TODAY IN HISTORY: NOVEMBER 21

 

November 21

November 21 is a significant day in history for various reasons. From significant events to notable birthdays, this date holds importance across different fields. In this essay, we will explore some of these occurrences and their impact on society.

One of the most significant events that took place on November 21, 1620, was the arrival of the Pilgrims at Plymouth, Massachusetts. After a long and arduous journey aboard the Mayflower, they finally reached their intended destination. The Pilgrims were escaping religious persecution in England and sought a new life in the New World. This event marked the beginning of a new chapter in American history, as the Pilgrims laid the foundation for future generations of settlers and migrants.

Moving forward in time, November 21, 1783, witnessed the world's first untethered hot air balloon flight. Created by the Montgolfier brothers, Joseph-Michel and Jacques-Étienne, this innovative invention paved the way for air travel. The balloon, called the Aerostat Réveillon, rose from the center of Paris and flew for about ten minutes before safely descending. This groundbreaking achievement opened up new possibilities for exploration and transportation and laid the groundwork for future advancements in aviation.

November 21, 1877, is another significant date as Thomas Edison announced the invention of the phonograph. This revolutionary device marked the first time that sound could be recorded and played back using a mechanical method. The phonograph had a profound impact on the music industry and communication as a whole. It paved the way for the creation of gramophones, vinyl records, and ultimately, modern-day music players such as CDs and digital downloads.

On November 21, 1920, the Irish War of Independence reached a turning point with the capture of Kilmichael Ambush. This event became known as one of the most significant engagements during Ireland's struggle for independence from British rule. Led by Tom Barry, the Irish Republican Army successfully ambushed a convoy of British Auxiliary Division soldiers, resulting in a significant victory for the Irish forces. The Kilmichael Ambush demonstrated the growing strength and determination of the Irish resistance and played a crucial role in the eventual establishment of the Irish Free State.

In the world of sports, November 21 marks the birth of one of the greatest basketball players of all time, Earl \The Pearl\ Monroe. Born in 1944, Monroe made his mark in the NBA as a dynamic scorer and ball-handler. With his unique ability to dribble and maneuver past defenders, he became a standout player for the Baltimore Bullets and the New York Knicks. Monroe's style of play revolutionized the game and inspired generations of basketball players to push the boundaries of their skills.

On a different note, November 21 is also celebrated as World Television Day. Established by the United Nations in 1996, this day aims to acknowledge the role of television in shaping public opinion, providing information, and promoting cultural diversity. Television has become an integral part of our daily lives, serving as a medium for entertainment, news, and educational content. It has the power to influence and unite people across borders, making it a vital tool for communication and global understanding.

In conclusion, November 21 holds significance in various domains, including history, science, sports, and culture. From the arrival of the Pilgrims to the capture of Kilmichael Ambush, this date marks pivotal moments that have shaped our world. Additionally, notable birthdays like Earl Monroe and the invention of the phonograph by Thomas Edison have had lasting impacts on the fields of sports and music. Finally, World Television Day recognizes the importance of television as a medium for communication and cultural exchange. Each of these events and individuals has made a tremendous impact on society, leaving a lasting legacy for future generations to appreciate.

Here are more events from this day:

164 BCE – Judas Maccabeus, son of Mattathias of the Hasmonean family, rededicates the Temple in Jerusalem, an event is commemorated each year by the festival of Hanukkah. (25 Kislev 3597 in the Hebrew calendar.)

235 – Pope Anterus succeeds Pontian as the nineteenth pope.

1386 – Timur of Samarkand captures and sacks the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, taking King Bagrat V of Georgia captive.

1620 – Plymouth Colony settlers sign the Mayflower Compact (November 11, O.S.)

1676 – The Danish astronomer Ole Rømer presents the first quantitative measurements of the speed of light.

1783 – In Paris, Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and François Laurent d'Arlandes make the first untethered hot air balloon flight.

1789 – North Carolina ratifies the United States Constitution and is admitted as the 12th U.S. state.

1851 – Mutineers take control of the Chilean penal colony of Punta Arenas in the Strait of Magellan.

1861 – American Civil War: Confederate President Jefferson Davis appoints Judah Benjamin Secretary of War.

1877 – Thomas Edison announces his invention of the phonograph, a machine that can record and play sound.

1894 – Port Arthur, China, falls to the Japanese, a decisive victory of the First Sino-Japanese War; Japanese troops are accused of massacring the remaining inhabitants.

1900 – Claude Monet's paintings shown at Gallery Durand-Ruel in Paris.

1902 – The Philadelphia Football Athletics defeat the Kanaweola Athletic Club of Elmira, New York, 39–0, in the first-ever professional American football night game.

1905 – Albert Einstein's paper that leads to the mass–energy equivalence formula, E = mc², is published in the journal Annalen der Physik.

1910 – Sailors on board Brazil's warships including the Minas Gerais, São Paulo, and Bahia, violently rebel in what is now known as the Revolta da Chibata (Revolt of the Lash).

1916 – Mines from SM U-73 sink HMHS Britannic, the largest ship lost in the First World War.

1918 – The Flag of Estonia, previously used by pro-independence activists, is formally adopted as the national flag of the Republic of Estonia.

1918 – The Parliament (Qualification of Women) Act 1918 is passed, allowing women to stand for Parliament in the UK.

1918 – A pogrom takes place in Lwów (now Lviv); over three days, at least 50 Jews and 270 Ukrainian Christians are killed by Poles.

1920 – Irish War of Independence: On "Bloody Sunday" in Dublin, the Irish Republican Army (IRA) assassinated a group of British Intelligence agents, and British forces killed 14 civilians at a Gaelic football match at Croke Park.

