1834: Birth of Anti-Semitic Painter Edgar Degas
On this day one of the greatest impressionist painters in history, Edgar Degas, was born. His ballerina paintings are widely known even today. It is interesting that he w...
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1963: X-15: First Rocket-Powered Aircraft Reaches Outer Space
On this day in 1963, a rocket-powered aircraft reached the altitude of 100,000 meters. This altitude is considered the boundary of outer space (aka. The Kármán line), so...
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1824: Emperor of the Huge Mexican Empire Executed by Firing Squad
On this day in 1824, the first emperor of Mexico – Agustín de Iturbide – was executed. During the Mexican War of Independence from Spain, he contributed to th...
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1814: Samuel Colt – Creator of the Legendary Wild West Revolver
On this day in 1814, the famous weapons designer Samuel Colt was born. His influence in the small arms department was so great that today almost everyone has heard of the...
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1702: Battle of Klissow: Swedish Army Marches into Southern Poland
On this day the Swedish army, led by the young King Charles XII, managed to defeat an army of Poles and Germans twice its size in Poland. It was an example of the great m...
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1918: Grand Duchess Elisabeth of Russia Burned Alive
On this day in 1918, the Bolsheviks killed Elisabeth of Russia, who was a member of the imperial family. A day before Elisabeth’s execution, her sister Empress Alex...
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1488: Alvise Cadamosto – Venetian explorer of Africa and Slave Trader
This day in 1488 marked the death of Alvise Cadamosto, who became famous for his voyages in the Portuguese service to Africa. His voyages were very important because he...
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1942: Nazi Germany Tested the First Operational Jet Fighter in History
On this day, Nazi Germany tested an aircraft with a revolutionary engine. Unlike the previous propeller-powered aircraft, the new Messerschmitt Me-262 had jet engines. A...
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