Post by MacBeth on Mar 23, 2009 5:54:46 GMT -5
In 1743, George Frideric Handel's oratorio "Messiah" had its London premiere. (During the "Hallelujah Chorus," Britain's King George II, who was in attendance, stood - followed by the entire audience.)
In 1775, Patrick Henry addressed the Virginia Provincial Convention; according to biographer William Wirt, it was during this speech that Henry declared, "Give me liberty, or give me death!"
In 1792, Joseph Haydn's Symphony No. 94 in G Major (the "Surprise" symphony) was performed publicly for the first time, in London.
In 1806, explorers Lewis and Clark, having reached the Pacific Coast, began their journey back east.
In 1919, Benito Mussolini founded his Fascist political movement in Milan.
In 1933, the German Reichstag adopted the Enabling Act, which effectively granted Adolf Hitler dictatorial powers.
In 1942, during World War II, the U.S. government began moving Japanese-Americans from their West Coast homes to detention centers
In 1956, Pakistan became an Islamic republic.
In 1965, America's first two-person space flight began as Gemini 3 blasted off from Cape Kennedy with astronauts Virgil I. Grissom and John W. Young aboard for a nearly five-hour flight.
In 1983, President Ronald Reagan first proposed developing technology to intercept incoming enemy missiles, a proposal that came to be known as the Strategic Defense Initiative.
In 1989, a 1000-foot diameter asteroid misses the Earth by only 500,000 miles. (Astronomers did not see it until it passed.)
In 1990, former Exxon Valdez Captain Joseph Hazelwood was sentenced by a judge in Anchorage, Alaska, to help clean up Prince William Sound and pay $50,000 in restitution for his role in the nation's worst oil spill.
In 1994, Luis Donaldo Colosio, Mexico's leading presidential candidate, was assassinated in Tijuana.
In 1999, NATO Secretary-General Javier Solana gave the go-ahead for airstrikes against Serbian targets following the failure of Kosovo peace talks.
In 2001, Russia's orbiting Mir space station ended its 15-year odyssey with a planned fiery plunge into the South Pacific.
In 2004, a federal commission said Clinton and Bush administration officials had engaged in lengthy, ultimately fruitless diplomatic efforts instead of military action to try to get Osama bin Laden before the Sept. 11 attacks; top Bush officials countered that the terror attacks would have occurred even if the United States had killed the al-Qaida leader. A report by Medicare trustees said that without changes, the federal health care program would go broke by 2019, seven years earlier than expected.
In 2008, Vice President Dick Cheney visited the West Bank, where Palestinian leaders asked him to pressure Israel to halt settlement construction and voiced other complaints.
In 1775, Patrick Henry addressed the Virginia Provincial Convention; according to biographer William Wirt, it was during this speech that Henry declared, "Give me liberty, or give me death!"
In 1792, Joseph Haydn's Symphony No. 94 in G Major (the "Surprise" symphony) was performed publicly for the first time, in London.
In 1806, explorers Lewis and Clark, having reached the Pacific Coast, began their journey back east.
In 1919, Benito Mussolini founded his Fascist political movement in Milan.
In 1933, the German Reichstag adopted the Enabling Act, which effectively granted Adolf Hitler dictatorial powers.
In 1942, during World War II, the U.S. government began moving Japanese-Americans from their West Coast homes to detention centers
In 1956, Pakistan became an Islamic republic.
In 1965, America's first two-person space flight began as Gemini 3 blasted off from Cape Kennedy with astronauts Virgil I. Grissom and John W. Young aboard for a nearly five-hour flight.
In 1983, President Ronald Reagan first proposed developing technology to intercept incoming enemy missiles, a proposal that came to be known as the Strategic Defense Initiative.
In 1989, a 1000-foot diameter asteroid misses the Earth by only 500,000 miles. (Astronomers did not see it until it passed.)
In 1990, former Exxon Valdez Captain Joseph Hazelwood was sentenced by a judge in Anchorage, Alaska, to help clean up Prince William Sound and pay $50,000 in restitution for his role in the nation's worst oil spill.
In 1994, Luis Donaldo Colosio, Mexico's leading presidential candidate, was assassinated in Tijuana.
In 1999, NATO Secretary-General Javier Solana gave the go-ahead for airstrikes against Serbian targets following the failure of Kosovo peace talks.
In 2001, Russia's orbiting Mir space station ended its 15-year odyssey with a planned fiery plunge into the South Pacific.
In 2004, a federal commission said Clinton and Bush administration officials had engaged in lengthy, ultimately fruitless diplomatic efforts instead of military action to try to get Osama bin Laden before the Sept. 11 attacks; top Bush officials countered that the terror attacks would have occurred even if the United States had killed the al-Qaida leader. A report by Medicare trustees said that without changes, the federal health care program would go broke by 2019, seven years earlier than expected.
In 2008, Vice President Dick Cheney visited the West Bank, where Palestinian leaders asked him to pressure Israel to halt settlement construction and voiced other complaints.