This Day In History

January 25, 1905

On this day, at the Premier Mine in Pretoria, South Africa, a 3,106-carat diamond is discovered during a routine inspection by the mine's superintendent. Weighing 1.33 pounds, and christened the "Cullinan," it was the largest diamond ever found.

The Cullinan was later cut into nine large stones and about 100 smaller ones, valued at millions of dollars all told. The largest stone is called the "Star of Africa I," or "Cullinan I," and at 530 carats, it is the largest-cut fine-quality colorless diamond in the world. The second largest stone, the "Star of Africa II" or "Cullinan II," is 317 carats. Both of these stones, as well as the "Cullinan III," are on display in the Tower of London with Britain's other crown jewels; the Cullinan I is mounted in the British Sovereign's Royal Scepter, while the Cullinan II sits in the Imperial State Crown.

On this date in 1786, Daniel Shays led a large group of rebel farmers who attacked the Springfield Armory in Springfield, MA

These rebels had grievances with the Government of Massachusetts, which ranged from land seizure for debts incurred while fighting the Revolutionary War to the paucity of hard currency. Rebels planned to use the armory's weapons to seize control of the state government. The armory was defended by state militia, who fired grape shot at the rebels on January 25, 1787, driving them away. The rebellion was crushed soon afterward.

This event had some influence on the Federal Constitution Convention, in which the United States Constitution was drafted, giving the federal government more power than the individual states. Shays' Rebellion led many of the upper classes, who feared a popular uprising, to vote for the new federal Constitution that supported a stronger central government.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shays'_Rebellion

It always amazes me that the shaping of the United States only happened a few centuries ago!

Eeyore said:

It always amazes me that the shaping of the United States only happened a few centuries ago!

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Absolutely right Eeyore. One only has to travel to Europe, or to most of the rest of the world for that matter, to marvel at some of the structures still standing after thousands of years. But some of the governments are a different story: Italy and Germany were not the united countries we know today until the latter part of the 19th century.

January 26, 1788

The first 736 convicts banished from England to Australia land in Botany Bay. Over the next 60 years, approximately 50,000 criminals were transported from Great Britain to the "land down under," in one of the strangest episodes in criminal-justice history.

Musikmann said:

But some of the governments are a different story: Italy and Germany were not the united countries we know today until the latter part of the 19th century.

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True, and even later, in the case of Germany.

One thing that you see in all (or most?) European countries is that, while the current state structure was formed in the 18th or 19th century (likely after Napoleon), it is still easy to find medieval or earlier constructs in their societies. Even the origin of some 20th century wars on our continent date back to medieval times.

January 26 -

1998, President Bill Clinton forcefully denied having an affair with a former White House intern, telling reporters, "I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky."

in 1997, our third child was born. He's 18 today. Brother and sister are 21 and 25, so I am ancient.

January 26, 1682

The Dutch and Flemish coasts are hit by a devastating flood (one of the many in our history).


[drawing by Jan Luyken]

In late 1874, Allen Pinkerton and his agents learned that Frank and Jessie James periodically returned to their old family farm in Clay County, Missouri, to visit with their mother (Zerelda Samuel) and other family. On the night of January 26, 1875, Pinkerton agents, along with other hired men, surround the homestead of James's mother in the mistaken belief that Frank and Jessie were inside. In an attempt to flush outlaws out, agents threw an incendiary device into the house. According to Zerelda, Frank and Jessie's 9 year old half-brother, Archie Samuel (believed to have suffered from mental retardation), thought the bomb was a stick of wood and tossed it into the fire place. The bomb went off killing Archie instantly and blowing off one of Zerelda's arms. Afterward, Allen Pinkerton denied the raids intent was arson, but a letter by Pinkerton was found in the Library of Congress in which Pinkerton declares his intention to "burn the house down." Peace.

January 27, 1888

On this day, the National Geographic Society is founded in Washington, D.C. for "the increase and diffusion of geographical knowledge."

Happy birthday Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart! (born 1756)

In 1917, Coen de Koning wins the 3rd Elfstedentocht.

Today is International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

January 27, 1945 ... Auschwitz was liberated by Allied troops.

dpm802 said:

Today is International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

January 27, 1945 ... Auschwitz was liberated by Allied troops.

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Which allied troops?

Duckster said:

Which allied troops?

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Red Army.

January 28, 1986 ... I am sure everyone still remembers the terrible shock while watching TV ... explosion of the space shuttle Challenger. None of the seven astronauts (including a school teacher) survives.

January 28 -

1973, a cease-fire officially went into effect in the Vietnam War.

January 28, 1915

In the country's first such action against American shipping interests on the high seas, the captain of a German cruiser orders the destruction of the William P. Frye, an American merchant ship.

January 29 -

1919 - the ratification of the 18th Amendment to the Constitution, which launched Prohibition, was certified by Acting Secretary of State Frank L. Polk.

1936 - the first inductees of baseball's Hall of Fame, including Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth, were named in Cooperstown, New York.

January 29, 1820

Ten years after mental illness forced him to retire from public life, King George III, the British king who lost the American colonies, dies at the age of 82.

Magdeburg, January 29 2011 - A collision between the Harz-Elbe Express and a freight train on the line on 29 January 2011 killed 10 people and injured 23.