History Today: Alcohol became illegal in most U.S. states in 1919 On this day in 1919, alcohol became illegal in most states of America. Americans were worried about the adverse effects that alcohol consumption brings. Upon being approved by a…
Today is National Hat Day Hang on to your hats and celebrate in style on January 15. Some trivia? Hats may be worn for safety and protection, religious reasons, ceremonial reasons, warmth, or fashion. In the Middle Ages, hats were…
Today in History: Ikko Tanaka born in 1930 On this day in 1930, graphic designer Ikko Tanaka was born in Nara, Japan. Tanaka was known for merging principles of clean, modern design with Japanese traditionalism. He studied art in Kyoto…
History Today: German Green Party formed in 1980 In the 1970s, environmentalists and peace activists politically organized among thousands of action groups. The political party The Greens (German: Die Grünen) was founded on January 12/13, 1980 in Karlsruhe to give…
History Today: First U.S. presidential election On this day in 1789, America’s first presidential election is held. Voters cast ballots to choose state electors; only white men who owned property were allowed to vote. As expected, George Washington won the…
History Today: Joan of Arc born in 1412 Today (supposedly) marks the birthday of the French national heroine and Catholic saint, Joan of Arc (the Maid of Orleans). The peasant girl born in the east of France was said to…
History: Construction on the Golden Gate Bridge began in 1933 For a long time, bridging the San Francisco Bay with its dangerous currents and hurricanes was considered an incalculable risk. After all, a strait over 300 feet deep and more…
Today is National Spaghetti Day! Did you know that in the year 2000, 1.3 million pounds of spaghetti were sold in American grocery stores? If all of those packages were lined up, they would circle the Earth nine times! The…
History: First Electric Watch available in 1957 On this day in 1957, those crazy guys from Lancaster, PA (otherwise known as Hamilton), unveiled the very first electric watch. The Hamilton Electric 500 used a battery to drive a complex gear…
History: Cigarette Ads banned from U.S. Television in 1971 In 1970, Congress took its anti-smoking initiative one step further and passed the Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act, banning the advertising of cigarettes on television and radio starting on January 2,…