1745
Royal
Battle of Prestonpans
The Jacobite army led by the young Scottish pretender Charles Edward Stuart ambushed British government forces in thick fog, decisively winning in minutes.
✨ On This Day September 21
The expansion of imagination and the birth of new realities.
30 historical moments · one line of insight
1776
Disaster
Great Fire of New York
Shortly after British forces captured the city during the Revolutionary War, a mysterious fierce fire turned many buildings in lower Manhattan to ashes.
1792
Politics
French First Republic Proclaimed
The National Convention abolished the monarchy and proclaimed the French First Republic. Marking the end of absolute rule, this decision clearly demonstrates how the principle of popular sovereignty can dismantle archaic systems.
1823
News
Joseph Smith's Angel Vision
The founder of Mormonism claimed he was guided by the angel Moroni deep in the night to the buried location of golden plates containing ancient records.
1866
Birth
H.G. Wells Born
H.G. Wells, pioneer of science fiction who wrote 'The Time Machine', was born. Boldly envisioning humanity's future with scientific insight, his pioneering vision reminds us that imagination is the most powerful tool for predicting reality.
1897
News
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus
The New York Sun published a famous editorial answering an 8-year-old girl's letter, beautifully emphasizing the invisible values of love and generosity.
1898
Royal
Empress Dowager Cixi Seizes Power
Strongly opposing the Western-style modernization reforms pushed by the young Guangxu Emperor, Empress Dowager Cixi confined him and resumed her regency, aborting the reforms.
1904
Protest
Chief Joseph Dies
Leaving the sorrowful quote 'I will fight no more forever,' the great Native American leader who dedicated himself to his tribe's survival passed away.
1915
Business
Stonehenge Sold at Auction
Surprisingly, the iconic prehistoric British monument Stonehenge was put up for auction and purchased by Cecil Chubb for £6,600 as a gift for his wife.
1934
Music
Birth of Leonard Cohen
The Canadian singer-songwriter and poet who offered warm, transcendent comfort to the public with profound poetic lyrics and a resonant bass voice was born.
1937
Culture
The Hobbit Published
J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy novel 'The Hobbit' was published. Building an intricate mythological world, this work proves how boundless human imagination can construct a timeless, universally beloved epic.
1938
Disaster
Great Hurricane of 1938
A super-powerful hurricane suddenly struck the northeastern US coast without warning, devastating numerous coastal towns and claiming over 600 lives.
1939
Crime
Armand Călinescu Assassinated
Armed members of the far-right fascist Iron Guard brutally assassinated the pro-Allied Romanian Prime Minister in broad daylight in central Bucharest.
1947
Literature
Birth of Stephen King
The master of horror literature, who captivated readers worldwide by keenly capturing fear in ordinary life and penning numerous blockbuster bestsellers, was born.
1953
Diplomacy
No Kum-sok Defects with MiG-15
A young North Korean air force pilot sought freedom by abruptly landing a state-of-the-art Soviet MiG-15 fighter jet at Gimpo Airfield in South Korea.
1957
TV
'Perry Mason' Premieres
The series featuring a genius defense attorney who actively defends falsely accused clients and extracts confessions from real culprits in court premiered.
1964
Diplomacy
Malta Gains Independence
Malta, an island nation and military stronghold in the Mediterranean, finally ended over 160 years of British colonial rule and restored its full sovereignty.
1970
TV
'Monday Night Football' Debuts
A radical and innovative TV schedule broadcasting professional football games live during weekday primetime, previously reserved for weekends, was introduced, instantly captivating US viewers.
1972
News
Marcos Declares Martial Law
President Ferdinand Marcos unexpectedly declared martial law nationwide, forcibly closing Congress and purging opposition politicians to strengthen his iron-fisted dictatorship.
1981
Politics
Belize Independence
Belize achieved full independence from British rule. Securing sovereignty amidst a complex web of major powers' interests, this process highlights a small nation's unyielding determination for freedom and self-determination.
1981
News
Sandra Day O'Connor Confirmed
With unanimous US Senate approval, a female judge was confirmed to the position of Justice on the historically conservative Supreme Court for the first time.
1983
Tech
First Commercial Mobile Phone Approved
Motorola's large, heavy brick-shaped DynaTAC 8000x received FCC approval, fully opening the door to the era of wireless mobile communication.
1989
Disaster
Hurricane Hugo Hits South Carolina
The powerful Category 4 storm that devastated the Caribbean reached the US East Coast, causing massive flooding and property damage in the Charleston area.
1993
News
Russian Constitutional Crisis Begins
President Boris Yeltsin extrajudicially dissolved the parliament opposing his reforms, leading to a severe and bloody armed conflict between the executive and legislative branches.
1996
Gossip
JFK Jr. Marries Carolyn Bessette
The top-secret wedding of an American political scion and a chic fashion publicist on a remote Georgia island attracted massive public and media attention.
1999
Disaster
Chi-Chi Earthquake in Taiwan
A 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck central Taiwan, causing thousands of casualties. Amidst the devastation, the citizens' unified effort for national reconstruction proves human resilience that refuses to yield to nature's destructive force.
2003
Exploration
Galileo Spacecraft Plunged into Jupiter
To prevent Earth microbes from contaminating Europa, the spacecraft, after an amazing 8-year Jupiter mission, was deliberately plunged into the planet's atmosphere and destroyed.
2004
Music
Green Day Releases 'American Idiot'
The punk rock opera album containing messages sharply criticizing the US political situation and chaotic society received enthusiastic and explosive support globally.
2012
Tech
iPhone 5 Released
Breaking Steve Jobs' philosophy, the new iPhone featuring an increased screen size from 3.5 to 4 inches went on sale in major countries for the first time.
2013
Crime
Westgate Mall Attack
Al-Shabaab armed militants stormed a crowded upscale mall in Nairobi, taking civilian hostages and resulting in the tragic sacrifice of numerous innocent citizens and foreigners.
A line for today
"The limits of our imagination define the very boundaries of the world we can reach."
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