March 22 in History

Significant events that happened on this day.

Historical Events

2006

The social media platform Twitter officially launched to the public

Major

Jack Dorsey sent the first tweet saying 'just setting up my twttr.' What started as a simple status-sharing service became one of the world's most inf...

1997

Comet Hale-Bopp made its closest approach to Earth, becoming the brightest comet visible to the naked eye in decades

The comet was visible for a record 18 months and could be seen without a telescope. Tragically, it also inspired the Heaven's Gate cult mass suicide i...

1972

The Equal Rights Amendment was sent to the states for ratification after passing both houses of Congress

Major

The ERA sought to guarantee equal legal rights regardless of sex. Despite strong initial support and a deadline extension to 1982, it fell three state...

1968

Students at Howard University in Washington D.C. began a five-day campus takeover demanding Black curriculum reforms

Students occupied the administration building demanding more African-American studies, increased Black faculty, and greater student representation. Th...

1963

The Beatles released their first album 'Please Please Me' in the United Kingdom

Major

Recorded in just one day for about £400, the album reached #1 and stayed on UK charts for 70 weeks. It launched Beatlemania and changed popular music...

1945

The Arab League was founded in Cairo with seven founding members

Major

Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Yemen established the Arab League to promote Arab unity and cooperation. The organization now h...

1933

Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a bill legalizing beer with 3.2% alcohol content, effectively ending Prohibition early

Major

Before the 21st Amendment officially ended Prohibition in December, FDR signed the Cullen-Harrison Act allowing the sale of beer and wine. Americans c...

1895

The Lumière brothers publicly screened their first film for an invited audience in Paris

Major

Auguste and Louis Lumière showed their cinematograph invention to the Société d'encouragement pour l'industrie nationale. The film showed workers leav...

1894

The first professional ice hockey championship game was played between Montreal teams

The Montreal Hockey Club defeated the Ottawa Capitals to claim the first-ever championship. The winning team received a decorative carnival cup. Profe...

1871

In North Carolina, William Woods Holden became the first U.S. governor to be impeached and removed from office

The Republican governor was ousted for declaring martial law and using militia to combat Ku Klux Klan violence during Reconstruction. The Democratic-c...

1765

The British Parliament passed the Stamp Act, taxing American colonists without representation

Major

This controversial tax on printed materials infuriated colonists and became a major catalyst for the American Revolution. The phrase 'No taxation with...

1638

A religious dissenter named Anne Hutchinson was expelled from the Massachusetts Bay Colony for her controversial beliefs

Hutchinson held Bible study meetings that attracted large crowds and challenged Puritan orthodoxy by claiming individuals could communicate directly w...

1621

The Pilgrims at Plymouth Colony signed a peace treaty with Massasoit, chief of the Wampanoag people

This agreement, negotiated with the help of Squanto, established mutual protection and peaceful relations. The treaty lasted more than 50 years until...

Fun Facts from March 22

2006Animals

A tortoise named Adwaita lived to approximately 250 years old. To put it into perspective, he was likely born before the United States declared independence, and his death was announced on CNN in 2006.

1997Technology

Japanese engineers were asked to redesign the front end of the Bullet Train because it carried enough speed to create a sonic boom whenever it exited a tunnel. Residents could feel the blast from miles away.