TODAY IN HISTORY: MARCH 22

 

March 22

March 22nd is an ordinary day for most people, but it holds significant historical events and notable individuals that have left a lasting impact on the world. From scientific breakthroughs to political milestones, let's delve into the importance of March 22nd.

One significant event that took place on March 22nd was the birth of the famous German composer Johann Sebastian Bach in 1685. Bach's music has stood the test of time, and he is considered one of the greatest composers in history. His compositions, including the Brandenburg Concertos and the Well-Tempered Clavier, continue to inspire and captivate audiences around the globe.

Another notable individual born on this day is Andrew Lloyd Webber, a renowned English composer and musical theatre impresario. Responsible for iconic musicals such as \The Phantom of the Opera\ and \Cats,\ Webber's contributions to the arts are immeasurable. His compositions have become an integral part of the theatrical world, and his impact on the industry cannot be overstated.

March 22nd also marks the anniversary of an incredible scientific achievement: the discovery of the planet Uranus. In 1781, William Herschel, a German-born British astronomer, observed a celestial object that he initially thought was a star. However, upon further examination, he realized that it was an entirely new planet. Herschel named the planet \Georgium Sidus\ after King George III but later settled on the name Uranus, the Greek god of the sky.

Moving on to a political milestone, on March 22nd, 1765, Britain enacted the Stamp Act, which ignited significant unrest in the American colonies. This act imposed a tax on nearly all printed materials, including newspapers, legal documents, and playing cards. It was met with widespread opposition from colonists, who believed that they were being unfairly taxed without proper representation in the British government. The resistance against the Stamp Act played a key role in the eventual American Revolution.

In the realm of sports, March 22nd brings forth memorable moments as well. One such moment occurred in 1972 when American basketball player Julius Erving, widely known as \Dr. J,\ made his professional debut. Erving went on to revolutionize the game with his acrobatic style of play and became one of the most influential players in basketball history. His impact is still seen today in the sport's emphasis on athleticism and individual creativity.

March 22nd also marked a somber occasion in recent history. In 2016, Brussels, the capital of Belgium, experienced a series of terrorist attacks that targeted the city's airport and metro station. Coordinated suicide bombings killed thirty-two people and injured hundreds more, highlighting the ongoing threat of terrorism in today's world. The attacks in Brussels serve as a painful reminder of the need for increased vigilance and cooperation in combating terrorism globally.

On a more positive note, March 22nd is recognized as World Water Day, an annual event aimed at raising awareness about the importance of freshwater and advocating for its sustainable management. The day serves as a platform for discussing water-related issues, such as water scarcity and pollution, and encourages individuals and organizations to take action to preserve this vital resource. World Water Day reminds us all of the critical role water plays in our lives and the need to protect it for future generations.

In conclusion, March 22nd carries a myriad of historical events and influential figures that have shaped various aspects of our lives. From the musical genius of Bach and Webber to the discovery of Uranus and the resistance against the Stamp Act, this day showcases the achievements and struggles of humanity. It serves as a reminder of the endeavors, both triumphant and tragic, that have shaped our world and continue to propel us forward.

Here are more events from this day:

106 – Start of the Bostran era, the calendar of the province of Arabia Petraea.

235 – Roman emperor Severus Alexander is murdered, marking the start of the Crisis of the Third Century.

871 – Æthelred of Wessex is defeated by a Danish invasion army at the Battle of Marton.

1185 – Battle of Yashima: the Japanese forces of the Taira clan are defeated by the Minamoto clan.

1312 – Vox in excelso: Pope Clement V dissolves the Order of the Knights Templar.

1508 – Ferdinand II of Aragon commissions Amerigo Vespucci chief navigator of the Spanish Empire.

1621 – The Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony sign a peace treaty with Massasoit of the Wampanoags.

1622 – Jamestown massacre: Algonquians kill 347 English settlers around Jamestown, Virginia, a third of the colony's population, during the Second Anglo-Powhatan War.

1631 – The Massachusetts Bay Colony outlaws the possession of cards, dice, and gaming tables.

1638 – Anne Hutchinson is expelled from Massachusetts Bay Colony for religious dissent.

1739 – Nader Shah occupies Delhi in India and sacks the city, stealing the jewels of the Peacock Throne.

1765 – The British Parliament passes the Stamp Act that introduces a tax to be levied directly on its American colonies.

1784 – The Emerald Buddha is moved with great ceremony to its current location in Wat Phra Kaew, Thailand.

1794 – The Slave Trade Act of 1794 bans the export of slaves from the United States, and prohibits American citizens from outfitting a ship for the purpose of importing slaves.

1829 – In the London Protocol, the three protecting powers (United Kingdom, France and Russia) establish the borders of Greece.

1849 – The Austrians defeat the Piedmontese at the Battle of Novara.

1871 – In North Carolina, William Woods Holden becomes the first governor of a U.S. state to be removed from office by impeachment.

