04 April Topics

April 1: Money, American style – In 1778, the $ was invented.
Hitler Jailed – In 1924, Hitler was sentenced to serve a jail term.
Wrigley Company – In 1891, the soap and baking powder company was founded.
Spaghetti Trees – In 1957, the BBC played an April Fool’s trick.
Worth Every Penny – In 1853, firefighters were first given a salary.
Getting High – In 1545, Potosi, Bolivia (one of the highest cities in the world) was founded.
1789 – Frederick Muhlenberg became first Speaker of the House.

April 2: Giacomo Casanova – In 1725, Casanova was born.
US Coinage Act – In 1792, the Coinage Act was passed.
The Sunshine State – In 1513, Juan Ponce de León discovered Florida.
Starving – In 1863, the Richmond riot took place.
Some lead in Your Pencil – In 1827, Joseph Dixon produced the first lead pencils.
Panda Crossing – In 1962, Britain got a new type of crosswalk.
1973 – LexisNexis launched.

April 3: A new boxing record set – In 1936, a new record for shortest fight was set.
Cunard Line – In 1929, the shipping company announced a new ship to be built.
Speedy Snail Mail – In 1860, The Pony Express began service.
Old Smokey – In 1936, Bruno Hauptmann was executed.
Marshall Plan – In 1948, President Truman signed the Plan into law.
James Gang’s Loss – In 1882, Jesse James was killed.
1973 – The first cellular phone call was made.

April 4: US Flag – In 1818, the US adopted a new flag.
Robert Walpole – In 1721, Walpole became England’s first Prime Minister.
Strike While the Iron is Hot – In 1871, Mrs. Potts’ Sad Irons were patented.
Tippecanoe – In 1841, the first sitting US President died.
Declaration of Indulgence – In 1687, King James II of England made the declaration.
Fun for All Ages – In 1768, the first modern circus was held in London.
1873 – The Kennel Club was founded.

April 5: Joseph Lister – In 1827, Joseph Lister was born.
Salt March – In 1930, Gandhi reached the sea and gathered salt.
Wedding Bells – In 1614, John Rolfe married Pocahontas.
Big Heads – In 1722, Easter Island was discovered by Europeans.
Chamber of Commerce – In 1768, the first Chamber was formed.
Incoming – In 1804, Scotland suffered a meteorite strike.
1242 – The Battle on the Ice took place.

April 6: Twinkies – In 1930, James Dewer invented the ubiquitous treat.
Varney Air Lines – In 1926, air mail delivery began.
Money, Money, Money – In 1808, John Astor incorporated the American Fur Company.
Olympiad – In 1896, the first modern Olympic Games opened.
North Pole Perhaps – In 1909, Peary and Henson may have reached the North Pole.
Unrequited – In 1627, Petrarch first saw Laura.
1947 – The first Tony Awards were passed out.

April 7: Light My Fire – In 1827, John Walker developed a new match.
Internet Born – in 1969, RFC-1 was published.
WHO’s Your Caregiver? – In 1948, the World Health Organization was founded.
Canadian Assassination – In 1868, Thomas D’Arcy McGee was killed.
Famous American Series – In 1940, Booker T. Washington was placed on a stamp.
Germanwings Precursor – In 1994, an attempted hijacking of a Fed Ex plane took place.
1989 – K-278, a Soviet nuclear sub, sunk.

April 8: Punch Without Judy – In 1992, the last issue of Punch magazine hit the newsstands.
Venus de Milo – In 1820, the famous statue was found on Melos.
Winchester Cathedral – In 1093, the new Winchester Cathedral was dedicated.
Working Class – In 1935, the WPA was created.
Clint Eastwood’s Political Life – In 1986, Eastwood was elected mayor.
Religious Freedom – In 1730, the Mill Street synagogue in New Amsterdam was consecrated.
1904 – Longacre Square became Times Square.

April 9: Water, Water Everywhere – In 1829, the dike in Gdansk failed.
Windsor Wedding – In 2005, Prince Charles married Camilla.
States United – In 1865, the US Civil War came to an end.
World Class Singer – In 1939, Marian Anderson gave a concert from the Lincoln Memorial.
Free Books – In 1833, a tax for a library was passed.
Journey of Reconciliation – In 1947, the Civil Rights journey began.
1860 – The first recording of a human voice was made.

April 10: It’s Not Over ‘Til the Fat Lady Sings – In 1918, Jørn Utzon was born.
ASPCA Formed – In 1866, our animal friends received a voice.
Deadliest Volcano – In 1815, Mount Tambora began to erupt.
Fore – In 1916, the PGA was formed.
Safety First – In 1849, a patent for a safety pin was issued.
ASPCA – In 1866, the animal rights group was formed.
1904 – The Book of the Law was finished.

