1793

Today in History 09/05 (Reign of Terror)

Leave a Comment
Execution in 1794 of Robespierre, French revolutionary, who was declared an outlaw by the Convention and he was sent to the guillotine with his supporters (© Art Media/Print Collector/Getty Images)(1793) After the revolution a bloody power struggle takes its toll
In France, a Committee of Public Safety is set up to deal with government enemies in the wake of the monarchy’s overthrow. But safety will not be maintained as in-fighting reaches epic proportions, leaving tens of thousands dead, many by the “National Razor” (guillotine), during the 11-month Reign of Terror.
The Reign of Terror, or The Terror, is the label given by most historians to a period during the French Revolution after the First French Republic was established. Several historians consider the “reign of terror” to have begun in 1793, placing the starting date at either 5 September, June or March, while some consider it to have begun in September 1792, or even July 1789, but there is a consensus that it ended with the fall of Maximilien Robespierre in July 1794.
Start date: Sep 05, 1793
End date: Jul 28, 1794

Execution of the Girondins
The execution of the Girondins
wiki/Reign_of_Terror
4.15.A18

(1793) After the revolution a bloody power struggle takes its toll.
Also on this day,

1914 | Military might turns the tide on the Marne
World War I’s Allied forces take the upper hand for the first time as more than a million French and British soldiers begin to drive back hundreds of thousands of German fighters advancing on Paris at the First Battle of the Marne. The three-day clash will see roughly 500,000 killed or wounded.
1957 | Sal and Dean hit the road in a bold Beat manifesto as ‘On the Road’ published
Reading more like a prose poem than a novel, the 320-page semiautobiographical work published today journeys across sunbaked tarmacs to define the ethos of the Beat Generation. The rambling, stream-of-consciousness travelogue, ‘On the Road,’ will also launch author Jack Kerouac into the literary stratosphere.
1972 | ‘Black September’ terrorists take Israeli athletes hostage during Munich Olympics
Munich’s Olympic Games are plunged into panic after Palestinian terrorists storm the Olympic Village rooms housing Israeli athletes and staff, killing two, and taking dozens hostage. A rescue attempt by German authorities at the Munich airport will be botched, resulting in the deaths of nine Israelis, five terrorists, and a West German police officer.

Today in History 09/05/17

French infantry in action during WWI (Bibliothèque nationale de France/Public Domain)(1914) Military might turns the tide on the Marne
World War I's Allied forces take the upper hand for the first time as more than a million French and British soldiers begin to drive back hundreds of thousands of German fighters advancing on Paris at the First Battle of the Marne. The three-day clash will see roughly 500,000 killed or wounded.
The Battle of the Marne was a World War I battle fought from 6–10 September 1914. It resulted in an Allied victory against the German armies in the west. The battle was the culmination of the German advance into France and pursuit of the Allied armies which followed the Battle of the Frontiers in August and had reached the eastern outskirts of Paris. A counter-attack by six French armies and the British Expeditionary Force along the Marne River forced the Imperial German Army to retreat north-west, leading to the First Battle of the Aisne and the Race to the Sea. The battle was a victory for the Allies but led to four years of trench warfare stalemate on the Western Front.
Start date: Sep 06, 1914
End date: Sep 10, 1914
German and Allied positions, 23 August - 5 September 1914
German and Allied positions, 23 August – 5 September 1914

wiki/First_Battle_of_the_Marne
4.4.j17


Today in History 08/10 (Smithsonian Institution)

Exterior view of the Smithsonian Institution in 1967 (© Bettmann Archive/Getty Images)(1846) Senate establishes Smithsonian Institution
The US Senate passes the act organizing the Smithsonian Institution, which will be signed into law by President James K. Polk. The Smithsonian will eventually become the world’s largest museum complex and ‘the nation’s attic,’ with 154 million items in 19 museums, plus a zoo and several research facilities.
The Smithsonian Institution, established on August 10, 1846 “for the increase and diffusion of knowledge,” is a group of museums and research centers administered by the Government of the United States. The institution is named after its founding donor, British scientist James Smithson. Originally organized as the “United States National Museum,” that name ceased to exist as an administrative entity in 1967.
Website: www.si.edu
Customer service: +1 2026331000
Address: 1000 Jefferson Dr SW, Washington, DC 20560
Founders: James Smithson · Joseph Henry · Joel Roberts Poinsett
Architects: Norman Foster · James Renwick, Jr. · Gordon Bunshaft · James Polshek · Charles A. Platt · George Keister · Almus Pratt Evans · Lewis Shulman · Paul L. Wood
Established: Aug 10, 1846

Smithsonian Building
The “Castle” (1847), the Institution’s first building and still its headquarters
wiki/Smithsonian_Institution
4.13.j18

