Today in History
Important Events
- 42 BC Roman Republican civil wars: Second Battle of Philippi - Brutus's army is decisively defeated by Mark Antony and Octavian. Brutus commits suicide.
- 1911 1st aerial reconnaissance mission is flown by an Italian pilot over Turkish lines during the Italo-Turkish War
- 1942 During WWII, Britain launches major offensive at El Alamein, Egypt
- 1977 Paleontologist Elso Barghoorn announces discovery of a 3.4-billion year old one-celled fossil, one of the earliest life forms on Earth
- 1981 US national debt hits $1 trillion
- 2001 The Provisional Irish Republican Army of Northern Ireland commences disarmament after peace talks
- Today's Historical Events
Today in Film & TV
- 1941 Walt Disney's animated film "Dumbo" released
Today in Music
Did You Know?
Did You Know?Tornado (possible T8/F4) strikes the heart of London killing two and demolishing the wooden London Bridge (OS 17 Oct)
On this day in 1091
Famous Birthdays
- Marcus Agrippa
63 BC - Ludwig Leichhardt
(1813 - 1848) - Johnny Carson
(1925 - 2005) - Pele
81st Birthday - Michael Crichton
(1942 - 2008) - Weird Al Yankovic
62nd Birthday
Marcus Agrippa
Ludwig Leichhardt
Johnny Carson
Pele
Michael Crichton
Weird Al YankovicTomorrow's Famous Birthdays
- Domitian
(51 - 96) - Melvin Purvis
(1903 - 1960) - Moss Hart
(1904 - 1961) - Kevin Kline
Turns 74 - Drake
Turns 35 - PewDiePie
Turns 32
Domitian
Melvin Purvis
Moss Hart
Kevin Kline
Drake
PewDiePieWould You Believe?
English newspaper "The Times" gives precise British positions in Crimea during Crimean War
On this day in 1854
Famous Weddings
- 1918 Actor Charlie Chaplin (29) weds Mildred Harris (17)
- 1938 SS Officer Amon Göth (29) weds Anny Geiger in a civil ceremony
- 1943 55th UK Prime Minister David Lloyd George (80) weds second wife Frances Stevenson
Famous Deaths in History
- Marcus Junius Brutus
( - 42 BC) - Edward Smith-Stanley
(1799 - 1869) - W. G. Grace
(1848 - 1915) - Christian Dior
(1905 - 1957) - Maybelle Carter
(1909 - 1978) - Soong Mei-ling
(1897 - 2003)
Marcus Junius Brutus
Edward Smith-Stanley
W. G. Grace
Christian Dior
Maybelle Carter
Soong Mei-lingTomorrow's Famous Deaths in History
- Tycho Brahe
(1546 - 1601) - Daniel Webster
(1782 - 1852) - Vidkun Quisling
(1887 - 1945) - Jackie Robinson
(1919 - 1972) - Rosa Parks
(1913 - 2005) - Fats Domino
(1928 - 2017)
Tycho Brahe
Daniel Webster
Vidkun Quisling
Jackie Robinson
Rosa Parks
Fats DominoThis Month in History
Jumping Jacques Makes First Parachute Descent
Daredevil André-Jacques Garnerin took to the sky in a hydrogen balloon on this day and after cutting himself adrift performed the first ‘parachute’ descent.
October 22, 1797Test of Time for the Date of Creation
The assertion by a 17th Century bishop that the universe was created on this day in the year 4004 BC was put to the test in a famous trial in the United States.
October 23, 4004 BCAnother Panic, Another Market Crash
Wall Street was gripped by panic on this day. It was not the first time nor the last. Anything from railways to a pandemic can cause a crash, it seems.
October 24, 1929The 17 Year-Old Witness to the Eruption of Vesuvius
17 year-old Pliny the Younger's account of the eruption of Vesuvius and the destruction of Pompeii made the event famous long after Pompeii was buried and forgotten.
October 24, 79 AD
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