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AOL merged with Time Warner, the Treaty of Versailles ended WWI, the London Underground opened, the first major source of oil was discovered in America, Lend-Lease program was introduced, Napoleon divorced Josephine, Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon River, Common Sense was published, Vatican and US entered into diplomatic relations, and Masterpiece Theater premiered on PBS.
AOL merged with Time Warner. (2000) The multi-billion dollar merger was one of the largest media mergers in history and left the AOL-Time Warner side with significant influence in virtually every type of media.
The Treaty of Versailles was ratified, ending World War I. (1920) This was the first act of the League of Nations, which had its first meeting on this day. The treaty had been in the making for several years and ended up having long-term consequences as it threw Germany into economic chaos. This would later become a key reason for Hitler’s ease in his rise to power and the start of World War II.
The London Underground opens. (1863) The ‘Tube’ was the world’s first underground railway and remains a symbol of British culture. Passengers can still travel on the original line, which ran between London Paddington station and Farringdon station.
The first major source of oil was discovered in America. (1901) The first Texas gusher was discovered in Beaumont, Texas and marked the beginning of the American oil industry. Before petroleum was discovered, petroleum was only used as lamp fuel and an occasional lubricant. The discovery of massive amounts of oil in Texas led to the world’s first trillion-dollar industry.
US President Franklin Roosevelt introduced the Lend-Lease program to Congress. (1941) The program was intended to deliver supplies and support Allied forces in World War II without directly involving America. Over the next five years, America supplied over 50 billion US dollars (USD) in supplies to the United Kingdom, France, China and the USSR.
French emperor Napoleon divorced Josephine. (1810) Napoleon decided to end his marriage to Josephine because they had been unable to produce an heir. The divorce was unpopular with the people, and it also strained Napoleon’s relationship with church officials, especially after he quickly remarried to an Austrian duchess.
Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon River, starting a civil war in Rome. (49 BC) The act was baffling to the people at the time, since no general could march on Rome. It was the beginning of Caesar’s rise to power as sole ruler of Rome. The phrase “crossing the Rubicon” is still used to refer to committing to an extremely risky course of action with no way back.
American author Thomas Paine has published Common Sense. (1776) The pamphlet outlined compelling arguments for American independence and became an instant classic. It has been described as “the most incendiary and popular pamphlet of the entire revolutionary era”.
The Vatican and the United States have entered into full diplomatic relations. (1984) The relationship was renewed by President Reagan and John Paul II after 117 years. Before that, relations had broken down in the 1870s, and the Vatican was accused of being un-American on and off for the next hundred years or so, although some presidents did send personal envoys to the Holy See.
Masterpiece Theater premiered on PBS. (1971) The show became America’s longest-running weekly primetime drama series. It mainly showed adaptations of novels and biographies, but was also notable for being one of the only sources of British television in America.
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