1873 – The Spanish National Assembly abolishes slavery in Puerto Rico.

1894 – The Stanley Cup ice hockey competition is held for the first time, in Montreal, Canada.

1895 – Before the Société pour L'Encouragement à l'Industrie, brothers Auguste and Louis Lumière demonstrate movie film technology publicly for the first time.

1896 – Charilaos Vasilakos wins the first modern Olympic marathon race with a time of three hours and 18 minutes.

1906 – The first England vs France rugby union match is played at Parc des Princes in Paris.

1913 – Mystic Phan Xích Long, the self-proclaimed Emperor of Vietnam, is arrested for organising a revolt against the colonial rule of French Indochina, which was nevertheless carried out by his supporters the following day.

1916 – Yuan Shikai abdicates as Emperor of China, restoring the Republic and returning to the Presidency.

1920 – Azeri and Turkish army soldiers with participation of Kurdish gangs attack the Armenian inhabitants of Shushi (Nagorno Karabakh).

1933 – Cullen–Harrison Act: President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs an amendment to the Volstead Act, legalizing the manufacture and sale of "3.2 beer" (3.2% alcohol by weight, approximately 4% alcohol by volume) and light wines.

1933 – Nazi Germany opens its first concentration camp, Dachau.

1934 – The first Masters Tournament is held at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia.

1939 – Germany takes Memel from Lithuania.

1942 – World War II: In the Mediterranean Sea, the Royal Navy confronts Italy's Regia Marina in the Second Battle of Sirte.

1943 – World War II: The entire village of Khatyn (in what is the present-day Republic of Belarus) is burnt alive by Schutzmannschaft Battalion 118.

1945 – World War II: The city of Hildesheim, Germany is heavily damaged in a British air raid, though it had little military significance and Germany was on the verge of final defeat.

1945 – The Arab League is founded when a charter is adopted in Cairo, Egypt.

1946 – The United Kingdom grants full independence to Transjordan.

1960 – Arthur Leonard Schawlow and Charles Hard Townes receive the first patent for a laser.

1963 – The Beatles release their debut album Please Please Me.

1972 – The United States Congress sends the Equal Rights Amendment to the states for ratification.

1972 – In Eisenstadt v. Baird, the United States Supreme Court decides that unmarried persons have the right to possess contraceptives.

1975 – A fire at the Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant in Decatur, Alabama causes a dangerous reduction in cooling water levels.

1978 – Karl Wallenda of The Flying Wallendas dies after falling off a tight-rope suspended between two hotels in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

1982 – NASA's Space Shuttle Columbia is launched from the Kennedy Space Center on its third mission, STS-3.

1988 – The United States Congress votes to override President Ronald Reagan's veto of the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987.

1992 – USAir Flight 405 crashes shortly after takeoff from New York City's LaGuardia Airport, leading to a number of studies into the effect that ice has on aircraft.

1992 – Fall of communism in Albania: The Democratic Party of Albania wins a decisive majority in the parliamentary election.

1993 – The Intel Corporation ships the first Pentium chips (80586), featuring a 60 MHz clock speed, 100+ MIPS, and a 64 bit data path.

1995 – Cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov returns to earth after setting a record of 438 days in space.

1997 – Tara Lipinski, aged 14 years and nine months, becomes the youngest women's World Figure Skating Champion.

1997 – Comet Hale–Bopp reaches its closest approach to Earth at 1.315 AU.

2004 – Ahmed Yassin, co-founder and leader of the Palestinian Sunni Islamist group Hamas, two bodyguards, and nine civilian bystanders are killed in the Gaza Strip when hit by Israeli Air Force Hellfire missiles.

2006 – Three Christian Peacemaker Team (CPT) hostages are freed by British forces in Baghdad after 118 days of captivity and the murder of their colleague from the U.S., Tom Fox.

2013 – At least 37 people are killed and 200 are injured after a fire destroys a camp containing Burmese refugees near Ban Mae, Thailand.

2016 – Three suicide bombers kill 32 people and injure 316 in the 2016 Brussels bombings at the airport and at the Maelbeek/Maalbeek metro station.

2017 – A terrorist attack in London near the Houses of Parliament leaves four people dead and at least 20 injured.

2017 – Syrian civil war: Five hundred members of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are airlifted south of the Euphrates by United States Air Force helicopters, beginning the Battle of Tabqa.

2019 – The Special Counsel investigation on the 2016 United States presidential election concludes when Robert Mueller submits his report to the United States Attorney General.

2019 – Two buses crashed in Kitampo, a town north of Ghana's capital Accra, killing at least 50 people.

2020 – Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announces the country's largest ever self-imposed curfew, in an effort to fight the spread of COVID-19.

2020 – Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announces a national lockdown and the country's first ever self-imposed curfew, in an effort to fight the spread of COVID-19.

2021 – Ten people are killed in a mass shooting in Boulder, Colorado.