TODAY IN HISTORY: MARCH 31

 

March 31

March 31st is the 90th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. It is the last day of the first quarter of the year, and it holds significance in various ways. In this article, we will explore different events, historical moments, and interesting facts associated with March 31st.

One notable event that occurred on March 31st was the establishment of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The construction of this iconic structure began on March 31, 1889, and it was completed two years later in 1891. The Eiffel Tower, designed by renowned engineer Gustave Eiffel, has since become a symbol of France and a global tourist attraction.

Another significant moment in history is the birth of famous Dutch painter Rembrandt van Rijn. On March 31, 1606, this influential artist was born in Leiden, Netherlands. Rembrandt's mastery in capturing human emotions and his skillful use of light and shadow revolutionized the art world. His works, such as \The Night Watch,\ continue to inspire artists and art enthusiasts around the world.

March 31st also serves as an important day in the world of sports. For instance, on this day in 1995, Major League Baseball players called off their strike, which had lasted for 232 days. This strike was the longest work stoppage in the history of the sport, resulting in the cancellation of the 1994 World Series. The resolution of the strike on March 31, 1995, brought back baseball to fans and signaled a new era for the sport.

In addition, March 31st celebrates the Transgender Day of Visibility. This day aims to raise awareness of the transgender community and their achievements while highlighting the challenges they face. It is a time to show support, acceptance, and understanding for transgender individuals around the world.

On the technological front, March 31st witnessed the release of the Apple Macintosh personal computer in 1984. This groundbreaking product introduced a user-friendly graphical interface, revolutionizing the computing industry. The Macintosh forever changed how people interacted with computers and set the stage for future advancements in technology.

Notable individuals were also born on this day, including renowned composer and pianist Johann Sebastian Bach, who was born on March 31, 1685. Bach's compositions, such as the Brandenburg Concertos, Mass in B minor, and numerous organ works, remain some of the most celebrated music in Western classical tradition.

Another notable figure born on March 31st is the American actress Ewan McGregor. Known for his versatile roles in films like \Trainspotting,\ \Moulin Rouge!,\ and the Star Wars prequel trilogy, McGregor has established himself as one of the most talented actors of his generation.

March 31st is also a day for commemoration. It marks the anniversary of the death of iconic civil rights leader, Cesar Chavez. Chavez, who co-founded the National Farm Workers Association, dedicated his life to fighting for the rights of agricultural workers and advocating for fair labor practices. His legacy continues to inspire activism and social justice movements worldwide.

In conclusion, March 31st is a day filled with rich historical events, significant births, technological advancements, and meaningful celebrations. From the construction of the Eiffel Tower to the birth of great artists and the resolution of major sports strikes, this day holds a special place in various aspects of life. It reminds us of the power of human achievements, the important causes worth fighting for, and the continued advancements in technology that shape our world.

Here are some more events from this day:

307 – After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, daughter of the retired Roman emperor Maximian.

1146 – Bernard of Clairvaux preaches his famous sermon in a field at Vézelay, urging the necessity of a Second Crusade. Louis VII is present, and joins the Crusade.

1492 – Queen Isabella of Castile issues the Alhambra Decree, ordering her 150,000 Jewish and Muslim subjects to convert to Christianity or face expulsion.

1521 – Ferdinand Magellan and fifty of his men came ashore to present-day Limasawa to participate in the first Catholic mass in the Philippines.

1657 – The Long Parliament presents the Humble Petition and Advice offering Oliver Cromwell the British throne, which he eventually declines.

1717 – A sermon on "The Nature of the Kingdom of Christ" by Benjamin Hoadly, the Bishop of Bangor, preached in the presence of King George I of Great Britain, provokes the Bangorian Controversy.

1761 – The 1761 Lisbon earthquake strikes off the Iberian Peninsula with an estimated magnitude of 8.5, six years after another quake destroyed the city.

1774 – American Revolution: The Kingdom of Great Britain orders the port of Boston, Massachusetts closed pursuant to the Boston Port Act.

1814 – The Sixth Coalition occupies Paris after Napoleon's Grande Armée capitulates.

1854 – Commodore Matthew Perry signs the Convention of Kanagawa with the Tokugawa Shogunate, opening the ports of Shimoda and Hakodate to American trade.

1885 – The United Kingdom establishes the Bechuanaland Protectorate.

1889 – The Eiffel Tower is officially opened.

1899 – Malolos, capital of the First Philippine Republic, is captured by American forces.