1922 – Rebecca Latimer Felton of Georgia takes the oath of office, becoming the first female United States Senator.

1927 – Columbine Mine massacre: Striking coal miners are allegedly attacked with machine guns by a detachment of state police dressed in civilian clothes.

1942 – The completion of the Alaska Highway (also known as the Alcan Highway) is celebrated (however, the highway is not usable by standard road vehicles until 1943).

1944 – World War II: American submarine USS Sealion sinks the Japanese battleship Kongō and Japanese destroyer Urakaze in the Formosa Strait.

1945 – The United Auto Workers strike 92 General Motors plants in 50 cities to back up worker demands for a 30-percent raise.

1950 – Two Canadian National Railway trains collide in northeastern British Columbia in the Canoe River train crash; the death toll is 21, with 17 of them Canadian troops bound for Korea.

1953 – The Natural History Museum, London announces that the "Piltdown Man" skull, initially believed to be one of the most important fossilized hominid skulls ever found, is a hoax.

1959 – American disc jockey Alan Freed, who had popularized the term "rock and roll" and music of that style, is fired from WABC radio over allegations he had participated in the payola scandal.

1961 – The "La Ronde" opens in Honolulu, first revolving restaurant in the United States.

1962 – The Chinese People's Liberation Army declares a unilateral ceasefire in the Sino-Indian War.

1964 – The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge opens to traffic. At the time it is the world's longest bridge span.

1964 – Second Vatican Council: The third session of the Roman Catholic Church's ecumenical council closes.

1967 – Vietnam War: American General William Westmoreland tells news reporters: "I am absolutely certain that whereas in 1965 the enemy was winning, today he is certainly losing."

1969 – U.S. President Richard Nixon and Japanese Premier Eisaku Satō agree on the return of Okinawa to Japanese control in 1972. The U.S. retains rights to bases on the island, but these are to be nuclear-free.

1969 – The first permanent ARPANET link is established between UCLA and SRI.

1970 – Vietnam War: Operation Ivory Coast: A joint United States Air Force and Army team raids the Sơn Tây prisoner-of-war camp in an attempt to free American prisoners of war thought to be held there.

1971 – Indian troops, partly aided by Mukti Bahini (Bengali guerrillas), defeat the Pakistan army in the Battle of Garibpur.

1972 – Voters in South Korea overwhelmingly approve a new constitution, giving legitimacy to Park Chung-hee and the Fourth Republic.

1974 – The Birmingham pub bombings kill 21 people. The Birmingham Six are sentenced to life in prison for the crime but subsequently acquitted.

1977 – Minister of Internal Affairs Allan Highet announces that the national anthems of New Zealand shall be the traditional anthem "God Save the Queen" and "God Defend New Zealand".

1979 – The United States Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan, is attacked by a mob and set on fire, killing four.

1980 – A deadly fire breaks out at the MGM Grand Hotel in Paradise, Nevada (now Bally's Las Vegas). Eighty-five people are killed and more than 650 are injured in the worst disaster in Nevada history.

1985 – United States Navy intelligence analyst Jonathan Pollard is arrested for spying after being caught giving Israel classified information on Arab nations. He is subsequently sentenced to life in prison.

1986 – National Security Council member Oliver North and his secretary start to shred documents allegedly implicating them in the Iran–Contra affair.

1990 – Bangkok Airways Flight 125 crashes on approach to Samui Airport, killing 38.

1992 – A major tornado strikes the Houston, Texas area during the afternoon. Over the next two days the largest tornado outbreak ever to occur in the US during November spawns over 100 tornadoes.

1995 – The Dayton Agreement is initialed at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, near Dayton, Ohio, ending three and a half years of war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

1996 – Humberto Vidal explosion: Thirty-three people die when a Humberto Vidal shoe shop in Río Piedras, Puerto Rico explodes.

1998 – Finnish satanist Jarno Elg kills a 23-year-old man and performs a ritual-like cutting and eating of body parts in Hyvinkää, Finland.

2002 – NATO invites Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia to become members.

2002 – Arturo Guzmán Decena, founder of Los Zetas and high-member of the Gulf Cartel, is killed in a shoot-out with the Mexican Army and the police.

2004 – The second round of the Ukrainian presidential election is held, giving rise to massive protests and controversy over the election's integrity.

2004 – Dominica is hit by the most destructive earthquake in its history. The northern half of the island sustains the most damage, especially the town of Portsmouth. In neighboring Guadeloupe, one person is killed.

2004 – The Paris Club agrees to write off 80% (up to $100 billion) of Iraq's external debt.

2006 – Anti-Syrian Lebanese politician and government minister Pierre Gemayel is assassinated in suburban Beirut.

2009 – A mine explosion in Heilongjiang, China kills 108.

2012 – At least 28 are wounded after a bomb is thrown onto a bus in Tel Aviv.

2013 – Fifty-four people are killed when the roof of a shopping center collapses in Riga, Latvia.

2013 – Massive protests start in Ukraine after President Viktor Yanukovych suspended signing the Ukraine–European Union Association Agreement.

2014 – A stampede in Kwekwe, Zimbabwe caused by the police firing tear gas kills at least eleven people and injures 40 others.

2015 – The government of Belgium imposes a security lockdown on Brussels, including the closure of shops, schools, and public transportation, due to potential terrorist attacks.

2017 – Robert Mugabe formally resigns as President of Zimbabwe, after thirty-seven years in office.

2019 – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is indicted on charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust.

2019 – Tesla launches the SUV Cybertruck. A gaffe occurs during the launch event when its "unbreakable" windows shatter during demonstration.

2021 – An SUV plows through a Christmas parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin, killing six and injuring 62.