On this date in 1958, Ben Carlin became the first, and so far only, person to circumnavigate the globe in an amphibious vehicle. Here are some things you may not have known about the trip. Carlin was born near Perth, Australia in 1912. During World War II, he joined the British Indian Army, serving in India, Iraq, Persia, Palestine, Syria […]
Read moreOn this date in 1935, Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith met for the first time, forming a relationship that would lead the the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous. Here are some things you may not have known about the group and its history. In the 1930s, alcoholism was viewed as a moral failing and something that was “likely incurable and […]
Read moreOn this date in 1867, Luxembourg gained its independence. At just under 1,000 square miles, it’s considered by some to be the largest European microstate. Here are some things you may not have known about Luxembourg and European microstates. Luxembourg is a grand duchy, meaning its monarch is a grand duke. It is the only such country remaining in the […]
Read moreOn this date in 1849, about 25 people were killed and more than 120 injured during what came to be known at the Shakespeare Riot. Here are some things you may not have known about it. New York City in the Mid-19th century was in the midst of a class struggle between an upper class that wanted to compare itself […]
Read moreToday is Europe Day, the anniversary of the first major step toward what is now known as the European Union. Here are some things you may not have known about it. Following World War II, cooperation between European nations was seen as a way to prevent the extreme nationalism that led to the war. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill called […]
Read moreOn this date in 1954, Roger Bannister became the first person to run a mile in less than four minutes. Here are some things you may not have known about Bannister and his achievements. Roger Bannister was born in 1929 in Harrow, England. He began his running career in 1946 while studying medicine at Oxford University. A year later, he […]
Read moreOn this date in 1934, the first Three Stooges short film was released. Here are some things you may not have known about the classic comedy trio. The Stooges started out as part of a vaudeville act called “Ted Healy and His Stooges.” The act consisted of Healy telling jokes and the others interrupting him, which would result in Healy […]
Read moreOn this date in 1904, Charles Stewart Rolls met Frederick Henry Royce in Manchester, England. Here are some things you may not have known about the history of Rolls-Royce. Henry Royce built his first car in 1904 in Manchester, which led to him being introduced to car dealer Charles Rolls at the Midland Hotel. Royce’s car, the two-cylinder Royce 10, […]
Read moreOn this date in 1802, Washington D.C. was incorporated as a city. Here are some things you may not have known about the American capital. Since the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, there have been three capital cities of the United States. The first was New York from March 1789 to December 1790, then the capital was moved to Philadelphia […]
Read moreOn this date in 1611, the King James Bible was published for the first time. Here are some things you may not have known about it. The first known efforts to translate the Bible into English happened in the seventh century. Aldhelm, the Bishop of Sherborne, is said to have translated the Psalms, while The Venerable Bede is said to […]
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