Gold discovered in California (1848); Russia adopts Gregorian calendar (1918); Winston Churchill dies (1965); last Japanese soldier of WWII surrenders (1972); Disney buys Pixar (2006); US Department of Homeland Security begins operations (2003); Calcutta University inaugurated (1857); US announces sale of military equipment to China (1980); Roman emperor Caligula assassinated (41); Boy Scout movement founded (1908).
Gold deposits have been discovered in California, sparking the gold rush. (1848) James Marshall discovered gold at Sutter’s Creek, which would eventually spark the 1849 Gold Rush. Marshall desperately tried to keep the discovery a secret, but word got out and his farm was completely overrun and ruined, and died in poverty.
The Gregorian calendar was introduced in Russia. (1918) Although the calendar had been widely adopted in the late 1500s, Russia continued to use the Julian calendar until 1918. It was one of the last two countries to switch to the Gregorian calendar, along with Greece, which switched in 1923.
Winston Churchill is dead. (1965) Churchill was a major force in British and world politics during the World Wars, and was known for his witty, yet resolute manner. He is credited with being the guiding force that steered Britain through WWII.
The last Japanese soldier of WWII surrendered. (1972) Despite the fact that the war had been over for more than 30 years, Shoichi Yokoi was still in his post in Guam. Little did Yokoi know the war was over and he had been hiding in the jungle of Guam since American troops occupied the island in the 1940s. He refused to surrender until his old commander, who had retired from the military for more than 20 years, was found and told him to step down.
Disney bought Pixar. (2006) Pixar sold for nearly $7.5 billion US dollars (USD), a price it could fetch after hits like Toy Story and Finding Nemo. The deal required a lot of maneuvering by the Disney and Pixar boards, but it paid off when their first joint venture, Ratatouille, won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
The US Department of Homeland Security has begun operations. (2003) The department was created in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks to coordinate “homeland security” efforts. The agency later became highly controversial when it squandered more than $15 billion dollars on failed contracts.
First university in Southeast Asia inaugurated. (1857) Calcutta University was the first fully operational university in Asia and later incorporated the first medical school in Southeast Asia. The university is still in operation and has produced four Nobel laureates, including economist Amartya Kumar Sen and Kadambini Ganguly, one of the first two women to graduate from a British Empire university.
The US announced it would sell military equipment to China. (1980) The statement came in response to the USSR’s invasion of Afghanistan, hugely unpopular with US politicians. Although the United States still refused to sell China arms, its offer of military equipment was seen as a step forward in Sino-US relations.
Roman emperor Caligula was assassinated. (41) Caligula was notorious for his extreme cruelty and extravagance, including having spectators of gladiatorial games thrown at the lions when he was bored and attempting to seat his horse in the Senate. Caligula was assassinated by his own bodyguards.
The Boy Scout movement was born. (1908) The brainchild of Robert Baden-Powell, a British soldier, the Boy Scouts would go on to become one of the largest non-governmental organizations in the world, with nearly 30 million members.
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