(1846) Senate establishes Smithsonian Institution.
Also on this day,

1519 | Magellan’s fleet sets sail to circle the globe
Explorer Ferdinand Magellan leads a fleet of five Spanish ships bound westward for an Atlantic crossing, then to sail into what Magellan will name the ‘Mar Pacifico,’ meaning ‘peaceful sea.’ He will die before his one surviving vessel completes the first circumnavigation of the Earth.
1793 | Revolutionaries open French royal art collection to the public
France’s revolutionary government opens to the public what used to be a grand royal residence, displaying a previously private collection of 537 paintings and 184 objects. Paris’ Louvre Museum will grow to hold almost 35,000 works and become the world’s most visited art museum.
1948 | Smile! ‘Candid Camera’ makes its TV debut
The hidden-camera show hits the TV screen a year after its debut on radio as ‘Candid Microphone.’ Creator Allen Funt hosts, playing practical jokes on celebrities as well as ordinary people. The show and specials will air on-and-off for decades.

Today in History 08/10/17

Portrait of Ferdinand Magellan (© DeAgostini/Getty Images)(1519) Magellan's fleet sets sail to circle the globe
Explorer Ferdinand Magellan leads a fleet of five Spanish ships bound westward for an Atlantic crossing, then to sail into what Magellan will name the 'Mar Pacifico,' meaning 'peaceful sea.' He will die before his one surviving vessel completes the first circumnavigation of the Earth.
Ferdinand Magellan was a Portuguese explorer who organised the Spanish expedition to the East Indies from 1519 to 1522, resulting in the first circumnavigation of the Earth, completed by Juan Sebastián Elcano.
Born: 1480 · Sabrosa, Portugal
Died: Apr 27, 1521 · Mactan, Philippines
Spouse: María Caldera Beatriz Barbosa
Children: Rodrigo de Magalhães (Son) · Carlos de Magalhães (Son)
Parents: Rodrigo de Magalhães (Father) · Alda de Mesquita (Mother)
Siblings: Genebra de Magalhães (Sister) · Aires de Magalhães (Sister) · Diogo de Sousa (Brother) · Isabel de Magalhães · Duarte de Sousa
Highlights
  • 1511: In 1511, under the new governor Afonso de Albuquerque, Magellan and Serrão participated in the conquest of Malacca.

  • 1512: After the conquest their ways parted: Magellan was promoted, with a rich plunder and, in the company of a Malay he had indentured and baptized Enrique of Malacca, he returned to Portugal in 1512.

  • 1517: In October 1517 in Seville, Magellan contacted Juan de Aranda, Factor of the Casa de Contratación.

  • 1518: On 22 March 1518 the king named Magellan and Faleiro captains so that they could travel in search of the Spice Islands in July.

  • 1519: On 10 August 1519, the five ships under Magellan's command left Seville and descended the Guadalquivir River to Sanlúcar de Barrameda, at the mouth of the river.

  • 1521: Ferdinand Magellan died on April 27, 1521 in Mactan, Philippines.

Magellan Elcano Circumnavigation
The Magellan–Elcano voyage. Victoria, one of the original five ships, circumnavigated the globe, finishing 16 months after Magellan's death.

wiki/Ferdinand_Magellan
4.4.j17


Today in History 07/22 (Battle of Salamanca)

Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, enters Salamanca before the Battle of Salamanca in Spain (© Hulton Archive/Getty Images)(1812) French are routed at Salamanca by Wellington
His historic battle with Napoleon at Waterloo less than three years away, Arthur Wellesley, Earl of Wellington, helps liberate Madrid as he leads Anglo-Portuguese units against France in the Battle of Salamanca, an offensive that will garner him great praise and a rapid military rise.
In Battle of Salamanca an Anglo-Portuguese army under the Duke of Wellington defeated Marshal Auguste Marmont’s French forces among the hills around Arapiles, south of Salamanca, Spain on 22 July 1812 during the Peninsular War. A Spanish division was also present but took no part in the battle.
Date: Jul 22, 1812

Battle of Salamanca 22 July 1812
W & A.K. Johnston Battle of Salamanca 22 July 1812 published by William Blackwood & Sons 1870
wiki/Battle_of_Salamanca
4.13.j18

(1812) French are routed at Salamanca by Wellington.
Also on this day,

1587 | English colonists land at Roanoke Island
Hundreds of English settlers arrive on Roanoke Island, off the coast of present-day North Carolina. Although a previous colony on the island had vanished, Sir Walter Raleigh hopes this second colony will flourish. But three years later, relief ships will find it completely deserted, and the Lost Colony of Roanoke will become a haunting mystery.
1793 | Explorer completes crossing of North America
Twelve years before Lewis and Clark reach the Pacific, Scottish explorer Alexander Mackenzie finishes a North American cross-continental trip in what will be Canada. Mackenzie will lay the groundwork for Britain’s settlement of Canada and future continent-spanning expeditions further south.
1934 | Dillinger’s criminal career ends in a hail of bullets
John Dillinger’s seemingly superhuman skill at prison breaks, evading police raids, and literally getting away with murder finally falters as he leaves Chicago’s Biograph Theater. His companion, brothel owner Anna Sage, has set him up and he’s shot while attempting to flee police.

