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344
Taming of Bucephalus (BC)
This is the moment when the young Alexander the Great attained his favorite war horse, Bucephalus. Alexander later became one of the most impressive leaders of all time and rode with Bucephalus until he died. -
405
Time of Socrates and Plato (BC)
In 399 BC, Socrates was put on trial for the suspected corrupting of young people and being an atheist. Socrates was found guilty via a vote by a jury. Another jury voted on him to be put to death in a nearby jail. Once there, he was given a cup of poison hemlock, gave a small declaration, and was forced to essentially commit suicide. His student, Plato, though not present, recorded the entire event. -
Dec 25, 1350
Black Death
The Black Death is another title that was given to the bubonic plague; an epidemic that first occurred in 1348 and spread in Europe. The disease was brought about by fleas that contained the disease. They would by carried by rats in towns and cities and bite humans, thus inevitably transferring the bubonic plague. The people of the 14th century were so medically unenhanced that they had no idea how the disease spread or how to prevent it. Many thought that God was unleashing his wrath upon them. -
John Smith Sights Mermaid
In 1614, during the month of June, John Smith was sailing in the West Indies. While out at sea, he caught sight of a young woman in the water. At first, he thought that a poor young girl was dumped there and he immediately lusted for her. However, upon examination he wrote, “...from the waist down the woman gave way to the fish...and her long green hair...(was) by no means unattractive.” -
Salem Witch Trials
In the spring of 1692, a young girl in the town of Salem, Massachusetts began acting very noticeably unlike herself. She went into bouts of hysteria, threw herself under furniture, and twisted in pain. Soon, other young girls took up these behaviors and, upon examination, were accused of being witches. People started condemning others in the town, and from June through September, trials were held for those charged. In all, nineteen men and women were executed for witchcraft. -
Voyage of the Beagle
In 1831, a 22 year-old Charles Darwin embarked on a voyage of the ship, the HMS Beagle, along with Captain Fitzroy. What was supposed to be a 2 year trip lasted nearly 5 years. During the majority of this time, the Beagle patrolled the coast of South America, allowing Charles Darwin to roam upon various islands, including the Galapagos. He made fascinating and revolutionary discoveries about animals, plants, and geology. -
Friedrich Nietzsche Independent Philosopher
This was the point in Friedrich’s life during which he began traveling, writing books and further developed his poetry. He met many other brilliant individuals, such as Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky and Hippolyte Adolphe Taine. -
Wright Brothers' First Flight
On December 17, 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright piloted the first powered airplane 20 feet above a desolate beach in North Carolina. The flight lasted 12 seconds and covered 120 feet. Three more airlifts were made that day with Orville's brother Wilbur directing the record flight that lasted 59 seconds over a distance of 852 feet. -
1936 Berlin Olympics (August 1-16)
These were the 1936 Olympics hosted by the Nazis in Berlin, Germany. It involved Adolf Hitler, the leader of Nazi Germany from 1934-1945. Jesse Owens, a world famous Olympian played a key role in this event, as well. -
Hidenburg Disaster
On May 6, 1937, the zeppelin, Hindenburg was carrying passengers during its second season of being active. The blimp was flying German passengers to Lakehurst, New Jersey. As it was about to land, a small fire appeared near the rear of the aircraft and within thirty seconds, the whole ship was engulfed in flames. There were 35 fatalities of the 97 people aboard. The burning of Hindenburg marked the end of commercial lighter-than-air-travel. -
First Lassie Film
In 1943, actors, directors, and filmmakers gathered to make the film, Lassie Come Home. It starred the famous Elizabeth Taylor and of course, Pal, the dog that played Lassie. The movie is essentially about the bond between a young boy and his loyal dog. -
Belmont Stakes
During the Belmont Stakes of 1973, a total of four horses ran. Among them was Secretariat, the favorite. Before this race, he had already won both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, feats that were already monumental. During this race, Secretariat appeared to be to the mid front of the group, however, he suddenly pulled ahead by 31 lengths in front of the next horse, causing him to win the Triple Crown and set the record for the fastest time ever run in the Belmont Stakes. -
Dolly the Sheep is Born
Dolly, the first mammal ever to be cloned using an adult somatic cell, was born. She was created and raised in Edinburgh, United Kingdom at the Roslin Institute. Dolly grew and lived as like any other sheep of her breed. She produced several offspring, though, her life was cut short due tumors found in her chest. -
Oil Spill of the Gulf of Mexico
In 2010, from April 20 to April 22, a BP oil rig ignited and burned, eventually sinking. It caused the death of 11 crew workers and devastated the environment. Afterwards, many speculated that the spill could have been prevented if a few precautions were taken by crew members. -
Settling Iceland
Norwegian Viking Ingólfur Arnarson, and his brother, Hjörleifur, were two of the first Vikings in Iceland. The two had left their home country due to issues concerning the leaders in Norway. During their initial trip, they stayed for an entire year and explored the territory. Afterwards, they came back once more with their families and settled for the remainder of their lives.
