History

On this day…

In 1099, during the First Crusade, Christian knights from Europe captured Jerusalem after seven weeks of siege and begin massacring the city’s Muslim and Jewish population. In 1789 Bastille Day - the…

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On this day…

In 2016 - Theresa May, the Conservative Party leader, became the second woman prime minister of the United Kingdom, replacing David Cameron, who resigned after the country voted to leave…

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On this day in 1985, the Live Aid concerts were held

In 1985, the world would bear witness to one of the greatest music festivals ever assembled. Organized by Sir Bob Geldof and Midge Ure in the effort to raise funds…

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On this day

In 1790 French Revolution: The Civil Constitution of the Clergy is adopted, putting the Catholic Church in France under the control of the state. In 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signs into…

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On this day…

These are the salient milestones in history taking place on this day... In 1533 Pope Clement VII excommunicates England's King Henry VIII. In 1944 Franklin Roosevelt announces that he will…

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Photo Story: The 24th anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre

A Bosnian Muslim woman cries during the funeral of 33 newly-identified Bosnian Muslims at the Potocari Memorial Center, Srebrenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 11 July 2019. The burial was part of…

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New skull discovery shows mankind may have arrived in Europe 150,000 years earlier than previously

Mankind may have arrived in Europe 150,000 years earlier than previously thought, researchers say, after reassessing an ancient skull found inside a cave in Greece in research led by the Universities…

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On this day…

In 1943, the Allies begin their invasion of Axis-controlled Europe with landings on the island of Sicily. In 1962 the United States Patent Office issued the Swedish engineer Nils Bohlin a patent…

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On this day…

In 1856 Nikola Tesla—a Serbian American inventor and researcher who discovered the rotating magnetic field, the basis of most alternating-current machinery—was born this day in Smiljan, Croatia. In 1877 the first Wimbledon…

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On this day…

In 1099 15,000 starving Christian soldiers march in religious procession around Jerusalem as its Muslim defenders look on, in what was the First Crusade. In 1497 Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama departs…

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On this day…

In 2005 coordinated terrorist bomb blasts strike London's public transport system during the morning rush hour killing 52 and injuring 700. Three suicide bombings occurred on the London Underground. The…

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On this day…

In 1811, 7 Venezuelan provinces declare themselves independent of Spain, constituting Venezuela's declaration of Independence. In 1946, Louis Reard's design for a bikini swimsuit debuts at the Paris fashion show In 1954, the…

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On this day

On this day In 1776 US Congress proclaims the Declaration of Independence and independence from Britain. In other anniversaries: In 1865 Alice in Wonderland is published for the first time. In a ceremony held…

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On this day…

In 2013 Egyptian defense minister Abdul Fatah al-Sisi staged a coup and forced out President Mohamed Morsi, just over a year after he was elected. In 1976 an Israeli commando squad, led…

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Photo Story: An unique Roman Ship found in Cyprus

An undated handout photo made available by the University of Cyprus shows the ancient Roman-era shipwreck at the bottom of the sea off the coast of Cyprus. Spyros Spyrou and Andreas…

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On this day…

These are some of the anniversaries we celebrate today, the 2nd of July. In 2005 10 Live 8 concerts held around the world organised by Bob Geldof to raise awareness…

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On this day …

In 1867, the Dominion of Canada is formed, comprising the provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario & Quebec, with John A. Macdonald serving as the first Prime Minister. In…

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On this day…

On this day In 2007, Apple launched the iPhone which revolutionised the smartphone industry and for a while made Apple one of the world's most valuable companies. In 1995, the American…

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On this day, in 1991 Yugoslav troops invaded Slovenia

1991 Yugoslav troops invade Slovenia - The attack, which marked the beginning of the Ten-Day War, followed Slovenia's declaration of independence. It was the first of the Yugoslav Wars, a number…

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“Ich bin ein Berliner” – on this day in 1963

President John F. Kennedy expresses solidarity with democratic German citizens in a speech on this day in 1963. In front of the Berlin Wall that separated the city into democratic…

