French and British workers drilling the Channel Tunnel met 40 meters beneath the seabed
MajorAfter years of drilling from opposite sides, the two teams broke through and shook hands underwater between England and France. The tunnel project had...
Historical Events
1990
1989
Mikhail Gorbachev met Pope John Paul II at the Vatican in the first-ever meeting between a Soviet leader and a pope
MajorThis historic meeting symbolized the end of Soviet religious oppression. The two men had secretly cooperated to undermine communism in Eastern Europe,...
1987
A man parachuted from the Eiffel Tower and landed safely, immediately being arrested
The daredevil successfully executed his illegal jump from the famous Paris landmark. French authorities were not amused, charging him with trespassing...
1959
Twelve nations signed the Antarctic Treaty, banning military activity on the continent
MajorAntarctica became the world's first nuclear-free zone, dedicated solely to peaceful research. The treaty froze all territorial claims and remains one...
1955
Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat to a white passenger in Montgomery, Alabama
MajorHer arrest sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, lasting 381 days and catapulting Martin Luther King Jr. to national prominence. This single act of defi...
1952
The New York Daily News published a front page with the headline 'GI's Bring Back Japanese Brides'
This marked growing acceptance of interracial marriages following World War II. Over 40,000 Japanese women married American servicemen, facing signifi...
1948
A man was found dead on Somerton Beach in Australia, launching one of history's most mysterious unsolved cases
The Somerton Man carried no identification, had labels removed from his clothes, and a scrap of paper reading 'Tamam Shud' in his pocket. Despite DNA...
1918
Iceland became a sovereign state while remaining in personal union with Denmark
After centuries of foreign rule, Iceland achieved independence from Denmark while the Danish king remained Iceland's monarch. Full independence wouldn...
1913
The first crossword puzzle was published in the New York World newspaper
Arthur Wynne's 'word-cross' puzzle appeared in the Sunday Fun section and became an instant hit. The diamond-shaped puzzle had no black squares and st...
1891
James Naismith introduced the first rules of basketball at a YMCA in Massachusetts
Naismith invented the game using a soccer ball and two peach baskets nailed to a gymnasium balcony. The first game had 13 rules and ended with a score...
1862
Emperor Pedro II of Brazil sent cotton seeds to encourage agriculture, but recipients accidentally burned them thinking they were weapons
During the American Civil War, Brazil tried to boost its cotton industry. The elaborate packaging of the seeds confused recipients who mistook them fo...
1824
The United States presidential election ended with no candidate receiving a majority of electoral votes
Andrew Jackson won the popular vote but the election went to the House of Representatives. In a controversial 'corrupt bargain,' John Quincy Adams was...
1420
Henry V of England entered Paris as regent of France after the Treaty of Troyes
This bizarre moment saw an English king ruling France during the Hundred Years' War. Henry married the French princess but died just two years later,...
