Birth of Ferdinand von Zeppelin
Ferdinand Adolf Heinrich August Graf von Zeppelin was born on July 8, 1838, in Konstanz, Grand Duchy of Baden (now part of Germany). He developed the airships that bear his name and would later travel the world.
International History
First US Space Shuttle Docking to Mir
On June 29, 1995, the US Space Shuttle Atlantis docked the Russian space station Mir for the first time. The mission, STS-71, was the third in the US/Russian Shuttle-Mir program. It began on June 27, 1995, when the Atlantis launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This was the 100th US human space launch from Cape Canaveral.
Assassination of Franz Ferdinand
On June 28, 1914, Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife were assassinated by a Bosnia Serb nationalist, sparking World War I.
Allies Free Rome
On June 4, 1944, Allied troops entered Rome, Italy, freeing it from German control. The city’s liberation came after months of hard fighting over mountains, across rivers, and in bad weather, against strong German defenses.
Canada Centenary Issue
On May 25, 1967, the Canada Centennial stamp was issued in Montreal – the first time a US stamp had a First Day ceremony in another country.
Opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway
On April 25, 1959, the St. Lawrence Seaway opened, connecting the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. Construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway was nearly as ambitious as the Panama Canal project.
Battle of San Jacinto
On April 21, 1836, Texan soldiers led a swift attack on an unsuspecting Mexican force at the Battle of San Jacinto. It was the final, decisive battle of the Texas Revolution.
The Titanic Sinks
One of the most well known maritime disasters in history occurred on April 14, 1912, when the Titanic hit an iceberg and sank.
Birth of Hans Christian Andersen
Danish author Hans Christian Andersen was born on April 2, 1805, in Odense, Funen, Kingdom of Denmark-Norway. Best known as an author of Fairy Tales, his birthday is celebrated as International Children’s Book Day.