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On this day…

In 1509, Henry VIII is crowned King of England in Westminster Abbey In 1717, The world's first Masonic Grand Lodge is established In 1812, Napoleon’s Grande Armee invades Russia In 1901,…

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On this day in 1986 Diego Maradona coins the phrase “Hand of God”

1986: The Argentinian football star had scored a goal with his hand during the FIFA World Cup quarter-final against England. The referee allowed the goal, the Argentinian team were later…

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On this day, in 1885, the Statue of Liberty arrives in the US from France

On this day in 1885, the dismantled Statue of Liberty, a gift of friendship from the people of France to the people of America, arrives in New York Harbor after…

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UPDATED: Macron and May say ‘thank you’ to D-Day veterans… “we owe you our freedom”

British Prime Minister Theresa May and French President Emmanuel Macron have joined D-Day veterans in northern France for a second day of events to mark the 75th anniversary of the…

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Russia states D-Day wasn’t decisive in ending World War Two

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, speaking at a weekly news conference in Moscow, offered a tribute to those who died on the western front of World War Two…

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UPDATED: PhotoStory: The D-Day commemorations

Various heads of State attended the D-Day commemorations in Southsea Common, Portsmouth, Hampshire. Britain's Queen Elizabeth II joined US President Donald J. Trump and other World leaders from…

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On this day, in 1998, the Good Friday Agreement was accepted by 75% in a Referendum in N.Ireland

In 1998, on this day, the Good Friday Agreement was accepted in a referendum in Northern Ireland with 75% voting yes. Good Friday Agreement referendum, 1998 was a referendum held…

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On this day in 1981 – Assassination attempt on Pope St John Paul II

On 13th May 1981, a man called Mehmet Ali Ağca attempted to assassinate Pope St John Paul II, shooting him as he travelled through the crowds of St Peter’s Square…

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DNA study reveals Britons who built Stonehenge were product of ancient wave of migrant farmers

The ancestors of the Britons who built Stonehenge were farmers who had travelled from an area near modern Turkey, arriving around 4000BC. Researchers compared DNA extracted from Neolithic human remains…

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On this day in 1986, US President Reagan ordered air attacks against Libya

On this day in 1986, US President Ronald Reagan ordered a series of limited air strikes against Libya the aerial campaign in retaliation for Libyan agents' bombing of a West…

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The meaning of Malta’s Freedom Day

On the 31st March 1979, Malta saw the very last ship of the British forces leaving our shores. Commonly known as Freedom Day, this day marked the end of the…

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Today in history: The creation of the European Economic Community (EEC)

On 25 March 1957 history was made with the creation of the European Economic Community. Sixty two years ago, ministers of six European nations signed the Treaty of Rome,…

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On this day, six years ago Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected Pope

It was on 13 March 2013, that Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected as the head of the worldwide Catholic Church. He was elected in the 5th ballot on the…

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On this day in 1848, The Communist Manifesto is published in London

On February 21, 1848, The Communist Manifesto, written by Karl Marx with the assistance of Friedrich Engels, is published in London by a group of German-born revolutionary socialists known as the Communist League. The…

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Significant anniversaries commemorated today

On this day, on several years, significant stories took place in the world. From the first vision of the Virgin Mary in Lourdes to Mandela's release from imprisonment after 27…

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On this day 33 years ago, The Space Shuttle Challenger Tragedy took place

At 11:38 a.m. EST, on January 28, 1986, the space shuttle Challenger lifts off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, and Christa McAuliffe is on her way to becoming the first ordinary…

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On this day, in 1998, Bill Clinton denies having sex with Monica Lewinsky

On this day, in 1998 President Bill Clinton called a news conference at the White House on this day and abruptly denied that he had had sexual relations with a 22-year-old aide, Monica…

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On this day, in 1990, UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher resigned

Margaret Thatcher, the first woman prime minister in British history, announces her resignation after 11 years in Britain’s top office. Margaret Hilda Roberts was born in Grantham, England, in 1925.…

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On this day in 1963 – John Fitzgerald Kennedy was assassinated

John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States, is assassinated while traveling through Dallas, Texas, in an open-top convertible. First lady Jacqueline Kennedy rarely accompanied her husband on political…

