The film 'Titanic' became the first movie to gross over $1 billion worldwide
James Cameron's epic romance reached the milestone in just 74 days, shattering all previous box office records. It would hold the all-time record for...
March 23 in History
Significant events that happened on this day.
Historical Events
1998
1994
Wayne Gretzky scored his 802nd NHL goal, breaking Gordie Howe's all-time record
The Great One broke the record that had stood for 13 years while playing for the Los Angeles Kings against the Vancouver Canucks. He would finish his...
1989
Two scientists announced they had achieved cold fusion in a jar at room temperature
Stanley Pons and Martin Fleischmann claimed to have solved the world's energy crisis with a simple tabletop experiment. The scientific community could...
1983
President Reagan announced the Strategic Defense Initiative, nicknamed 'Star Wars'
The proposed missile defense system would use lasers and satellites to shoot down Soviet nuclear missiles from space. While never fully realized, the...
1956
Pakistan became the first Islamic republic in the world
The Constituent Assembly adopted a new constitution declaring Pakistan an Islamic republic while maintaining membership in the British Commonwealth. I...
1933
The German Reichstag passed the Enabling Act, effectively making Hitler a dictator
MajorWith only the Social Democrats voting against it, the act allowed Hitler to enact laws without parliamentary consent. This single vote dismantled Germ...
1919
Benito Mussolini founded the Italian Fascist Party
MajorAt a meeting in Milan, Mussolini established the Fasci di Combattimento with about 100 supporters. The movement would grow to take over Italy and give...
1903
The Wright Brothers applied for a patent on their 'flying machine'
Though they wouldn't achieve their famous first flight until December, Orville and Wilbur submitted their patent application eight months early. The p...
1869
The University of California opened its first campus in Oakland with just 38 students
Classes began in temporary buildings while the Berkeley campus was still under construction. Today, the UC system educates over 280,000 students acros...
1857
Elisha Otis installed the first commercial passenger elevator in New York City
The elevator was installed in a five-story department store at Broadway and Broome Street. Otis's safety brake invention made skyscrapers possible and...
1840
The phrase 'OK' was first published in the Boston Morning Post
Editor Charles Gordon Greene used 'o.k.' as an abbreviation for 'oll korrect,' a jokey misspelling of 'all correct.' This humorous invention became th...
1743
George Frideric Handel's Messiah premiered in London
The oratorio debuted at the Covent Garden Theatre, though it had premiered in Dublin the previous year. The Hallelujah Chorus would become one of the...