1901 – Rusalka by Antonín Dvořák premieres at the National Opera House in Prague.

1905 – Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany declares his support for Moroccan independence in Tangier, beginning the First Moroccan Crisis.

1906 – The Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (later the National Collegiate Athletic Association) is established to set rules for college sports in the United States.

1909 – Serbia formally withdraws its opposition to Austro-Hungarian actions in the Bosnian Crisis.

1913 – The Vienna Concert Society rioted during a performance of modernist music by Arnold Schoenberg, Alban Berg, Alexander von Zemlinsky, and Anton von Webern, causing a premature end to the concert due to violence; this concert became known as the Skandalkonzert.

1917 – According to the terms of the Treaty of the Danish West Indies, the islands become American possessions.

1918 – Massacre of ethnic Azerbaijanis is committed by allied armed groups of Armenian Revolutionary Federation and Bolsheviks. Nearly 12,000 Azerbaijani Muslims are killed.

1918 – Daylight saving time goes into effect in the United States for the first time.

1921 – The Royal Australian Air Force is formed.

1930 – The Motion Picture Production Code is instituted, imposing strict guidelines on the treatment of sex, crime, religion and violence in film, in the U.S., for the next thirty-eight years.

1931 – An earthquake in Nicaragua destroys Managua; killing 2,000.

1931 – A Transcontinental & Western Air airliner crashes near Bazaar, Kansas, killing eight, including University of Notre Dame head football coach Knute Rockne.

1933 – The Civilian Conservation Corps is established with the mission of relieving rampant unemployment in the United States.

1939 – Events preceding World War II in Europe: Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain pledges British military support to the Second Polish Republic in the event of an invasion by Nazi Germany.

1942 – World War II: Japanese forces invade Christmas Island, then a British possession.

1945 – World War II: A defecting German pilot delivers a Messerschmitt Me 262A-1, the world's first operational jet-powered fighter aircraft, to the Americans, the first to fall into Allied hands.

1949 – The Dominion of Newfoundland joins the Canadian Confederation and becomes the 10th Province of Canada.

1951 – Remington Rand delivers the first UNIVAC I computer to the United States Census Bureau.

1957 – Elections to the Territorial Assembly of the French colony Upper Volta are held. After the elections PDU and MDV form a government.

1958 – In the Canadian federal election, the Progressive Conservatives, led by John Diefenbaker, win the largest percentage of seats in Canadian history, with 208 seats of 265.

1959 – The 14th Dalai Lama, crosses the border into India and is granted political asylum.

1964 – Brazilian General Olímpio Mourão Filho orders his troops to move towards Rio de Janeiro, beginning the coup d'état and 21 years of military dictatorship.

1966 – The Soviet Union launches Luna 10 which later becomes the first space probe to enter orbit around the Moon.

1966 – The Labour Party under Harold Wilson wins the 1966 United Kingdom general election.

1968 – American President Lyndon B. Johnson speaks to the nation of "Steps to Limit the War in Vietnam" in a television address. At the conclusion of his speech, he announces: "I shall not seek, and I will not accept, the nomination of my party for another term as your President."

1970 – Explorer 1 re-enters the Earth's atmosphere after 12 years in orbit.

1980 – The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad operates its final train after being ordered to liquidate its assets because of bankruptcy and debts owed to creditors.

1990 – Approximately 200,000 protesters take to the streets of London to protest against the newly introduced Poll Tax.

1991 – Georgian independence referendum: Nearly 99 percent of the voters support the country's independence from the Soviet Union.

1991 – The Warsaw Pact formally disbands.

1992 – The USS Missouri, the last active United States Navy battleship, is decommissioned in Long Beach, California.

1992 – The Treaty of Federation is signed in Moscow.

1993 – The Macao Basic Law is adopted by the Eighth National People's Congress of China to take effect December 20, 1999. Resumption by China of the Exercise of Sovereignty over Macao

1995 – Selena is murdered by her fan club president Yolanda Saldívar at a Days Inn in Corpus Christi, Texas.

1995 – TAROM Flight 371, an Airbus A310-300, crashes near Balotesti, Romania, killing all 60 people on board.

1998 – Netscape releases Mozilla source code under an open source license.

2004 – Iraq War in Anbar Province: In Fallujah, Iraq, four American private military contractors working for Blackwater USA, are killed after being ambushed.

2016 – NASA astronaut Scott Kelly and Roscosmos cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko return to Earth after a yearlong mission at the International Space Station.

2018 – Start of the 2018 Armenian revolution.