March 23

Events

• 752 - Stephen II becomes Pope
• 1708 - James Francis Edward Stuart lands at the Firth of Forth
• 1775 - American Revolutionary War: Patrick Henry delivers his speech - "give me liberty or give me death[?]" in Williamsburg, Virginia.
• 1806 - After traveling through the Louisiana Purchase and reaching the Pacific Ocean, explorers Lewis and Clark and their "Corps of Discovery" begin their journey home
• 1839 - First recorded use of "OK" oll korrect (Boston Morning Post[?])
• 1857 - Elisha Otis[?]' first elevator is installed (at 488 Broadway, New York City)
• 1868 - The University of California is founded in Oakland, California when the Organic Act is signed into law.
• 1889 - Land Run[?]: President Benjamin Harrison opens Oklahoma to white settlement starting on April 22.
• 1903 - The Wright Brothers apply for a patent on their invention of the first successful airplane.
• 1909 - Theodore Roosevelt leaves New York for a post-presidency safari in Africa. The trip was sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution and National Geographic Society.
• 1919 - In Milan, Italy, Benito Mussolini founds his Fascist political movement.
• 1933 - The Reichstag passes the Enabling Act, giving Adolf Hitler dictatorial powers over German legislation.
• 1935 - Signing of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Philippines
• 1942 - World War II: In the Indian Ocean, Japanese forces capture the Anadaman Islands.
• 1956 - Pakistan becomes the first Islamic republic.
• 1965 - NASA launches Gemini 3, the United States' first two-person space flight (crew: Gus Grissom and John Young).
• 1983 - Strategic Defense Initiative: President Ronald Reagan makes his initial proposal to develop technology to intercept enemy missiles. The media dub this plan "Star Wars."
• 1989 - Stanley Pons[?] and Martin Fleischmann[?] announce cold fusion at the University of Utah.
• 1989 - A 1,000-foot diameter Near-Earth asteroid misses the Earth by 400,000 miles.
• 1996 - The Republic of China on Taiwan holds its first direct elections for president
• 1999 - Gunmen assassinate Paraguay's Vice President Luis Maria Argana[?].

Births

• 1749 - Pierre Simon de Laplace, mathematician and astronomer (+ 1827)
• 1769 - William Smith, geologist/cartographer (+ 1839)
• 1823 - Schuyler Colfax, Vice President of the United States (+ 1885)
• 1882 - Emmy Noether, mathematician (+ 1935)
• 1887 - Juan Gris, painter and graphic artist (+ 1927)
• 1900 - Erich Fromm, psychoanalyst (+ 1980)
• 1904 or 1908 - Joan Crawford, actor (+ 1977)
• 1910 - Lale Andersen[?], singer and cabaretist (+ 1972)
• 1910 - Akira Kurosawa, film director (+ 1998)
• 1912 - Wernher von Braun, physicist and engineer (+ 1977)
• 1929 - Sir Roger Bannister, athlete, first "Miracle Mile"
• 1949 - Ric Ocasek[?], musician ("The Cars")
• 1952 - Kim Stanley Robinson, science fiction author
• 1953 - Chaka Khan[?], singer
• 1972 - Judith Godrèche, actress/author

Deaths:

• 1801 - Tsar Paul of Russia
• 1842 - Stendhal, writer
• 1964 - Peter Lorre, actor
• 1970 - Del Lord, pioneer Hollywood director
• 1979 - Orlando Letelier, former Chilean ambassador to the United States
• 1983 - Barney Clark[?], first artificial heart recipient

Holidays and observances

• Roman Empire - The fifth and final day of Quinquatria[?], held in honor of Minerva.
• Roman Empire - Tubilustrium[?] was held in honor of Mars
• Ancient Latvia - Lieldienas held in honor of Mara and other goddesses
• National Day (Pakistan)

March 22 - March 24 - February 23 - April 23 -- listing of all days

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