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On this day, in 2001 – September 11th attack on America

At 8:45 a.m. on a clear Tuesday morning, an American Airlines Boeing 767 loaded with 20,000 gallons of jet fuel crashes into the north tower of the World Trade Center in New York City.…

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On this day in 1777, the Stars and Stripes was flown for the first time

History Channel - 1777 The American flag is flown in battle for the first time, during a Revolutionary War skirmish at Cooch’s Bridge, Maryland. Patriot General William Maxwell ordered the stars and…

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The ‘ATM’ is 49 years old

On this day in history, in 1969, America’s first automatic teller machine (ATM) makes its public debut, dispensing cash to customers at Chemical Bank in Rockville Center, New York. ATMs went…

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On this day in 1963, the U.S.-Soviet “hot line” goes into operation

Two months after signing an agreement to establish a 24-hour-a-day “hot line” between Moscow and Washington, the system goes into effect. The hot line was supposed to help speed communication between…

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On this day, in 1996, Prince Charles formally divorced Princess Diana

The History Channel: After four years of separation, Charles, Prince of Wales and heir to the British throne, and his wife, Princess Diana, formally divorce. On July 29, 1981, nearly one…

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On this day in 1991, coup against Mikhail Gorbachev launched

On this day in 1991, Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev is placed under house arrest during a coup by high-ranking members of his own government, military and police forces. Since becoming…

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On this day in 1998, Clinton testifies in Grand Jury

On this day in 1998, President Bill Clinton becomes the first sitting president to testify before the Office of Independent Council as the subject of a grand-jury investigation. The testimony came after…

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On this day, in 1977 Elvis Presley dies

Popular music icon Elvis Presley dies in Memphis, Tennessee. He was 42. The death of the “King of Rock and Roll” brought legions of mourning fans to Graceland, his mansion in…

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On this day in 1942, Operation Pedestal saves Malta

Malta was a strategic linchpin and, therefore, a prime target of the enemy. For the bitter years of 1940-1942, German and Italian bombers bludgeoned the island in a vain effort…

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The Wizard of Oz premiered 79 years ago

The Wizard of Oz, starring Judy Garland and featuring words and music by E.Y. “Yip” Harburg and Harold Arlen, receives its world premiere in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, on this day in 1939.…

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12 August 1961 – East Germany began building the Berlin Wall

In 1961, in an "effort to stem the tide of refugees attempting to leave East Berlin, the communist government of East Germany begins building the Berlin Wall to divide East and West Berlin."…

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On this day in 1945, the US dropped the Atomic bomb on Hiroshima

Hiroshima marked the anniversary of the Aug. 6, 1945, atomic bombing with a somber ceremony Monday to remember the people killed and injured and a call to eliminate nuclear weapons…

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On This Day in 1914, the First Traffic Light was installed

The History Channel: The world’s first electric traffic signal is put into place on the corner of Euclid Avenue and East 105th Street in Cleveland, Ohio, on this day in 1914. In…

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On this day in 1944, Anne Frank is captured by Gestapo

On this day in 1944, a German-born Jewish girl and her family, who had been hiding in German-occupied Holland, are found by the Gestapo and transported to various concentration camps.…

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On this day, 1492, Christopher Columbus set sail on the journey that took him to the Americas

The History Channel: From the Spanish port of Palos, Italian explorer Christopher Columbus sets sail in command of three ships—the Santa Maria, the Pinta, and the Nina—on a journey to find a western sea route to China, India,…

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On This Day, 1991 Iraq invades Kuwait

History Channel: At about 2 a.m. local time, Iraqi forces invade Kuwait, Iraq’s tiny, oil-rich neighbor. Kuwait’s defense forces were rapidly overwhelmed, and those that were not destroyed retreated to…

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On This Day, in 1914 the First World War erupts

The History Channel: Four days after Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, Germany and Russia declare war against each other, France orders a general mobilization, and the first German army units cross…

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On this day, 1931 37.2% of Germans voted for Hitler’s NSDAP

On this day, in 1932, the National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP) commonly referred to in English as the Nazi Party garnered 37.2% of the popular vote in the second of three…

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