The African slave trade was abolished in America in 1807, but slaves were still sold within the country. CD players were released in the US in 1983, and Dr. Seuss was born in 1904. Texas declared independence from Mexico in 1836.
The African slave trade was abolished in America. (1807) Although slaves could still be sold in the United States, they were no longer allowed to be imported from Africa, although slaves were still imported from Cuba and Brazil as late as 1860. It was an important step for abolitionists, but it had little effect practical, since children of slaves remained slaves in the United States, making the slave trade self-sustaining.
Rutherford B. Hayes became president despite losing the popular vote. (1877) The election was full of fraud and the legitimacy of the vote was debated for weeks. A special voting commission ruled on Hayes in a hugely controversial decision that was contested by a filibuster for days.
CD players were first released in the United States. (1983) Prior to this day CD and CD players were only available in Japan. In the first year, about 3 million CD players were sold in the United States, along with about 53 million CDs.
Dr. Seuss was born. (1904) Theodore Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, was an immensely popular children’s book author, best known for The Cat in the Hat and Green Eggs and Ham. He has written nearly 50 books in total and has sold over 200 million copies.
Queen Victoria escaped an assassination attempt. (1882) Roderick Maclean shot Victoria as her carriage pulled away from a railway station after she refused to accept one of her poems. He was rejected by two schoolboys with umbrellas, and later acquitted of insanity.
Puerto Ricans were granted US citizenship. (1917) The Jones-Shafroth Act became law today, making Puerto Ricans US citizens. They were almost immediately recruited to fight in World War I, and approximately 20,000 Puerto Ricans were drafted for the war.
Grave robbers stole Charlie Chaplin’s body. (1978) Charlie Chaplin was a cultural icon as the Little Tramp and was one of the first truly successful film actors. His widow received a ransom demand for the body from the two mechanics who stole it, which she refused to pay as she said her husband would consider the demand “ridiculous”. The body was later recovered and reburied in concrete.
Inaugurated the first hotel for women only. (1903) New York’s Martha Washington Hotel opened on this day as the first hotel exclusively for women. The hotel was the home of poet Sarah Teasdale and Hollywood star Veronica Lake worked there during a difficult period in her career.
The first ballet was performed in England. (1717) “The Loves of Mars and Venus” was the first ballet performed in England, and one of the first serious dance works, which had hitherto been primarily comic.
Texas has declared independence. (1836) The Republic of Texas declared independence from Mexico on this day and was recognized as such by US President Andrew Jackson a year later. It existed as an independent nation for ten years until it was annexed by the United States.
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