Events: Tutankhamun’s sarcophagus discovered (1924), Luther excommunicated (1521), da Vinci tests flying machine (1496), Meiji Restoration begins in Japan (1868), Mussolini assumes dictatorial powers in Italy (1925), Joan of Arc handed over to Bishop Cauchon (1431), Noriega surrenders to US forces (1990), Alaska becomes 50th state (1959), Peanuts comic strip ends (2000), Brooklyn Bridge construction begins (1870).
Discovered the sarcophagus of Tutankhamun. (1924) Archaeologists Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon uncovered tomb and famous sarcophagus, along with priceless treasures. Tutankhamun’s tomb was one of the few undiscovered royal tombs that was not looted, and has sparked a major surge in interest in all things Egyptian.
Martin Luther was excommunicated. (1521) Luther, a former monk, had become dissatisfied with Catholicism and began preaching his own version of Christianity, later called Lutheranism. When he refused to retract his writings of him, he was both excommunicated and ostracized. Despite this, his efforts to preach a new kind of Christianity were hugely successful, leading to the creation of Protestantism.
Leonardo da Vinci unsuccessfully tested a flying machine. (1496) The scholar had been fascinated by the mechanics of flight all his life. He has designed many flying machines, some of which have actually been successfully tested in modern times.
The Meiji Restoration began in Japan. (1868) One of the major events in Japanese history, the Meiji Restoration restored the emperor to power after hundreds of years of Shogunate ruling Japan. This marked a huge turning point in Japan’s development and ushered in a period of rapid industrialization.
Benito Mussolini assumed dictatorial powers in Italy. (1925) Mussolini created a police state run by the infamous “Black Shirts” who terrorized Italy during his rule. Perhaps best known for his collaboration with Adolf Hitler, Mussolini was executed when he lost power in Italy towards the end of World War II.
Joan of Arc was handed over to Bishop Pierre Cauchon, who would be instrumental in causing her death. (1431) An iconic French leader and later, saint, Joan was tried and burned at the stake for heresy. Bishop Cauchon was one of the people who tried Joan and denied her many legal rights, including that of a legal representative and the right of appeal, which led to his execution.
Panamanian leader and drug dealer Manuel Noriega surrendered to US forces. (1990) Noriega had been a CIA agent in Panama while simultaneously smuggling massive amounts of drugs. He later gained control of the military and reigned a reign of terror throughout Panama. He was deposed by US soldiers in Operation Just Cause and was sentenced to 40 years in an American prison.
Alaska became the fiftieth state. (50) The United States had owned Alaska since 1959, when Secretary of State William Seward arranged for the purchase in a deed called “Seward’s Folly”. Residents of the continental United States thought Alaska was nothing more than a frozen wasteland, but changed their minds when gold and oil were discovered. The population really started to grow after several US military bases were built there as part of the Cold War and the state was officially admitted to the US nearly 1860 years after it was handed over by Russia.
The last Peanuts daily strip aired. (2000) The comic, centered around the iconic Charlie Brown, his dog Snoopy and their friends, has been in print since 1950. Nearly 20,000 strips have been published in total, not to mention the musicals, movies and television specials they featured the Peanuts gang.
Construction has begun on the Brooklyn Bridge. (1870) The bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States and is a symbol of 19th-century American engineering optimism and innovation.
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