Black Monday caused the Great Recession in 2008, while other events include the conviction of Alger Hiss, the pardoning of draft dodgers by President Carter, and the deaths of Vladimir Lenin and King Louis XVI. Other events include the launch of the Concorde and the first atomic submarine, as well as the beginning of the Monte Carlo Rally and Jefferson Davis’ resignation from Congress.
Black Monday ushered in the Great Recession. (2008) Stock markets around the world have crashed, many of which have hit lows not seen since the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The FTSE index had its biggest drop in a single day and other stock markets were down as much as 15%.
American spy Alger Hiss was convicted of perjury. (1950) Hiss had previously worked with the US State Department before being accused of being a communist and passing state secrets to enemy governments. Although Hiss continued to protest his innocence, he was nonetheless convicted in a move many attribute to the McCarthyist hysteria of the 1950s.
US President Carter pardoned draft dodgers. (1977) The Vietnam War had been extremely unpopular, and there was a large movement of dodgers, many of whom burned their draft cards or moved to Canada to avoid armed service. Carter pardoned more than 100,000 men who fled the country to avoid armed service, sparking controversy among veterans’ groups.
Russian revolutionary Vladimir Lenin has died. (1924) Vladimir Lenin was instrumental in the Bolshevik seizure of power in Russia, transforming Russia from a monarchy into a communist country. Lenin died of a massive cerebral hemorrhage and his death caused hysteria and widespread mourning in Russia. His body has been preserved and remains on display in Moscow.
King Louis XVI was guillotined. (1793) Louis XVI was the last French monarch and was executed by revolutionaries for “conspiring with foreign powers”. Nine months later, his wife Marie Antoinette was also executed and France became a republic.
New York made it illegal for women to smoke in public. (1908) The city government passed the Sullivan Ordinance, which made it illegal for women to smoke in public, and several women were arrested. The mayor vetoed the measure two weeks later, and smoking remained largely unregulated well into the 2000s.
Concorde entered commercial service. (1976) The first supersonic passenger plane, the Concorde was able to cut transatlantic travel times in half. On this day two Concordes took off carrying passengers from London to Bahrain and from Paris to Rio de Janeiro.
The first atomic submarine is launched. (1954) The USS Nautilus, named after the submarine in Jules Vernes’ Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, was the first submarine to be powered by nuclear energy. First Lady Mamie Eisenhower launched the submarine, which went on to break many submarine distance and depth records.
The first Monte Carlo Rally begins. (1911) Rallying has become one of the best known and most demanding motor races in the world. Of the four cars that finished the first race, three were Mini Coopers.
Jefferson Davis, future president of the Confederate South, has resigned from Congress. (1861) Senator Davis resigned from the Senate along with four other prominent Southern senators. Davis would become hugely influential in the American Civil War and was the first and only president of the Confederate States of America.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
