6 March: Did you know?

Did you know that on this day in 1788 the First Fleet arrives at Norfolk Island in order to found a convict settlement? Or that it was on this day in 1836, during the Texas Revolution at the Battle of the Alamo, after a thirteen day siege by an army of 3,000 Mexican troops, the 187 Texas volunteers, including frontiersman Davy Crockett and colonel Jim Bowie, defending the Alamo are killed and the fort is captured?

And on this day in 1869 Dmitri Mendeleev presents the first periodic table to the Russian Chemical Society, in 1899 Bayer registers aspirin as a trademark, in 1957 Ghana becomes the first Sub-Saharan country to gain Independence from the British, in 1968 the first of the East L.A. Walkouts take place at several high schools and in 1983 the first United States Football League game is played.

Some birthdays you may want to remember on this day are Michelangelo, Italian artist and sculptor (1475-1564), Cyrano de Bergerac, French soldier, poet (1619-1655), Elizabeth Barrett Browning, British poet (1806-1861), Lou Costello, American actor and comedian (1906-1959), Alan Greenspan, American economist (1926), Kiri Te Kanawa, New Zealander opera singer (1944), Shaquille O’Neal, American basketball player (1972) and Kevin-Prince Boateng, Ghanaian/German footballer (1987).

Need a reason to raise a glass of bubbly on this day? Perhaps you would find the celebration of Alamo Day (Texas) or Foundation Day, the founding of Norfolk Island in 1788. (Territory of Norfolk Island) worthy enough causes for a drink?

For more information about historic events on this day, please go here.

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26 January: Did you know?

Did you know that it was on this day in 1564 the Council of Trent issues its conclusions in the Tridentinum, establishing a distinction between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism? Or that it was on this day in 1700 the magnitude 9 Cascadia Earthquake takes place off the west coast of the North America, as evidenced by Japanese records?

And on this day in 1788 the British First Fleet, led by Arthur Phillip, sails into Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour) to establish Sydney, the first permanent European settlement on the continent, which is commemorated as Australia Day, in 1905 the world’s largest diamond ever, the Cullinan weighing 3,106.75 carats (0.62135 kg), is found at the Premier Mine near Pretoria in South Africa, in 1911 Richard Strauss‘ opera Der Rosenkavalier receives its debut performance at the Dresden State Opera, in 1942, during World War II, the first United States forces arrive in Europe landing in Northern Ireland and in 1950 the Constitution of India comes into force, forming a republic. Rajendra Prasad is sworn in as its first President of India and the day is observed as Republic Day in India.

It was also on this day in 1980 that  Israel and Egypt establish diplomatic relations, in 1998, during the Lewinsky scandal, on American television, U.S. President Bill Clinton denies having had “sexual relations” with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky and in 2004 a whale explodes in the town of Tainan, Taiwan. A build-up of gas in the decomposing sperm whale is suspected of causing the explosion (I don’t think Bill Clinton had anything to do with the explosion on the whale, though).

Some birthdays you may want to remember on this day are Maria von Trapp, Austrian-born singer (1905-1987), Nicolae Ceauşescu, Romanian dictator (1918-1989), Paul Newman, American actor, philanthropist, race car driver and race team owner (1925-2008), Roger Vadim, French film director and actor (1928-2000), Ellen DeGeneres, American actress and comedian (1958), Wayne Gretzky, Canadian ice hockey player (1961) and José Mourinho, Portuguese football manager (1963).

Need a reason to raise a glass of bubbly on this day? Why not join me (and every Australian I know) in celebrating Australia Day (Australia)?

For more information about historic events on this day, please go here.

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20 January: Did you know?

Did you know that on this day in 1523 Christian II is forced to abdicate as King of Denmark and Norway? Or that it was on this day in 1788 the third and main part of First Fleet arrives at Botany Bay? Arthur Phillip decides that Botany Bay is unsuitable for the location of a penal colony, and decides to move to Port Jackson.

And on this day in 1885 L.A. Thompson patents the roller coaster, in 1929 In Old Arizona, the first full-length talking motion picture filmed outdoors, is released, in 1936 Edward VIII becomes King of the United Kingdom, in 1945, towards the end of World War II, Germany begins the evacuation of 1.8 million people from East Prussia, a task which will take nearly two months, in 1981 twenty minutes after Ronald Reagan is inaugurated, at age 69 the oldest man ever to be inaugurated as U.S. President, Iran releases 52 American hostages and in 2006 witnesses report seeing a bottlenose whale swimming in the River Thames, the first time the species had been seen in the Thames since records began in 1913.

Some birthdays to remember on this day are Federico Fellini, Italian film director (1920-1993), Buzz Aldrin, American astronaut (1930), David Lynch, American film director (1946), Paul Stanley, American musician (Kiss) (1952), Lorenzo Lamas, American actor (1958), Sophie, Countess of Wessex, the wife of Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex (1965), Gary Barlow, English singer (Take That) (1971) and Will Young, British singer (1979). It was also on this day in 1993 that Audrey Hepburn, Anglo-Dutch actress (b. 1929) passed away.

Need a reason to raise a glass of bubbly on this day? Well, since it’s not an inauguration year in the US you might have to look into the celebration of Armed Forces Day (Mali) or Martyrs’ Day (Azerbaijan).

For more information about historic events on this day, please go here.

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