Month: October 2016

  • Extreme Weather: 5 Things You Need to Know

    On this date in 1923, the town of Marble Bar, Australia, began a record-setting streak of 160 days with a temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or above. Here are some things you may not have known about temperature extremes around the world. Marble Bar, which is located in northwestern Australia, has an average maximum temperature…

  • Tickertape Parades: A Salute to Heroes

    On this date in in 1886 the first tickertape parade was held in New York City. Here are some things you may not of known about tickertape parades. The first parade was an impromptu celebration following the dedication of the Statue of Liberty. They’re called tickertape parades because originally most of the paper thrown was…

  • Bugs in the Embassy: A Diplomatic Incident

    On this date in 1985, construction on the new American Embassy in Moscow was suspended after listening devices were discovered. Here are some things you may not have known about the diplomatic incident. Construction on the new American Embassy began in 1979, using Soviet workers. In 1985 the Americans discovered that the columns holding the…

  • Pony Express: A Legendary 19-Month Failure

    On this date in 1861, the Pony Express ceased operations after a 19-month run. Here are some things you may not of known about the old west mail service. After the discovery of gold in 1849 and the admission of California as a state in 1850, a faster way to deliver transcontinental mail was needed.…

  • Charge of the Light Brigade: Into the Valley of Death

    On this date in 1854, a hopelessly overmatched British cavalry unit, charged into battle against the Russians during the Crimean War. Here are a few things you may not have known about the Charge of the Light Brigade. The Crimean War pitted the British, French and Ottoman empires against the Russian Empire. The Russians wanted…

  • Niagara Falls Stunts: Five Things You Didn’t Know

    On this date in 1901, Annie Edson Taylor became the first person to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel. Here are five things you probably didn’t know about Taylor and Niagara Falls stunts. Taylor, a 63-year-old widow, decided to go over the falls as a means of making money for her later years. She…

  • Kamikaze: Five Things You Didn’t Know

    On this date in 1944, the first Kamikaze attack of World War II took place. Here are some things you may not have known about the suicide missions. By the time 1944 rolled around, Japan had suffered several critical defeats, leaving it with old aircraft and inexperienced pilots. An example of this was the loss…

  • “Save the Last Dance for Me”: The Story Behind the Song

    On this date in 1960, the song “Save the Last Dance For Me” by The Drifters hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Here are some things you might not have known about the song. It’s a song you’ve probably heard a million times, but if you listen to the lyrics, the song tells…

  • Battle of Yorktown: The End of the Revolutionary War

    On this date in 1781, British Lieutenant General Charles Cornwallis surrendered to George Washington, effectively ending the American Revolutionary War. Here are six things you may not have known about the Battle of Yorktown. The battle was known as “The German Battle” in Germany. About one-third of the 27,000 troops involved in the battle were…

  • Eva Peron: A Long Journey in Death

    On this date in 1945 Juan Peron, the future president of Argentina, married Eva Peron. Here are eight things you may not have known about the woman known as “Evita.” She was the illegitimate daughter of a wealthy rancher. Her father abandoned her when she was a year old. She would later alter her birth…