Pact of the League of Arab States signed, 1945
The late-nineteenth century saw the emergence of an Arab patriotism that opposed Ottoman rule. The British exploited this opposition during the First World War by sending Captain T. E. Lawrence…
First seaplane flight, 1910
On 28th March 1910, Henri Fabre made the first successful flight in a seaplane at Martigues, near Marseilles. Fabre took four years to design and build the Fabre Hydravion, nicknamed…
First Rugby Union international, 1871
The issue of the sporting journal Bell’s Weekly published on 8th December 1870 included the following challenge issued by the captains of five Scottish rugby clubs: “with a view of…
Ludwig van Beethoven died, 1827
Ludwig van Beethoven was born in Bonn, then part of the Electorate of Cologne, in December 1770. He came from a musical family: his grandfather was musical director at the…
The United States Mint established, 1792
On 2nd April 1792, the U.S. Congress passed An act establishing a mint, and regulating the Coins of the United States, more commonly known as The Coinage Act. This legislation…
Eiffel Tower inaugurated, 1889
In 1884, the French structural engineer and architect, Gustave Eiffel, started to draw up plans for a 300-metre tall iron tower. He submitted his design as an entrance arch to…
The Beatles held the top five slots on U.S. singles chart, 1964
In April 1963, The Beatles had their first number one hit single in the United Kingdom. “From Me To You” was the first of eleven consecutive singles released by the…
First modern Olympiad, 1896
On 6th April 1896, the Greek King, George I, officially opened the first summer Olympic games of the modern period at the Panathinaiko Stadium in Athens, Greece, with the words:…
Prohibition ended in Finland, 1932
At 10 am on the 5th April 1932, the shops of Oy Alkoholiliike Ab opened for the first time for the sale of alcohol, ending nearly thirteen years of prohibition.…
Louisiana claimed for France, 1682
On 9th April, 1682, René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, claimed the Mississippi basin in the name of the France by erecting a cross and a column, and by burying…