The Civil War began in 1861 with the firing on Fort Sumter. The polio vaccine was declared safe in 1955, and Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space in 1961. Bill Haley recorded “Rock Around the Clock” in 1954, and President Franklin Roosevelt died in 1945. The Mark Strand Theater opened in 1914, and the Townshend Act was repealed in 1770. Galileo was convicted of heresy in 1633, and the Fort Pillow massacre took place in 1864. The first space shuttle was launched in 1981.
The civil war began. (1861) Confederate forces fire on Fort Sumter, a Union fort in Charleston, South Carolina, straining long-standing tensions and starting the Civil War. Although most people on both sides were confident that the war would be over within a year, it lasted until 1865, with more casualties than any other American war.
The polio vaccine has been declared safe. (1955) Although rare in developed countries today, polio was a major killer before the Salk polio vaccine came into use in the 1950s – in fact, more children died of polio than any other communicable disease in the 1950s 1950. Once the vaccine was declared safe, massive immunization campaigns went into effect and the disease was virtually eradicated in America.
Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space. (1961) Russian cosmonaut Gagarin was transformed into an overnight celebrity when he became the first man in space, as well as the first man to orbit the Earth on this day. His flight was a major blow to the United States and sparked even greater efforts to win the space race.
Bill Haley and the Comets recorded Rock Around the Clock. (1954) Often called the first rock and roll record, Rock Around the Clock became sensationally popular after being used as the opening song on Blackboard Jungle, and sold more than 1 million records in one month in 1955 alone.
President Franklin Roosevelt has died. (1945) Roosevelt died while on vacation, making way for Truman. Though controversial at times, he had carried America through the Great Depression and World War II, and was one of its most influential presidents.
The Mark Strand Theater has opened. (1914) The theater was the first “palazzo del cinema”, a huge and luxurious cinema almost like an opera house. Patrons could watch from balcony seats, mingle in the rotunda during intermissions, and were sometimes even given live orchestra performances before and after the films.
The Townshend Act has been repealed. (1770) The Townshend Act, mandated by the British, imposed import taxes on many profitable goods such as paper, glass and tea. The act led to mass riots and eventually the Boston Massacre before it was repealed.
Galileo was convicted of heresy. (1633) The seminal scientist and astronomer Galileo was convicted of heresy because he refused to retract his claim that the earth revolved around the sun, rather than vice versa. He spent the rest of his life under house arrest.
The Fort Pillow massacre took place. (1864) Confederate troops led by Nathan Bedford Forrest sacked a Union garrison at Fort Pillow, which was largely manned by African American troops. There were huge numbers of Union casualties, leading some to argue that Confederate troops had deliberately massacred them.
The first space shuttle is launched. (1981) Columbia, the first reusable manned spacecraft, was first launched on this day. It was a major breakthrough for NASA and was eventually used to help build the International Space Station.
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