On This Day in History – October 13

Major Events

• 54 AD – Roman Emperor Claudius died, poisoned by Agrippina.
• 1307 – Hundreds of Knights Templar were arrested in France on charges of heresy.
• 1775 – The Continental Congress authorized the creation of the Continental Navy.
• 1792 – Construction of the White House began.
• 1884 – The Greenwich Prime Meridian was established.
• 1903 – The Boston Red Sox won the first World Series.
• 2010 – Thirty-three trapped miners in Chile were rescued after 69 days underground.

Famous Birthdays

• Margaret Thatcher (1925–2013) – British Prime Minister.
• Nipsey Russell (1918–2005) – American comedian.
• Cornel Wilde (1912–1989) – American actor.
• Paul Simon (born 1941) – American singer-songwriter.
• Sammy Hagar (born 1947) – American rock musician.
• Kate Walsh (born 1967) – American actress.
• Sacha Baron Cohen (born 1971) – English actor and comedian.

Notable Deaths

• Claudius (10 BC–54 AD) – Roman emperor.
• Ed Sullivan (1901–1974) – American television host.
• Milton Hershey (1857–1945) – American chocolatier and philanthropist.
• Lenny Bruce (1925–1966) – American stand-up comedian.

Holidays

• Navy Birthday (United States) – Marks the founding of the U.S. Navy in 1775.
• No Bra Day – Raises awareness for breast cancer.

Fun Facts

• The superstition of “Friday the 13th” ties back to the Templar arrests in 1307.
• Paul Simon and Margaret Thatcher share this birthday.
• The Greenwich Meridian set the world’s time zones.