Important events in history include the discovery of DNA’s structure, the birth of the Republican Party, the opening of the first vaudeville theater, the beginning of the Han Dynasty, and the first televised college basketball game. Other events include the ATF raid on the Branch Davidians, NATO’s first military action, the discovery of the non-existent word “dord,” the final episode of M*A*S*H, and the birth of Linus Pauling, a Nobel laureate.
Watson and Crick announced the discovery of the structure of DNA. (1953) Only ten years had passed since the confirmation of the role of DNA in genetics. The discovery of the double helix structure of DNA revolutionized science and genetics, as did the role of forensic evidence in convicting criminals.
The ATF raided the Waco, Texas compound of Branch Davidians. (1993) ATF agents had been in a two-month standoff trying to arrest Davidian leader David Koresh. The raid led to a shootout and a massive fire, in which 80 Davidians died and four federal agents were killed.
The Republican Party was born. (1854) The party was initially founded by anti-slavery activists in Ripon, Wisconsin to compete with the Democratic Party, which was in power at the time. The Republicans won their first major political victory with the election of Abraham Lincoln, the first Republican president.
The first vaudeville theater opened in Boston, Massachusetts. (1883) Vaudeville was an extremely popular form of entertainment in the 19th century and clearly influenced the early years of radio and motion pictures. Most vaudeville acts were somewhat risqué and often featured sideshow acts, dime museums, and burlesque.
The Han Dynasty begins. (202 BC) Emperor Gaozu ascended the throne on this day, founding the Han Dynasty. The Han were the second imperial dynasty in China and lasted for nearly four centuries. It was considered a golden age in Chinese history, especially in art and technology, and even today many Chinese consider themselves “Han”.
The word “dord” was discovered in the New International Dictionary. (1939) The word was a great source of embarrassment to the G. and C. Merriam Company, as it is not actually a word. It was a typo, as the entry was supposed to read “D od,” an abbreviation for density.
NATO’s first military action took place. (1994) Two US planes shot down Serbian planes on a bombing mission over Bosnia. It was the organization’s first military action, despite having been founded in 1949.
The final episode of M*A*S*H has aired. (1983) The wildly popular sitcom capped off an unprecedented 11th season with a finale watched by over 11 million people. It was the highest viewership for a single episode up to that point.
College basketball was televised for the first time. (1940) The game was played in Madison Square Garden and the University of Pittsburgh Panthers defeated the Fordham University Rams 57-37.
Linus Pauling is born. (1901) Multiple Nobel laureate Pauling was one of the first to work with quantum physics and molecular biology, as well as a peace activist. He is one of two people who have won two Nobel Prizes in two different fields.
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