TODAY’S HISTORY LESSON: SEPT 21
0454 In Italy, Aetius, the supreme army commander, is murdered in Ravenna by Valentinian III, the emperor of the West.
1327 Edward II of England is murdered by order of his wife.
1348 Jews in Zurich Switzerland are accused of poisoning wells
1621 King James I of England gives Sir William Alexander a royal charter for colonisation of Nova Scotia
1673 James Needham returns to Virginia after exploring the land to the west, which would become Tennessee.
1792 French Revolution: The National Convention passes a proclamation announcing the formal abolition of the French monarchy
1897 The New York Sun ran the “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus” editorial. It was in response to a letter from 8-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon.
1904 Exiled Nez Perce leader Chief Joseph dies of a “broken heart”.
1915 Stonehenge is sold by auction for 6,600 pounds sterling ($11,500) to a Mr. Chubb, who buys it as a present for his wife. He presents it to the British nation three years later.
1922 US President Warren G. Harding signs a joint resolution of approval to establish a Jewish homeland in Palestine
1937 J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy novel The Hobbit is published.
1949 The People’s Republic of China was proclaimed.
1964 Malta gains its independence from the UK
1970 “NFL Monday Night Football” made its debut on ABC-TV. The game was between the Cleveland Browns and the New York Jets. The Browns won 31-21.
1981 Belize granted full independence from the United Kingdom.
1981 The U.S. Senate confirmed Sandra Day O’Connor to be the first female justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.
1985 North and South Korea opened their borders for their family reunion program.
1991 Armenia granted independence from USSR
1993 The Russian constitutional crisis of 1993 begins when Russian President Boris Yeltsin suspends parliament and invalidates the existing constitution.
1996 The board of all-male Virginia Military Institute voted to admit women.
2003 Galileo space mission ends as the probe is sent into Jupiter’s atmosphere where it is crushed.
2013 The Westgate Mall is attacked in Nairobi, Kenya. In a daring siege, militants of the extremist group al-Shabaab took over the Mall.
REFERENCE: HISTORY.NET, ONTHISDAY.COM, TIMEANDDATE.COM, INFOPLEASE.COM, FACTMONSTER.COM, SCOPESYS.COM, ON-THIS-DAY.COM, THEPEOPLEHISTORY.COM
