On this Day in History

[latecomer91364]

Any year, even today, but let's not overdo it with what you had for breakfast. Please keep it to historic facts, hopefully of some importance. To lead off:

On November 19, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln delivered The Gettysburg Address at the dedication of a military cemetery at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The American Civil War was still raging, buy Lincoln offered up one of the most memorable speeches in American history. In fewer than 275 words, Lincoln brilliantly and movingly reminded a war-weary public why the Union had to fight, and win, the Civil War.

After the Battle of Gettysburg, the war would continue for another two years, although the South was severely depleted and the Union victory was inevitable.

 

[Breaking_Dawn_Fantasy]

November 19th, 1820, the American whaler Essex, which hailed from Nantucket, Massachusetts, is attacked by an 80-ton sperm whale 2,000 miles from the western coast of South America.

The 238-ton Essex was in pursuit of sperm whales, specifically the precious oil and bone that could be derived from them, when an enraged bull whale rammed the ship twice and capsized the vessel. The 20 crew members escaped in three open boats, but only five of the men survived the harrowing 83-day journey to the coastal waters of South America, where they were picked up by other ships. Most of the crew resorted to cannibalism during the long journey, and at one point men on one of the long boats drew straws to determine which of the men would be shot in order to provide sustenance for the others. Three other men who had been left on a desolate Pacific island were saved later.

The first capture of a sperm whale by an American vessel was in 1711, marking the birth of an important American industry that commanded a fleet of more than 700 ships by the mid 18th century. Herman Melville’s classic novel Moby-Dick (1851) was inspired in part by the story of the Essex.

 

[latecomer91364]

On November 20, 1917, tanks were first effectively deployed by the British on the battlefield during the Battle of Cambrai in WWI.

The offensive consisted of an assault against the Germans’ Hindenburg Line along a 10-mile front some 8 miles west of Cambrai. Nineteen British divisions were assembled for the offensive, supported by tanks (476 in all, of which about 378 were fighting tanks.

Although the final results of the battle were mixed, with the British eventually driven back to their initial positions, the value of coordinated tank warfare became a foundation for strategic battlefield planning.

 

[latecomer91364]

On November 23, 1936, the first issue of the pictorial magazine LIFE was published. Life would become a mainstay popular magazine for decades, until March 2000, when Time Inc. announced it would cease regular publication of Life with the May issue due to declining sales.

It has since been revived in various online forms, but so far, nothing has been very successful.

 

[TheWorldBuilder]

English troops defeat James V's far larger force at the Battle of Solway Moss, 24 November 1542, strengthening English claims over the Debatable Lands.

 

[TheWorldBuilder]

Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap begins its 67 year uninterrupted run on 25 November 1952, only halting on 16 March 2020 when the West End is shut down by Covid.

 

[latecomer91364]

On November 24, 1991, Freddie Mercury, British rock superstar and frontman for the band Queen, died from bronchial pneumonia caused by AIDS.

His death upped the ante for AIDS research, which has subsequently resulted in amazing, livable remedies.

It was just not soon enough to save the (arguably) best singer in the history of Rock.

 

[TheWorldBuilder]

On 25 November 1992 the Federal Assembly of Czechoslovakia votes to return to the separate states of Czechia and Slovakia from 1 January 1993.

 

[TheWorldBuilder]

On 26 November 1922 Pharaoh Tutankhamun's tomb was entered for the first time in almost 3,250 years.

 

[latecomer91364]

On November 25, 1976, The Band made their final performance; 'The Last Waltz' held on Thanksgiving Day, at Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco. The show also featured Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Dr John, Neil Young, Van Morrison, Neil Diamond, Eric Clapton and others.

The event was filmed by director Martin Scorsese and made into a documentary of the same name, released in 1978. It marked the end of an era for a truly great, truly American band.

 

[TheWorldBuilder]

On 27 November 1295 the county of Lancashire sent two representatives to the Parliament of King Edward I. The formation of Lancashire was the final piece in the creation of the regional geography of England, which still exists today in institutions such as the teams that play county cricket.

