Author: mindgames

This Day in History: 1953

inventor Howard Ross received a patent for a useful, if rather curious, garment called a "double coat," with an outer layer that could be extended to cover two people at a time in athletic stadiums when it rained.

This Day in History: 2012

former Liberian president Charles Taylor was found guilty of abetting horrific war crimes, including rape and mutilation, in Sierra LEOne. His conviction was the first for war crimes by a former head of state in an international court since the Nuremberg trials of Nazi leaders after World War II.

This Day in History: 1521

Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan was killed during a tribal skirmish on Mactan Island in the Philippines. Earlier in the month, he had met with the local chief on the Philippine island of Cebu, who, after converting to Christianity, had persuaded the Europeans to assist him in conquering a rival tribe on a neighboring island. During the ensuing conflict, Magellan was hit by a poisoned arrow and left to die by his retreating fellow fighters.

This Day in History: 2012

former Liberian president Charles Taylor was found guilty of abetting horrific war crimes, including rape and mutilation, in Sierra LEOne. His conviction was the first for war crimes by a former head of state in an international court since the Nuremberg trials of Nazi leaders after World War II.

This Day in History: 1977

more than 2,000 protesters carrying signs saying, Split Wood, Not Atoms and Go Fishing, Not Fission occupied the Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant construction site in New Hampshire. More than half were taken into custody in what became one of the largest mass arrests in U.S. history.

This Day in History: 1945

the U.S. Seventh Army's 45th Infantry Division liberated the Dachau concentration camp. Some of the soldiers were so horrified by conditions there that they gunned down at least two groups of captured German guards.

This Day in History: 2004

the World War II Memorial opened in Washington, D.C. The granite and bronze monument stands on 7.4 acres on the former site of the Rainbow Pool at the National Mall, between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial.

This Day in History: 1991

paroled felon Rodney King led police on a high-speed chase through the streets of Los Angeles County before eventually surrendering. Drunk and uncooperative, he resisted arrest and was beaten by three police officers who didn't know they were being filmed by a nearby citizen. Upon release to the press, the video triggered outrage around the country and started a national debate on police brutality.

This Day in History: 1789

the HMS Bounty was taken over in a mutiny led by master's mate Fletcher Christian. Captain William Bligh and 18 of his faithful supporters were set adrift in a small boat but managed to navigate a journey of 4,000 miles over 42 days to safety without a single loss of life.

This Day in History: 1789

Fletcher Christian led a mutiny against William Bligh aboard the HMS Bounty and set him and 18 loyal crew members adrift in a 23-foot open boat, but the men survived a 47-day voyage to the Dutch East Indies and returned to England to report the mutiny. Christian and the rest of the crew eventually settled on Pitcairn Island and Tahiti.

This Day in History: 1953

inventor Howard Ross received a patent for a useful, if rather curious, garment called a double coat, with an outer layer that could be extended to cover two people at a time in athletic stadiums when it rained.

This Day in History: 1992

Baroness Betty Boothroyd became the first woman to be elected Speaker of the British House of Commons in its 700-year history. At the time, there were just 60 women in the 651-member House. A former professional dancer, she earned a reputation for fairness and impartiality over the course of her career, even issuing reprimands with good humor and charm.