proxy Maximilian of Austria
- 1780 US founding father Alexander Hamilton (25) weds Elizabeth Schuyler (23) at Schuyler Mansion in Albany, New York
- 1984 Singer and actress Bette Midler (39) weds Martin Von Hasselberg at Starlight Chapel in Las Vegas
- 1985 "The Cosby Show" actress Phylicia Rashad (37) weds former NFL wide receiver and sportscaster Ahmad Rashad (36)
- 2005 Bollywood actor Fardeen Khan (31) weds Mumtaz's daughter Natasha Madhvani at the Grand Hyatt in Mumbai, India
Vlad the Impaler
George Washington
Roger Maris
Afonso de Albuquerque
Sitting Bull
Walt DisneyThis Month in History
Great Balls of Fire! The 'Bride' is 13
Jerry Lee Lewis leapt to fame declaring there was ‘A Whole Lotta Shakin’ Going On’. His fans were certainly shaken when told of his 13-year-old ‘bride’.
December 13, 1957
Heartbreak and Tragedy for Captain Scott
Beaten to the South Pole by Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen on this day, only despair and death awaited British explorer Captain Robert Scott.
December 14, 1911
The Tower that Twice Defied Hitler
The Eiffel Tower has become a symbol of France and twice managed to upstage Adolf Hitler. The man who built it, Gustave Eiffel was born on this day.
December 15, 1832
Melodrama at Theatre Leaves Actor Dead
One of England’s most popular actors arrived at the stage door on this day to prepare for another performance. He would never make it to the stage.
December 16, 1897
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