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Post by muchtrouble on Jan 4, 2016 15:30:12 GMT
On January 4th, 1847, Samuel Colt rescues his faltering gun company by winning a contract to provide the U.S. government with 1,000 of his .44 caliber revolvers. The heart of Colt's invention was a mechanism that combined a single rifled barrel with a revolving chamber that held five or six shots.
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Post by muchtrouble on Jan 5, 2016 12:15:11 GMT
January 5th
In 1066, Edward the Confessor, king of England since 1042, died after a reign of nearly 24 years.
In 1781, a British naval expedition led by Benedict Arnold burned Richmond, Virginia.
In 1914, auto industrialist Henry Ford announced he was going to pay workers $5 for an eight-hour day, as opposed to $2.34 for a nine-hour day. (Employees still worked six days a week; the five-day work week was introduced in 1926.)
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Post by geoffthebeard on Jan 6, 2016 1:19:25 GMT
Great idea for a thread. I must look out for interesting snippets to add.
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Post by muchtrouble on Jan 6, 2016 10:41:29 GMT
I would love to have others add things...
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Post by muchtrouble on Jan 6, 2016 10:54:09 GMT
January 6th
In 1540, England's King Henry VIII married his fourth wife, Anne of Cleves. (The marriage lasted about six months.)
In 1838, Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail gave the first successful public demonstration of their telegraph in Morristown, New Jersey.
In 1912, New Mexico became the 47th state.
In 1950, Britain recognized the Communist government of China.
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Post by muchtrouble on Jan 7, 2016 12:15:37 GMT
January 7th
In 1610, astronomer Galileo Galilei began observing three of Jupiter's moons (he spotted a fourth moon almost a week later.)
In 1785, Jean-Pierre Blanchard and John Jeffries travel from England to France in a gas balloon, becoming the first to cross the English Channel by air. They nearly crashed as their balloon was weighed down by extraneous supplies such as silk-covered oars.
In 1927, commercial trans-atlantic telephone service was inaugurated between New York and London.
In 1963 the U.S. Post Office raised the price of a first-class stamp from 4 to 5 cents.
In 1999, for the second time in history, an impeached American President went on trial before the Senate. President Bill Clinton faced charges of perjury and obstruction of justice; he was acquitted.
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Post by geoffthebeard on Jan 8, 2016 16:27:17 GMT
January 8
1815 A rag-tag army under Andrew Jackson defeats the British on the fields of Chalmette in the Battle of New Orleans.
1900 The Boers attack the British in Ladysmith, South Africa, but are turned back.
1935 Elvis Presley born.
1940 Great Britain begins rationing sugar, meat and butter.
1947 David Bowie born.
1953 Harry Truman announced that the U.S. had developed the hydrogen bomb.
1963 President John F. Kennedy attends the unveiling of the Mona Lisa.
1989 Japan's Emperor Hirohito died.
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Post by muchtrouble on Jan 8, 2016 21:08:02 GMT
Thanks, Geoff...I really needed a break today! BTW...ALL contributions are welcome! I'm sure I won't be able to come up with something every day!!!
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Post by squirt on Jan 9, 2016 23:24:01 GMT
1493 Columbus mistakes manatees for mermaids American Revolution 1776 Thomas Paine publishes Common Sense Automotive 1965 Bond movie features Aston Martin Civil War 1861 “Star of the West” is fired upon Cold War 1952 Truman warns of Cold War dangers Crime 1984 The Hillside Stranglers Disaster 1972 Fire breaks out on Queen Elizabeth General Interest 1768 First modern circus is staged 1806 Nelson buried at St. Paul’s Cathedral 1972 Queen Elizabeth destroyed by fire 2007 Steve Jobs debuts the iPhone Hollywood 1976 Stallone starts filming Rocky Literary 1924 Virginia Woolf buys a house in Bloomsbury Music 1979 Pop luminaries gather at the U.N. for the Music for UNICEF concert Old West 1887 Record cold and snow decimates cattle herds Presidential 1913 Richard M. Nixon is born Sports 1972 Laker winning streak comes to an end Vietnam War 1965 Support is pledged to civilian government 1967 U.S. officials try to counter claims of Saigon corruption World War I 1917 Battle of Khadairi Bend begins World War II 1945 United States invades Luzon in Philippines
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Post by geoffthebeard on Jan 10, 2016 19:48:06 GMT
January 10
1645 The Archbishop of Canterbury, William Laud, is beheaded on Tower Hill, accused of acting as an enemy of the British Parliament.
1861 Florida secedes from the Union.
1863 London’s Underground begins operations.
1903 Argentina bans the importation of American beef because of sanitation problems.
1918 In Washington, the House of Representatives passes legislation for women’s suffrage.
1920 The League of Nations came into being.
1945 Rod Stewart born
1946 The first General Assembly of the United Nations convened at Westminster Central Hall, London, England.
1984 The United States and the Vatican establish full diplomatic relations for the first time in 117 years.
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Post by LMP on Jan 11, 2016 6:16:51 GMT
January 11 * 1158 Vladislav II of Bohemia becomes king * 1569 1st recorded lottery in England is drawn in St Paul's Cathedral * 1759 1st American life insurance company incorporated, Philadelphia * 1813 1st pineapples planted in Hawaii * 1866 Steamship London sinks in storm off Land's End England, kills 220 * 1913 Bread & Roses Strike begins * 1935 Amelia Earhart flies from Honolulu to Oakland Ca * 1944 Crakow-Plaszow Concentration Camp established * 1954 2 ton locomotive swept into ravine by avalanche 10 die (Austria)
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Post by geoffthebeard on Jan 11, 2016 17:49:16 GMT
I didn't know any of those!
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Post by muchtrouble on Jan 13, 2016 14:05:23 GMT
January 13th
In 1099, Crusaders set fire to Mara Syria.
In 1559, Elizabeth I was crowned queen of England in Westminster Abbey.
In 1630, Patent to Plymouth Colony was issued.
In 1863 Thomas Crapper pioneers one-piece pedestal flushing toilet.
In 1888 National Geographic Society was founded in Washington, DC
In 1920, New York Times editorial (falsely) reported that rockets can never fly.
in 1930, "Mickey Mouse comic strip first appears.
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Post by muchtrouble on Jan 15, 2016 15:40:32 GMT
January 15 th
In 0708, Sisinnius begins his reign as Cathlic Pope. (dies 20 days later)
In 1535, Henry VIII declares himself head of English Church
In 1785, Mozart's string quartet Opus 10 premieres
In 1797, the first top hat was worn (John Etherington of London)
In 1861, steam elevator is patented by Elisha Otis
In 1895, Tchaikovsky's ballet "Swan Lake" premieres, St Petersburg
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Post by geoffthebeard on Jan 15, 2016 21:16:02 GMT
I thought the top hat went back way further. I do enjoy what I learn every day.
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