Fun Facts

Major Events 1483 – Martin Luther, the Protestant Reformer, is born in Eisleben, Germany. 1775 – The United States Marine Corps is founded in Philadelphia. 1801 – The state of …

Major Events 1799 – Napoleon Bonaparte seizes power in France in a coup d’état, ending the French Revolution. 1867 – The first issue of Harper’s Bazaar magazine is published in …

Major Events 1519 – Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés enters the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan, meeting Emperor Montezuma II. 1602 – The Bodleian Library opens at the University of Oxford. 1793 …

Major Events 1665 – The London Gazette, the oldest surviving English newspaper, is first published. 1874 – The Republican Party is symbolized by the elephant for the first time in …

Major Events 1860 – Abraham Lincoln is elected as the 16th President of the United States. 1913 – Mohandas Gandhi is arrested for leading Indian miners in a protest march …

Major Events 1605 – The Gunpowder Plot is foiled in England; Guy Fawkes is captured beneath Parliament. 1757 – Frederick the Great wins the Battle of Rossbach during the Seven …

Major Events 1677 – The future Mary II of England marries William of Orange, forming the royal union that would later lead to the Glorious Revolution. 1842 – Abraham Lincoln …

Major Events 1493 – Christopher Columbus sights the Caribbean island of Dominica during his second voyage. 1534 – The English Parliament passes the Act of Supremacy, recognizing Henry VIII as …

Major Events 1721 – Peter the Great is proclaimed Emperor of All Russia, officially changing the title from Tsar to Emperor. 1755 – Marie Antoinette, future Queen of France, is …

Major Events 1755 – A massive earthquake and tsunami devastates Lisbon, Portugal, killing tens of thousands and destroying much of the city. 1765 – The Stamp Act goes into effect …