Today in History 07/22/17

Illustration depicting John White and others as they find a tree into which is carved the word 'Croatoan,' Roanoke Island, NC, 1590 (© Stock Montage/Getty Images)(1587) English colonists land at Roanoke Island
Hundreds of English settlers arrive on Roanoke Island, off the coast of present-day North Carolina. Although a previous colony on the island had vanished, Sir Walter Raleigh hopes this second colony will flourish. But three years later, relief ships will find it completely deserted, and the Lost Colony of Roanoke will become a haunting mystery.
The Roanoke Colony, also known as the Lost Colony, was established in 1585 on Roanoke Island in what is today's Dare County, North Carolina. It was a late 16th-century attempt by Queen Elizabeth I to establish a permanent English settlement in North America. The colony was founded by Sir Walter Raleigh.
Founded: 1585
Roanoke Map 1584

wiki/Roanoke_Colony
4.3.j17


Today in History 07/13 (The Death of Marat)

The Death of Marat' painting by Jacques-Louis David showing the murdered French revolutionary leader Jean-Paul Marat (© Sergio Anelli/Electa/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images)(1793) Clash of ideologies ends in a bathtub assassination
As French revolutionary leader Jean-Paul Marat lays in his bath, Royalist sympathizer Charlotte Corday stabs him in the chest with a kitchen knife and kills him. The act will lead to her being guillotined, and also inspire the famous Jacques-Louis David painting, ‘The Death of Marat.’
The Death of Marat is a 1793 painting by Jacques-Louis David of the murdered French revolutionary leader Jean-Paul Marat. It is one of the most famous images of the French Revolution. David was the leading French painter, as well as a Montagnard and a member of the revolutionary Committee of General Security. The painting shows the radical journalist lying dead in his bath on 13 July 1793 after his murder by Charlotte Corday. Painted in the months after Marat’s murder, it has been described by T. J. Clark as the first modernist painting, for “the way it took the stuff of politics as its material, and did not transmute it”.
Date completed: 1793
Artist: Jacques-Louis David
Subject: Jean-Paul Marat
Period: Neoclassicism
Location: Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium
Genre: History painting

Jacques-Louis David - Marat assassinated - Google Art Project
Jacques-Louis David – Marat assassinated – Google Art Project
wiki/The_Death_of_Marat
4.12.j18

(1793) Clash of ideologies ends in a bathtub assassination.
Also on this day,

1863 | US Civil War draft incites huge riots
Racial tensions and class warfare mix into a deadly brew as a protest by working-class whites against newly enacted Civil War draft laws spiral out of control into a city-spanning riot. Some 120 die and thousands are injured, with New York City’s black population the target of racist violence.
1977 | Blackout plunges New York City into chaos
Lightning strikes upstate power lines, resulting in a cascade of electrical station failures that plunge New York City into darkness. For the next 25 hours, scores of people are trapped in elevators and subway trains, while looting, arson, and panic break out in the hot summer streets.
1985 | Multi-continent one-day charity concert kicks off
An estimated 1.9 billion viewers in 150 countries tune in to Live Aid, a TV charity event of enormous scope featuring an array of rock and roll legends playing simultaneously in front of 100,000 in Philadelphia and 72,000 in London to raise money for African famine relief.

Today in History 07/13/17

Engraving of the draft riots on Lexington Avenue, New York City, July 13, 1863 (© Getty Images)(1863) US Civil War draft incites huge riots
Racial tensions and class warfare mix into a deadly brew as a protest by working-class whites against newly enacted Civil War draft laws spiral out of control into a city-spanning riot. Some 120 die and thousands are injured, with New York City's black population the target of racist violence.
The New York draft riots, known at the time as Draft Week, were violent disturbances in Lower Manhattan, widely regarded as the culmination of working-class discontent with new laws passed by Congress that year to draft men to fight in the ongoing American Civil War. The riots remain the largest civil and racial insurrection in American history, aside from the Civil War itself.
Start date: Jul 13, 1863
End date: Jul 16, 1863

