4 - "The Gregorian Calendar took effect in Catholic countries as Pope Gregory XIII issued a decree stating the day following Thursday, October 4, 1582, would be Friday, October 15, 1582, correcting a 10-day error accumulated by the Julian Calendar. Britain and the American colonies adopted the Gregorian Calendar in 1752."
4 - Belgium
gained its independence in 1830, after having been a part of the Netherlands
since 1815.
5 - "Meeting
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the 2d Continental Congress used the word 'Marines' on one of the earliest known occasions, when it directed
General George Washington to secure two vessels on 'Continental risque and
pay,' and to give orders for the 'proper encouragement to the Marines
and seamen' to serve on the two armed ships." (usmcu.edu) (1775)
5 - Shawnee
Indian Chief Tecumseh defeated and killed (1813).
7 - The Stamp
Act Congress convenes in New York City, attended by representatives from nine
colonies meeting in protest to the British Stamp Act, the first direct tax by
the Crown upon the American colonies. (1765)
11 - King
Henry VIII of England is given the title "Defender of the Faith" by
Pope Leo X following the publication of the King's book against Martin Luther. (1521)
12 - After a
33-day voyage in 1492, Christopher Columbus makes first landfall in the New
World in the Bahamas. Also, Paraguay declared its independence from Spain and
Argentina in 1811. And in 1822, Brazil became independent of Portugal.
13 - The U.S. Continental Navy is created. (1775)
13 - The cornerstone
of the White House is laid in 1792 by George Washington.
14 – Birth of Quaker founder of Pennsylvania, William Penn
(1644-1718) in London.
15 - Napoleon
Bonaparte arrived on the Island of St. Helena beginning a British-imposed exile
following his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo. (1815)
16 - Yale
University founded in Killingworth, Connecticut, as the Collegiate School of
Connecticut. (1701) The name later changed to Yale College to honor Elihu Yale,
a philanthropist.
Marie Antoinette by Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun |
16 - Birth of
teacher and journalist Noah Webster (1758-1843) in West Hartford, Connecticut.
17 - The
first major victory of the American
Revolutionary War, the Battle of Saratoga, where British General John
Burgoyne and his entire army of 5,700 men surrendered to American General
Horatio Gates. (1777)
18 – In 1685,
the Edict of Nantes is revoked
by King Louis XIV of France, thus depriving Protestant Huguenots of all
religious and civil liberties previously granted to them by Henry IV in 1598.
19 - The
Revolutionary War ended with the surrender of Cornwallis to Washington at
Yorktown. (1781) The final treaty would not be signed until September 3, 1783.
20 - The U.S.
and Britain agreed to set the U.S.- Canadian border at the 49th parallel.
(1818)
20 - Birth of
British architect Christopher Wren (1632-1723) in Wiltshire, in southwestern
England. “Considered one of the greatest minds of his time, he designed St.
Paul's Cathedral and 52 churches for the City of London. His secular buildings
included the ‘new’ wing of Hampton Court near London and Greenwich Hospital,
now the Royal Naval College.”
21 - The
Battle of Trafalgar takes place between the British Royal Navy and the combined
French and Spanish fleets. Britain’s victory ends the threat of Napoleon's
invasion of England, but British naval hero Admiral Horatio Nelson is mortally
wounded aboard his ship Victory. (1805)
26 - The Erie Canal opens, connecting Lake Erie to the
Hudson River. (1825)
27 - The
first of 85 Federalist Papers, written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison,
and John Jay, appeared in print in a New York City newspaper, arguing for the
adoption of the new U.S. Constitution. (1787)
28 - Harvard
University, the oldest institution of higher learning in America, is founded in
Cambridge, Massachusetts, named after John Harvard, a Puritan who donated his
library and half of his estate. (1636)
29 - British
explorer Sir Walter Raleigh is executed in London for treason on orders from
King James I. (1618)
Luther's 1534 Bible |
31 - Martin
Luther nailed his 95
Theses to the door of Wittenberg's palace church, denouncing the selling of
papal indulgences, questioning various ecclesiastical practices, and marking the
beginning of the Protestant Reformation in Germany. (1517)
As always, my thanks to The History Place, Holiday Insights, Marine Corps University, and Wikipedia. :)
As always, my thanks to The History Place, Holiday Insights, Marine Corps University, and Wikipedia. :)
Wow! What interesting facts! Enjoyed reading the post
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for stopping by! :)
DeleteThanks for sharing Shannon. Love reading these interesting facts of our history.
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Tina.