The Wright brothers made their first successful flight in 1903, France recognized American independence in 1777, President Roosevelt released Japanese Americans from internment camps in 1944, and the immigration station at Ellis Island opened in 1900. Other events include the first ATLAS missile launch in 1957, Stan Barrett breaking the sound barrier in 1979, the discovery of the Aztec calendar stone in 1790, the Beatles’ first TV appearance in 1962, the creation of New York City’s first one-way street in 1791, and the debut of The Simpsons in 1989.
The Wright brothers made their first successful flight. (1903) After several days of trying, Orville and Wilbur Wright were able to fly successfully for 12 seconds and a distance of about 120 feet (37 meters). Their innovations in aircraft and flight were the beginning of the modern airline industry.
France recognized American independence. (1777) France was the first European nation to formally recognize America as an independent nation rather than a British colony. France’s first recognition—about two years after the American Revolutionary War began and about five years before its end—may have largely been due to Benjamin Franklin’s diplomatic visits to Paris during the war. The Dutch Republic was the second nation to recognize American independence; he did so in 1782.
President Roosevelt released Japanese Americans from internment camps. (1944) Many Japanese-Americans had been involuntarily evacuated to internment camps two years earlier after the attack on Pearl Harbor due to fears that they might spy for Japan during the war. Although ten Americans were convicted of espionage during World War II, none of them were of Japanese descent.
The immigration station at Ellis Island has opened. (1900) Although immigrants had been arriving through Ellis Island for years, the new main building was completed in 1900 and streamlined the process. Records show that Ellis Island officials once dealt with 6,500 immigrants individually in a 9-hour day.
The first ATLAS missile was successfully launched. (1957) Specifically designed for non-military purposes, the ATLAS rocket family was subsequently used to launch many spacecraft and satellites. ATLAS boosters were also used to launch Friendship 7, which carried John Glenn, the first American astronaut into orbit around the Earth.
Stan Barrett has broken the sound barrier. (1979) Barrett, a Hollywood stuntman, drove a car powered by rockets and missiles across the bottom of a lake at Edwards Air Force Base. Because his equipment was acting up, the throughput was not captured, but Barett is still credited with being the first man to exceed Mach 1 and break the sound barrier on land.
The Aztec calendar stone has been discovered. (1790) Primarily used as an altar for human sacrifices, the Aztec calendar stone is said to be more accurate when it comes to measuring time than the modern Gregorian calendar system.
The Beatles made one of their first television appearances. (1962) The Beatles performed on the British television show People and Places, a regional British television program, and performed “Love Me Do” and “Twist and Shout”. They would release their debut album Please Please Me the following February which catapulted them into stardom.
New York City’s first one-way street was created. (1791) The world’s first one-way street was created in Lima, Peru. London established the second known one-way street. Paris didn’t have its first one-way street until the early 20th century.
The Simpsons debuted. (1989) The cartoon became incredibly popular for its satire on American culture and life in general. In 2009, it surpassed Gunsmoke in terms of being the longest-running American primetime TV series. By then, it had been on the air for over 20 seasons.
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