On This Day in History – November 20

November 20 has been a day of international significance, marked by the end of wars, declarations of rights, and cultural breakthroughs. From royal weddings to global peace initiatives, this date reflects humanity’s progress toward unity, creativity, and justice.

Major Events

1. 1789 – New Jersey becomes the first U.S. state to ratify the Bill of Rights, setting the foundation for American civil liberties.
2. 1820 – The American whaling ship Essex is rammed by a sperm whale in the Pacific Ocean, inspiring Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick.
3. 1910 – Francisco I. Madero’s revolutionary plan sparks the start of the Mexican Revolution, leading to decades of reform and social change.
4. 1917 – Ukraine declares autonomy within Russia, a precursor to its later struggles for full independence.
5. 1945 – The Nuremberg Trials begin, prosecuting Nazi war criminals for crimes against humanity, establishing the foundation for international law.
6. 1947 – Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) marries Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten at Westminster Abbey, witnessed by millions worldwide via radio broadcast.
7. 1959 – The United Nations adopts the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, emphasizing the protection and welfare of children globally.
8. 1962 – The Cuban Missile Crisis officially ends as Soviet missiles are removed from Cuba, defusing one of the tensest moments of the Cold War.
9. 1969 – Native American activists seize Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay, launching a 19-month occupation to protest U.S. government policies toward Indigenous peoples.
10. 1985 – Microsoft releases Windows 1.0, the company’s first graphical operating system, revolutionizing personal computing.
11. 1998 – The first module of the International Space Station (Zarya) is launched from Kazakhstan, beginning a new era of international cooperation in space.
12. 2013 – Iranian nuclear negotiations resume in Geneva, leading to the historic Joint Plan of Action that eased tensions with the West.

Famous Birthdays

1. Edwin Hubble (1889–1953) — American astronomer whose observations proved that the universe is expanding.
2. Leo Tolstoy (1828–1910) — Russian author and philosopher, famous for War and Peace and Anna Karenina.
3. Robert F. Kennedy (1925–1968) — American politician and senator, advocate for civil rights and social reform.
4. Nadine Gordimer (1923–2014) — South African author and Nobel Prize laureate known for exploring themes of apartheid and identity.
5. Joe Biden (1942– ) — 46th President of the United States and long-serving senator, notable for his leadership and diplomacy.
6. Bo Derek (1956– ) — American actress and model, known for 10 and her influence in 1980s pop culture.
7. Ming-Na Wen (1963– ) — Chinese-American actress known for Mulan and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D..
8. Joel McHale (1971– ) — American comedian and actor, best known for Community and The Soup.
9. Future (Nayvadius Wilburn) (1983– ) — American rapper and producer known for his influence on modern hip-hop.
10. Michael Clifford (1995– ) — Australian musician and guitarist of the pop-rock band 5 Seconds of Summer.

Notable Deaths

1. Leo Tolstoy (1828–1910) — Russian novelist and moral thinker, whose works profoundly shaped literature and social philosophy.
2. Francisco Franco (1892–1975) — Spanish dictator who ruled Spain for nearly four decades after the civil war.
3. Anton Rubinstein (1829–1894) — Russian pianist, composer, and founder of the Saint Petersburg Conservatory.
4. John F. Kennedy Jr. (1960–1999) — American lawyer and son of President John F. Kennedy, known for his magazine George.
5. Cab Calloway (1907–1994) — American jazz singer and bandleader, one of Harlem’s great musical icons.
6. Henry Purcell (1659–1695) — English Baroque composer who influenced Western classical music.
7. Allan Sherman (1924–1973) — American humorist and songwriter known for his parody “Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh.”
8. Gardner Fox (1911–1986) — American comic book writer and creator of characters like the Flash and Hawkman.
9. Alan Thicke (1947–2016) — Canadian actor and songwriter, best known for Growing Pains.

Holidays

• Universal Children’s Day (UN) — Promotes international togetherness and children’s welfare, commemorating the Declaration of the Rights of the Child (1959).
• Revolution Day (Mexico) — Marks the beginning of the 1910 revolution that reshaped the nation’s political and social structure.
• National Day (Monaco) — Celebrates Monaco’s independence and honors the country’s reigning prince.
• Black Awareness Day (Brazil) — Recognizes Afro-Brazilian culture and contributions to society.
• Africa Industrialization Day (UN) — Promotes sustainable industrial growth and economic progress across the continent.

Fun Facts

• The Nuremberg Trials set key legal precedents, including the principle that “following orders” is not a defense for war crimes.
• Queen Elizabeth II’s wedding gown was purchased with ration coupons, reflecting postwar Britain’s austerity.
• Microsoft Windows 1.0 required just 256 KB of memory and two floppy disks to install.
• The Essex shipwreck inspired not only Moby-Dick but also the 2015 film In the Heart of the Sea.
• Edwin Hubble’s discovery of galactic redshifts in 1929 became the foundation of modern cosmology and the Big Bang theory.