wiki/New_York_City_draft_riots
4.2.m17


Today in History 05/15/17

Illustration of Diego Marín Aguilera (Public Domain Via Wikimedia Commons)(1793) Spanish inventor glides over the countryside on wings
On a moonlit night, Diego Marín Aguilera flies on his invention made of iron, wood, and a myriad of feathers. He soars some 500 yards over Coruña del Conde, Spain, before landing. Others see his glider as heretical and they will burn it, ending Aguilera’s budding career in aviation.
Diego Marín Aguilera was a Spanish inventor who was an early aviation pioneer. Born in Coruña del Conde, Marín became the head of his household after his father died and had to take care of his seven siblings. He worked as an agricultural laborer, tending his animals and fields. Marín spent long afternoons and days herding sheep in the surrounding fields.
Born: 1757
Died: 1799

wiki/Diego_Marín_Aguilera
Mickey Mouse in 'Plane Crazy,' 1928 (© Walt Disney Pictures/Ronald Grant Archive/Alamy)(1928) A mouse named Mickey makes his debut
Screened before a test audience, a silent short animated film made by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks fails to find a movie distributor. The lead character of ‘Plane Crazy,’ Mickey Mouse, won’t be fated to obscurity however, as his second outing, ‘Steamboat Willie,’ makes a big splash.
Inspired by Lindbergh’s flight from New York to Paris, Mickey builds a plane to take Minnie for a trip involving some necking, though Minnie objects to the necking.
Release date: May 15, 1928 (United States)
Directors: Walt Disney · Ub Iwerks
Estimated budget: $3,528 USD
Music by: Carl Stalling
IMDB: www.imdb.com/title/tt0019278

wiki/Plane_Crazy
Alabama Governor George Wallace and his wife, Cornelia, hold up newspaper with headline 'Wallace wins in Maryland, Michigan, Democratic Presidential primaries.' May 17, 1972 (© Everett Collection/REX)(1972) Assassination attempt fells US presidential candidate
Arthur Bremer shoots Alabama governor and US presidential hopeful George Wallace as he campaigns at a Maryland shopping center. Wallace survives the assassination attempt, but will be paralyzed from the waist down the rest of his life.
George Corley Wallace Jr. was an American politician and the 45th Governor of Alabama, having served two nonconsecutive terms and two consecutive terms as a Democrat: 1963–1967, 1971–1979 and 1983–1987. Wallace has the third longest gubernatorial tenure in post-Constitutional U.S. history, at 16 years and four days. He was a U.S. Presidential candidate for four consecutive elections, in which he sought the Democratic Party nomination in 1964, 1972, and 1976, and was the American Independent Party candidate in the 1968 presidential election. He remains the last third-party candidate to receive pledged electoral college votes from any state.
Lived: Aug 25, 1919 – Sep 13, 1998 (age 79)
Height: 5′ 7″ (1.70 m)
Parties: Dixiecrat · Democratic Party
Education: University of Alabama · University of Alabama School of Law
Related movies: Selma
Previous offices: Governor of Alabama (1983 – 1987) · Governor of Alabama (1971 – 1979) · Governor of Alabama (1963 – 1967)
Highlights
  • 1943: George Wallace married Lurleen Wallace on May 21, 1943; their marriage lasted 25 years till May 07, 1968.

  • 1963: Wallace took the oath of office on January 14, 1963, standing on the gold star marking the spot where, nearly 102 years earlier, Jefferson Davis was sworn in as provisional president of the Confederate States of America.

  • 1966: He felt somewhat vindicated when Republicans in Idaho denied renomination in 1966 to Governor Robert E. Smylie, author of the article entitled “Why I Feel Sorry for Lurleen Wallace.”

  • 1971: On January 4, 1971, Wallace wed the former Cornelia Ellis Snively (1939–2009), a niece of former Alabama Governor Jim Folsom, known as “Big Jim”.

  • 1982: In the 1982 Alabama gubernatorial Democratic primary, Wallace’s main opponents were Lieutenant Governor George McMillan and Alabama House Speaker Joe McCorquodale.

  • 1998: Wallace died of septic shock from a bacterial infection in Jackson Hospital in Montgomery on September 13, 1998.

wiki/George_Wallace
Hip hop artists Run-D.M.C. (© Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)(1986) Run-D.M.C. breaks through
The hip-hop group releases its third album, which includes a collaboration with Aerosmith on a new version of the band’s hit ‘Walk This Way.’ ‘Raising Hell’ will expand rap’s popularity to MTV and a broader audience, selling more than 3 million copies.
Raising Hell is the third studio album by hip hop group Run–D.M.C.. The breakthrough album trumped standing perceptions of commercial viability for hip-hop groups, achieving triple-platinum status and receiving critical attention from quarters that had previously ignored hip hop, dismissing it as a fad.
Release year: 1986
Genre: Hip Hop, Old School Hip Hop
Label: Arista
Artist: Run-D.M.C.

wiki/Raising_Hell_(album)
4.1.m17