On September 25, 1789, the first United States Congress took a landmark step by adopting 12 proposed amendments to the Constitution. These amendments, sent to the states for ratification, laid the groundwork for safeguarding American civil liberties, with ten of them becoming the Bill of Rights. This monumental achievement underscored the new nation’s commitment to establishing fundamental protections for its citizens, shaping the legal framework that still governs the United States today.
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1513: Spanish explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa made history when he became the first European to cross the Isthmus of Panama and glimpse the Pacific Ocean. This discovery marked a pivotal moment in the age of exploration, linking the Old and New Worlds and solidifying Spain’s quest for dominance in the Americas.
1956: The first trans-Atlantic telephone cable, TAT-1, went live, forever transforming global communication. This technological breakthrough was celebrated with a ceremonial three-way call between New York, Ottawa, and London. The cable enabled direct voice communication between continents, laying the foundation for the interconnected world we know today.
1957: In one of the most critical moments of the U.S. civil rights movement, nine Black students, known as the Little Rock Nine, returned to Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, under the protection of the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division. These brave students faced intense hostility from unruly white crowds, yet their courage and determination became a symbol of the fight for desegregation and equality in American education.
1978: A devastating mid-air collision over San Diego claimed 144 lives when a Pacific Southwest Airlines Boeing 727 and a private Cessna aircraft collided. This tragedy not only shocked the nation but also led to sweeping changes in aviation safety protocols, making the skies safer for travelers in the years to come.
2005: In a significant step towards peace, the Irish Republican Army (IRA) decommissioned its entire arsenal of weapons, ending a 36-year armed campaign for a united Ireland. Under the watchful eye of disarmament observers, this act marked a turning point in the Northern Ireland peace process, bringing hope for a future free of violence.
2012: Addressing the U.N. General Assembly, President Barack Obama condemned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for his brutal crackdown on dissenters. He reaffirmed U.S. support for the Syrian people in their fight to overthrow Assad, describing him as “a dictator who massacres his own people.” This speech emphasized the global stakes in Syria’s civil war, drawing attention to human rights violations on the international stage.
2013: Skipper Jimmy Spithill led Oracle Team USA to a historic victory in the America’s Cup, pulling off one of the greatest comebacks in sports history. After being down 8-1 in a best-of-17 series, Oracle Team USA stormed back to defeat Emirates Team New Zealand in a thrilling final race. This remarkable feat showcased the power of persistence, strategy, and innovation in the world of competitive sailing.
2018: Disgraced entertainer Bill Cosby was sentenced to three to 10 years in prison for drugging and sexually assaulting a woman at his home in Pennsylvania. This sentencing was a landmark moment in the #MeToo movement, holding a once-beloved public figure accountable for his actions. Although Cosby’s conviction was overturned in 2021, the case highlighted the broader societal reckoning around sexual misconduct and abuse of power.
Today in History: November 15
Today in History: November 15: On Nov. 15, 1777, the Second Continental Congress approved the Articles of Confederation. In 1806, explorer Zebulon Pike sighted the mountaintop now known as Pikes Peak in present-day Colorado. In 1864, late in the U.S. Civil War, Union forces led by Major General William Tecumseh Sherman began their “March to the Sea.” In 1988 The Palestinian Declaration of Independence formally established the State of Palestine.
Today in History: November 14
Today in History: November 14. On November 14, 1889, journalist Nellie Bly began an attempt to travel around the world in 80 days; she would successfully complete the journey in just over 72 days. In 1851, Herman Melville’s novel ‘Moby-Dick; Or, The Whale’ was published in the United States, almost a month after being released in Britain. In 1960, six-year-old Ruby Bridges became the first Black child to desegregate William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans. In 1965, the U.S. Army’s first major military operation of the Vietnam War began with the start of the five-day Battle of Ia Drang.In 1993, Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula became the NFL’s all-time winningest coach with a victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.
Today in History: November 13
Today in History: November 13:On Nov. 13, 2015, Islamic State militants carried out a set of coordinated attacks in Paris at the national stadium, in a crowded concert hall, in restaurants and on streets, killing 130 people in the worst attack on French soil since World War II. In 1956, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed a lower court ruling which found Alabama bus segregation laws were illegal. In 1971, the U.S. space probe Mariner 9 went into orbit around Mars, becoming the first spacecraft to orbit another planet. In 1982, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated on the National Mall in Washington, DC. In 1985, some 23,000 residents of Armero, Colombia, died when a volcanic mudslide buried the city. In 2001, U.S.-backed Northern Alliance fighters in Afghanistan entered Kabul as Taliban forces retreated from the capital city.
Today in History: November 12
Today in History: On November 12: 1954, Ellis Island officially closed as an immigration station and detention center. More than 12 million immigrants arrived in the United States via Ellis Island between 1892 and 1954. In 1927, Josef Stalin became the undisputed ruler of the Soviet Union as Leon Trotsky was expelled from the Communist Party. In 1936, the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge opened as President Franklin D. Roosevelt pressed a telegraph key in Washington, D.C., and gave the green light to traffic. In 1948, former Japanese premier Hideki Tojo and several other World War II Japanese leaders were sentenced to death by a war crimes tribunal. In 1970, the Bhola cyclone struck East Pakistan, now Bangladesh. The deadliest tropical cyclone on record claimed the lives of an estimated 300,000-500,000 people.
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