 

[TheWorldBuilder]

On 28 November 1660 the first meeting of the Colledge for the Promoting of Physico-Mathematicall Experimentall Learning took place. At the second meeting it was announced that King Charles II looked favourably upon the group and they were later Chartered as the Royal Society.

 

[latecomer91364]

On this day in 1970, 1970 - George Harrison released the first album since the Beatles' breakup with the triple album All Things Must Pass. It became immensely popular, and would go on to be certified 6x Platinum by the RIAA, making it the best selling album by a solo Beatle.

The album includes the hit singles 'My Sweet Lord' and 'What Is Life', as well as songs such as 'Isn't It a Pity' and the title track that had been turned down for inclusion on releases by the Beatles. It was certainly an early triumph for George as a solo artist.

 

[latecomer91364]

On December 3rd, 1965. two notable albums were released:


The Who's first album 'My Generation' debuted to rave reviews and great sales, peaking at #5 on the UK charts.

While it didn't sell as well as later albums and failed to chart in the later release in the US, critics have since retrospectively rated it as one of the best rock albums of all time, especially noting its hard sound unusual for the time, and presaging various hard rock styles such as punk and heavy metal.

The Beatles released Rubber Soul, their 6th studio album, the follow-up to their immensely popular album and movie 'Help!'

Viewed by some critics a a maturing of the band, Rubber Soul was heralded as an important artistic achievement by the Fab Four, meeting a highly favorable critical response and topping sales charts in Britain and the United States for several weeks.

 

[SimplyMsT]

On December 5th ...

Prohibition ends in the US at 5:32 PM EST when the 21st Amendment to the US Constitution is ratified, repealing the 18th Amendment

 

[snexxer]

Oooo I like this. HISTORY......

December 5th in UK history features major events like the start of the devastating Great Smog of London in 1952, the opening of Britain's first motorway (Preston Bypass) in 1958, and the effective date of the Civil Partnership Act in 2005.

 

[latecomer91364]

On December 5, 1876, a fire broke out at the Brooklyn Theater in New York, killing nearly 300 people and injuring hundreds more. Some victims perished from a combination of burns and smoke inhalation; others were trampled to death in the general panic that ensued.

The fire began when a a gas light ignited some extra scenery stored in the fly space behind the stage., but it was a while before anyone saw the flames. By then, the fire was spreading rapidly.

Unfortunately, there were no fire hoses or water buckets at hand and by the time firefighters arrived it was too late, and the fire continued to rage overnight.

 

[latecomer91364]

On December 6, 1949 - American blues artist Huddie Leadbelly died. He wrote many songs including 'Goodnight Irene', ‘Cotton Fields’, 'The Rock Island Line', and ‘The Midnight Special'.

His biggest it was Goodnight, Irene, which was later recorded to greater success by by The Weavers in 1950

I discovered him as a child, when I found one of his albums in my father's collection.

 

[SimplyMsT]

December 7

The Imperial Japanese Navy, with 353 planes, attacks the US fleet at Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hawaii, killing 2,403 people

 

[latecomer91364]

Every historical event pales in comparison to the cowardly sneak attack by Japan on Pearl Harbor, the move that would incite America to the resolve that eventually led to the annihilation of the Japanese fighting forces, and bore witness to the only time in history that atomic bombs were deployed against an enemy combatant.

BUT, this is also the day that my favorite Beatles album, The White Album hit the charts at #1, starting a seven-week run in the top spot on the UK chart. The double set was the first on the Apple label.

The list of excellent songs is extensive, but my favorites are While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Back in the USSR (a hit, of course), Dear Prudence, I Will, Helter Skelter, Savoy Truffle, and so many others. I would include the Revolution 1 included here, but I vastly prefer the song when they released it as a single with a faster tempo.

Here's the entire album:

 

[latecomer91364]

On this day in 1966, the first rock era 'Supergroup' Cream released their debut studio album Fresh Cream in the UK. The three piece of Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker also released their second single 'I Feel Free' on the same day.

Cream would only last a few years, but added great songs to the rock litany, like I'm so Glad, Strange Brew, Sunshine if Your Love, SWLABR, Badge, and my own favorite, their kick-ass, drop the mic' rendition of Robert Jounson's Crossroads,