Major Events

1065 – Westminster Abbey consecrated The magnificent abbey, commissioned by King Edward the Confessor, is consecrated in London. It will later become the traditional site of coronations, royal weddings, and burials of British monarchs.

1612 – Galileo observes Neptune (unaware it is a planet) Galileo sketches Neptune while charting Jupiter’s moons, mistaking it for a fixed star. It is only centuries later that astronomers realise he was the first to observe the planet.

1832 – John C. Calhoun becomes the first U.S. Vice President to resign Calhoun steps down from the vice presidency amid rising tensions over states’ rights, later becoming a senator for South Carolina.

1869 – William E. Semple patents chewing gum An Ohio dentist secures the first U.S. patent for chewing gum, paving the way for a global confectionery industry.

1895 – Lumière brothers show the first commercial film screening At the Grand Café in Paris, the Lumière brothers present short motion pictures to a paying audience, marking the birth of commercial cinema.

1943 – Dwight D. Eisenhower named Supreme Allied Commander The appointment of Eisenhower formalises Allied planning for Operation Overlord, the D-Day invasion.

1973 – The Endangered Species Act is signed into U.S. law President Richard Nixon signs landmark legislation aimed at protecting species at risk of extinction and preserving biodiversity.

2000 – U.S. retail giant Montgomery Ward announces closure After more than a century in operation, the company shuts down all remaining stores, marking the end of an American retail era.

2014 – Indonesia AirAsia Flight 8501 crashes An Airbus A320 en route from Surabaya to Singapore crashes into the Java Sea, resulting in major aviation investigations.

Famous Birthdays

1164 – Emperor Rokujō of Japan (d. 1176) Child emperor during a politically turbulent period in Japanese imperial history.

1856 – Woodrow Wilson, U.S. President (d. 1924) Leader during World War I and advocate for the League of Nations.

1882 – Arthur Eddington, British astronomer (d. 1944) Pioneer of astrophysics known for confirming Einstein’s theory of relativity.

1903 – John von Neumann, Hungarian-American mathematician (d. 1957) Genius behind game theory, computing architecture, and major mathematical foundations of the 20th century.

1922 – Stan Lee, American comic writer (d. 2018) Co-creator of many iconic superheroes and a central figure in comic book history.

1932 – Dame Maggie Smith, British actress Award-winning performer known for legendary work in theatre, film, and television.

1954 – Denzel Washington, American actor and filmmaker One of the most acclaimed actors of his generation with numerous awards and influential roles.

1981 – Sienna Miller, American-British actress Performer known for diverse dramatic and biographical roles.

Notable Deaths

1503 – Piero the Unfortunate, Italian ruler (b. 1472) Florentine leader who struggled during turbulent political shifts in Renaissance Italy.

1849 – Maria Edgeworth, Anglo-Irish novelist (b. 1768) Pioneer of realist writing and educational literature.

1937 – Maurice Ravel, French composer (b. 1875) Composer of Boléro and other major works of French impressionism.

1989 – Hermann Oberth, German rocket scientist (b. 1894) One of the founding figures of modern rocketry.

2004 – Susan Sontag, American writer (b. 1933) Influential essayist and novelist known for critical works on culture and politics.

2014 – Vittorio Arrigoni, Italian activist (b. 1975) Humanitarian known for work in conflict zones.

2015 – Lemmy Kilmister, British musician (b. 1945) Frontman of Motörhead and cultural icon in heavy metal music.

Holidays

• Holy Innocents’ Day (Christian tradition)
• Proclamation Day (Australia, South Australia)
• National Card Playing Day (United States)
• Republic Day (South Sudan, observed date varies)

Fun Facts

• The Lumière brothers’ 1895 screening included films lasting under a minute, yet it sparked the global movie industry.
• John von Neumann’s computer architecture remains the blueprint for nearly all modern computers.
• Chewing gum, patented today in 1869, was initially promoted for dental benefits.
• Neptune’s early misidentification shows how even groundbreaking astronomers can overlook discoveries without modern tools.

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