| (1279 BCE) A great pharaoh takes the Egyptian throne
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A reign that will last 66 years begins, as Ramesses II becomes Pharaoh of Egypt under the 19th Dynasty. He will go on a building spree of massive proportions, soundly defeat many enemies, bolster his kingdom’s economy and territory, and live an impressive 90 or so years. . |
| (1859) London’s parliament building gets a really large timepiece
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| Set 316 feet above the Houses of Parliament, a new clock looks out over London, calibrated twice daily with Greenwich Observatory to ensure exact timekeeping. The booming chimes from its 13.5-ton ‘Big Ben’ bell, and its four 23-foot-diameter clock faces, will come to symbolize London.. |
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| (1889) 20 million tons of water wipes out Johnstown, Pennsylvania
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A deluge of rainfall and a deteriorating dam lead to one of America’s worst disasters when the South Fork Dam breaks apart above Johnstown, Pennsylvania, releasing a torrent of destruction. A 60-foot-high wall of water and debris half a mile wide roars 14 miles downriver, killing 2,209.. |
| (1902) UK claims more of South Africa after bloody Boer War
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| The 20th century’s first large-scale international conflict ends when the British Empire claims victory over the South African Republic and the Orange Free State in South Africa. Tens of thousands of human lives were lost, and an astounding 300,000 horses perished, in the Second Boer War.. |
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