April 11 : Coming to America – In 1890, Ellis Island became the national immigration center.
Civil Rights Act – In 1968, President Johnson signed the bill into law.
Elks – In 1876, the Elks were organized.
Joe, Not John – In 1890, the Elephant Man died.
Funny Man (Woman, Child) – In 2013, Jonathan Winters died.
Beautiful Music – In 1888, the Concergebouw venue near Amsterdam opened.
1976 – Apple Computer 1 hit the market.

April 12: Jerry Did Good – In 1996, Yahoo! went public.
Polio Vaccine – In 1955, Jonas Salk’s vaccine was approved.
Union Jack – In 1606, Great Britain adopted a new flag.
The Columbus of the Cosmos – In 1961, Yuri Gagarin was the first human to go into space.
Safety in Sports – In 1877, a catcher’s mask was first worn.
Reverberation – In 1831, the Broughton Suspension Bridge collapsed.
1861 – The US Civil War began.

April 13: Houston We Have a Problem – In 1970, there is an explosion on the Apollo 13 lunar mission.
Freedom of Religion – In 1829, Britain granted Roman Catholics the right to practice their religion.
Hallelujah! – In 1742, Handel’s Messiah debuted.
What Were They Thinking? – In 1953, MK-ULTRA was launched by Allen Dulles.
Hospital for Special Surgery – In 1863, the orthopedic hospital opened.
36th Academy Awards – In 1964, Sidney Poitier won an Oscar for Best Actor
1870 – The Metropolitan Museum of Art was established.

April 14: “I’m the King of the World!” – In 1912, RMS Titanic struck an iceberg.
Westward, Ho! – In 1846, the Donner Party began their trek west.
Black Sunday – In 1935, the dust bowl got a lot dustier.
Too Early for July Fourth – In 1944, the SS Fort Stikine exploded.
Four Dead in Five Seconds – In 1881, a shoot out took place in El Paso, Texas.
Color Nor Colour – In 1828, Noah Webster received a copyright for his dictionary.
1865 – Lincoln was shot.

April 15: Going for the Gold – In 1896, the first Modern Olympic Games came to an end.
Cartography – in 1924, Rand McNally published its first atlas.
Leonardo – In 1452, Leonardo da Vinci was born.
Sunk – In 1912, the Titanic sunk.
Definitive – In 1755, Johnson’s dictionary was published.
Boston Marathon Bombings – In 2013, the famous marathon ended in disaster.
1892 – General Electric was founded.

April 16: Little Sure Shot – In 1922, a little old lady performed a remarkable marksmanship feat.
Goya Sunk – In 1945, the Russians sunk the German refugee ship.
High Flyer – In 1912. Harriet Quimby became the first woman to fly across the English Channel.
Taking Marbles; Leaving – In 1858, the Wernerian Natural History Society ceased to exist.
Great Neighbors – In 1818, the Rush-Bagot Treaty was ratified in the US.
Gettin’ Outta Dodge – In 1861, Bat Masterson came to Dodge City, Kansas.
1457 BC – The Battle of Megiddo was fought.

April 17: America’s Renaissance Man – In 1790, Benjamin Franklin died.
FedEx – In 1973, FedEx began operation.
Stories – In 1397, Chaucer presented the Canterbury Tales for the first time.
Frenchman Takes Off – In 1944, Henri Giraud escaped a POW prison.
Snooker – In 1875, the game was invented.
And the War Finally Ends – In 1986, the Three Hundred and Thirty Five Years’ War ended.
1912 – The Lena Massacre took place.

April 18: The Great Quake – In 1906, a large earthquake devastated San Francisco.
The House that Ruth Built – In 1923, Yankee Stadium opened.
One if by Land; Two if by Sea – In 1775, Paul Revere took a ride through the countryside.
Suicide Bomber – In 1983, the US Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon was destroyed.
Puzzling – In 1924, Simon & Schuster published a crossword puzzle book.
Incurable – In 1958, Ezra Pound was found to be incurable.
1899 – St. Andrew’s Ambulance Association began.

April 19: Look It Up – In 1928, the last fascicle of the Oxford English Dictionary was published.
Trippin’ – In 1943, Albert Hofmann tried LSD.
Sex Is Obscene  – In 1927, Mae West was sentenced to jail for her play, Sex.
Jump – In 1919, Leslie Leroy Irvin jumped from a plane.
Boston Marathon – In 1897, the first Boston Marathon was run.
Good Will – In 1782, John Adams became America’s first overseas ambassador.
1971 – Charles Manson was sentenced to death.

April 20: Whodunit? – In 1841, the first mystery story was published.
Germ Theory – In 1862, Pasteur demonstrated his new theory.
Ludlow Massacre – In 1914, mining riots took place in Colorado resulting in 22 dead.
Two – In 1964, BBC2 launched.
Annie Hall – In 1977, the movie premiered.
Vädersolstavlan – In 1535, the sky over Stockholm was filled with beauty.
1818 – William Ashford v Abraham Thornton’s case ended.

