1493 Christopher Columbus sets sail for Spain from Hispaniola, ending his first voyage to the New World. 1541 King Francis I of France gives Jean-François Roberval a commission to settle the province of New France (Canada) and provide for the spread of the “Holy Catholic faith”. 1559 Elizabeth I is crowned Queen of England in… Continue reading
The recently published Committee Study of the Central Intelligence Agency’s Detention and Interrogation Program by the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence has received considerable attention in the media, for good reason. The report provides details on interrogation techniques used on terrorists thought to be involved in the 9/11 attack and other plots to kill American… Continue reading
83 BC Mark Antony (born), Roman general and politician (died 30 BCE) 1514 Pope Leo X issues a papal bull against slavery. 1539 Spain annexes Cuba. 1639 The “Fundamental Orders”, the first written constitution that created a government, is adopted in Connecticut. 1741 Benedict Arnold (born), American-English general (died 1801) 1742 Edmond Halley (died), English… Continue reading
1599 Edmund Spenser (died), English poet (born 1552) 1625 Jan Brueghel the Elder (died), Flemish painter (born 1568) 1691 George Fox (died), English religious leader, founder of the Religious Society of Friends (born 1624) 1815 War of 1812: British troops capture Fort Peter in St. Marys, Georgia, the only battle of the war to take… Continue reading
1519 – Maximilian I (died), Holy Roman Emperor (born 1459) 1665 – Pierre de Fermat (died), French mathematician and lawyer (born 1601) 1723 – Samuel Langdon (born), American clergyman and educator (died 1797) 1724 – Frances Brooke (born), English author and playwright (died 1789) 1822 – Étienne Lenoir (born), French engineer, designed the Internal combustion… Continue reading