Today in History 05/14/17

Settlers landing on the site of Jamestown, Virginia, the first permanent English settlement in America (MPI/Getty Images)(1607) English colonists put down roots in America
The Virginia Company of London finds a suitable parcel of land 40 miles from the sea on which to build a fortified settlement. Jamestown, named for the English king, will be the first permanent English colony in America, and arguably the first arm of the future British Empire.
The Jamestown settlement in the Colony of Virginia was the first permanent English settlement in the Americas. William Kelso writes that Jamestown “is where the British Empire began.” Jamestown was established by the Virginia Company of London as “James Fort” on May 4, 1607, and was considered permanent after brief abandonment in 1610. It followed several earlier failed attempts, including the Lost Colony of Roanoke. Jamestown served as the capital of the colony of Virginia for 83 years, from 1616 until 1699.
Points of interest: Historic Jamestowne · Jamestown Church · John Smith Statue · Ambler House · James Fort · Tercentenary Monument · Archaearium · Pocahontas Statue · Hunt Shrine

wiki/Jamestown,_Virginia
Painting of British physician and naturalist, Edward Jenner (© James Northcote)(1796) Scourge of smallpox meets its match
English scientist Edward Jenner inoculates a patient with the cowpox pathogen, thereby immunizing him from smallpox, a highly infectious, scarring plague that has already killed millions. Jenner has created the world’s first vaccine and will be called ‘the father of immunology.’
Smallpox vaccine, the first successful vaccine to be developed, was introduced by Edward Jenner in 1796. He followed up his observation that milkmaids who had previously caught cowpox did not later catch smallpox by showing that inoculated cowpox protected against inoculated smallpox. The word “vaccine” is derived from Variolae vaccinae (i.e. smallpox of the cow), the term devised by Jenner to denote cowpox and used in the long title of his An enquiry into the causes and effects of Variolae vaccinae, known by the name of cow pox. Vaccination, the term which soon replaced cowpox inoculation and vaccine inoculation, was first used in print by Jenner’s friend, Richard Dunning in 1800. Initially, the terms vaccine/vaccination referred only to smallpox, but in 1881 Louis Pasteur proposed that to honour Jenner the terms be widened to cover the new protective inoculations being introduced.
wiki/Smallpox_vaccine
David Ben Gurion reads out the declaration of the founding of the State of Israel in Tel Aviv (© Keystone/Getty Images)(1948) Israel is declared an independent state
Declaring itself independent from the British Mandate of Palestine, the Jewish state of Israel is established, and a provisional government put in place. The next day, the Arab-Israeli War will begin, and last for more than nine months before a ceasefire is announced.

The History of Israel encompasses the Jewish history in the Land of Israel, as well as the history of the modern State of Israel. Modern Israel and the West Bank are roughly located on the site of the ancient kingdoms of Israel and Judah. It is the birthplace of the Hebrew language and of the Abrahamic religions, and contains sites sacred to Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Samaritanism, Druze and Bahá’í Faith.

Although coming under the sway of various empires and home to a variety of ethnicities, the Land of Israel was predominantly Jewish until the 3rd century. The area became increasingly Christian after the 3rd century and then largely Muslim following the 7th century conquest and until the middle of the 20th century. It was a focal point of conflict between Christianity and Islam between 1096 and 1291, and from the end of the Crusades was part of the Syrian province of first the Mamluk Sultanate and then the Ottoman Empire until the British conquest in 1917.

A Jewish national movement, Zionism, emerged in the late-19th century. Following the British capture of Ottoman territories in the Levant, the Balfour Declaration in World War I and the formation of the Mandate of Palestine, Aliyah (Jewish immigration to the Land of Israel) increased, causing Arab–Jewish tensions and a collision of the Arab and Jewish nationalist movements. Israeli independence in 1948 was marked by massive migration of Jews from both Europe and the Muslim countries to Israel, and of Arabs from Israel, followed by the extensive Arab–Israeli conflict. About 43% of the world’s Jews live in Israel today, the largest Jewish community in the world.

Since about 1970, the United States has become the principal ally of Israel. In 1979 an uneasy Egypt–Israel Peace Treaty was signed, based on the Camp David Accords. In 1993, Israel signed Oslo I Accord with the Palestine Liberation Organization, followed by establishment of the Palestinian National Authority and in 1994 Israel–Jordan peace treaty was signed. Despite efforts to finalize the peace agreement, the conflict continues to play a major role in Israeli and international political, social and economic life.

The economy of Israel was initially primarily socialist and the country dominated by social democratic parties until the 1970s. Since then the Israeli economy has gradually moved to capitalism and a free market economy, partially retaining the social welfare system.


wiki/History_of_Israel
The cast of ‘Seinfeld,’ from left, Jerry Seinfeld, Jason Alexander, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Michael Richards (© George Lange/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)(1998) Final episode of ‘Seinfeld’ airs
After nine seasons, the ‘show about nothing’ that introduced TV viewers to Monk’s Café, Festivus, The Soup Nazi—yada yada yada— says goodbye. The 75-minute finale attracts more than 76 million viewers, though reactions from fans and critics are mixed at best.
Jerry Seinfeld stars in this television comedy series as himself, a comedian. The premise of this sitcom is Jerry and his friends going through everyday life, discussing various quirky situations that we can all relate to (especially if we live in New York). The eccentric personalities of the offbeat characters who make up Jerry’s social circle contribute to the fun.
First episode: Jul 05, 1989
Episode duration: 22 minutes
Creators: Jerry Seinfeld · Larry David
Theme song: Seinfeld Theme Song
Producers: Jerry Seinfeld · Larry David · Alec Berg · Jeff Schaffer · George Shapiro · Andrew Scheinman
Awards: Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series · Peabody Award · Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy · Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series · Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series · Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

wiki/Seinfeld
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