April 21: Snoopy v. The Red Baron – In 1918, The Red Baron lost a dogfight.
Rome – In 753 BC, Romulus and Remus founded Rome.
Henry VIII – In 1509, Henry became King of England.
Seattle’s Best – In 1962, the Century 21 Exposition opened in Seattle.
First Veep – In 1789, John Adams became the first US Vice President.
Bangkok’s Beginning – In 1782, the Thai capital city was founded.
900 – Lady Angkatan’s debts were forgiven.

April 22: One Ringy-Dingy – In 2000, the UK updated the phone system.
Earth Day – In 1970, Earth Day was first celebrated.
Oklahoma Land Run – In 1889, land in Oklahoma was parceled out in a land run.
Remember the Alamo – In 1836, Santa Anna was captured.
Rolling Along – In 1823, a patent for roller skates was granted to Robert Tyres.
Pravda – In 1912, the paper was made the Communist Party’s mouthpiece.
1864 – The Coinage Act of 1864 passed in the US.

April 23: The Bard of Avon – In 1616, William Shakespeare died.
Boston Latin School – In 1635, the first public school in America (still open) was founded.
Lights, Camera, Action – In 1867, a patent for a zoetrope was granted.
Mississippi Burning – In 1940, the Rhythm Night Club burned.
The Arts – In 1904, the American Academy of Arts & Letters formed.
De Adriaan – In 1932, the iconic windmill burned to the ground.
1879 – The University of Notre Dame burned.

April 24: Greeks Bearing Gifts – In 1184 BC, the Greeks brought a gift to Troy.
Soyuz 1 – In 1967, the first space fatality occurred.
Hershey’s Park – In 1907, Hersheypark opened.
Looking Outward – In 1990, mission STS-31 boosted into space with the Hubble Space Telescope aboard.
Reference Work – In 1800, the US Library of Congress was established.
Tallest, For a While – In 1913, the Woolworth Building opened.
1895 – Joshua Slocum left Boston.

April 25: “Off With Their Heads” – The Queen of Hearts – In 1792, the first person was executed by the more humane method of guillotine.
Semiconductor – In 1961, Robert Noyce patented the semiconductor and opened the computer age.
Ouch! –  In 1684, a patent was granted for a thimble.
Rebellion Losses Bill – In 1849, the bill was signed into law.
Suez Canal – In 1859, ground was broken for the construction of the canal.
Licensing – In 1901, New York issued the first American license plates.
1944 – The United Negro College Fund was founded.

April 26: Chernobyl – In 1986, there was a nuclear disaster in the Chernobyl power plant.
John Wilkes Booth – In 1865, the actor was found and killed.
Tanzania – In 1964, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged.
Police – In 1933, the Gestapo was formed.
Fenway’s First – In 1912, the first home run was hit in the new Fenway Park.
Shipping Made Easier – In 1956, the first container ship left port.
1478 – Giuliana de’ Medici was murdered.

April 27: Sultana – In 1865, the steamship Sultana had a boiler explode.
John Milton – In 1667, Paradise Lost was purchased for £5.
Appendectomy – In 1887, the first successful appendectomy was performed.
Expo 67 – In 1967, the Expo held official opening ceremonies.
Operation Moolah – In 1953, an unusual offer was made by the US.
Zambian Soccer – In 1993, the soccer team was killed in an airplane crash.
1578 – The Duel of the Mignons took place.

April 28: A Voyage to the South Sea – In 1789, the Mutiny on the Bounty took place.
Kon-Tiki – In 1947, Thor Heyerdahl set sail.
Exposed! – In 1967, Expo 67 opened in Canada.
Scully’s Predecessor – In 1988, Aloha Airline Flight 243 met with disaster.
Men and Their Flying Machines – In 1910, three aviation firsts took place.
Yellow Fever – In 1932, a new vaccine was announced.
1887 –  Guillaume Schnaebelé was released.

April 29: What’s the Word? – In 1852, the third most popular book in the world was first published.
Rodney King – In 1992, riots broke out in Los Angeles.
Free, Free at Last – In 1945, Dachau was liberated.
Slide – In 1903, a landslide down Turtle Mountain took place.
Oldsmobile – In 2004, the company went out of business.
People’s Budget – In 1910, the budget passed in England.
2015 – The Baltimore Orioles played to an empty stadium.

April 30: Oh, Hail – In 1888, the deadliest hailstorm in history struck in India.
Louisiana Purchase – in 1803, President Jefferson bought some land from France.
Father of Our Country – In 1789, George Washington took the Oath of Office and became the first President of the United States.
Super – In 1006, a supernova was observed.
Bilious Pills – In 1796, a patent was granted for a pill.
Women Only – In 1927, Alderson Prison opened, the first all female prison in the US.
1956 – Alben Barkley died.