3 Events That Happened in June

Robert Klimowicz — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 21:28:27 +0000

Originally published June 2, 2009.

The month of May is over, and now June has arrived. It’s incredible how fast the year is flying by. In honor of the new month, here is a short list of major world events that have happened in the month of June (in no particular order):

1.) D.Day – June 6, 1944

The famed invasion of Normandy by the Allied troops. Part of Operation Overlord, D-Day helped the Allied forces push forward into France and establish a new front on their way to liberate Paris. Many historians consider D-Day the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany. It was the largest and most successful amphibious assault in history and to this day, many accounts and depictions are created in film, television, print and art. Definitely an important world event.

2.) Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria – June 28, 1914

Often referred to as “The shot heard ’round the world,” many blame the assassination as the cause of World War I. A Serbian nationalist, Gavrilo Princip, was the assassin. In the aftermath, Austria’s demands from Serbia caused Serbia to activate its alliance with Russia, who in turn, had an alliance with the UK and France, known as the Triple Entente. Austria, in retaliation, activated their alliances with Germany and Italy. The Great War was born. The aftermath of WWI also lead indirectly to WWII, as well as the birth of the Soviet Union. This world event changed the world forever.

3.) Henry Ford test drives the Ford Quadricycle – June 4, 1896

Such a small world event leading to big thing. This small vehicle was the predecessor to all vehicles on the road today. Its top speed was 20 mph and used a gasoline engine. This little invention helped propel Ford to early automotive dominance. After he left the Henry Ford Company (later known as Cadillac), Ford established the Ford Motor Company in 1903. His Model T automobile revolutionized traveling, as people started living in the suburbs because of the car. He also made it affordable for the majority of Americans, due to the invention of the assembly line.

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5 Events That Happened in October

Robert Klimowicz — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:45:44 +0000

September is over and October has arrived. October is always an action packed month, with the NFL season in full swing, the MLB playoffs about to begin, the fall season making things a little chilly outside (or hotter if you’re in the Southern hemisphere), and of course, Halloween! To celebrate October, here is a list of major world events in history that happened in the month of October (in no particular order):

1.) Russia launches Sputnik 1 – October 4, 1957

The launch of Russian satellite Sputnik caused a huge uproar. It was the first artificial satellite launched to orbit the Earth. The launch caused the United States to send their own satellites into orbit, and thus the Space Race began. The Space Race culminated in July 21, 1969 when Neil Armstrong became the first person to set foot on the Moon.

2.) The October Revolution in Russia – October 25, 1917

Under the Julian calendar, the revolution happened in October (November under the Gregorian). The Bolsheviks took over the government of Russia, after previously ousting Czar Nicholas II in the February Revolution. The October Revolution directly led to the Russian Civil War, and Russia’s withdrawal from WWI. This in turn led to the creation of communist Soviet Union.

3.) Stock Market Crashes – October 24-29, 1929

Collectively known as Black Thursday, Friday, Monday, and Tuesday, the Stock Market Crash of 1929 began the Great Depression, the longest and most devastating economic depression in history. Stock prices plummeted and investors lost over $30 billion in the four day span. On Black Tuesday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 12% and over 16 million shares were traded in that day (a record that would not be broken until 1968). The Roaring 20′s era of overspending and boundless credit came to a crashing end.

4.) Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, FL opens – October 1, 1971

The Walt Disney World Resort is the most visited resort in the world. Prior to Disney’s presence, Orlando was a relatively small city and swampland. Now, Orlando is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the world, rivaling Las Vegas. The resort also helped usher in global tourism, as other parks have been built in other countries such as France and Japan.

5.) President Bush signs the bailout – October 3, 2008

When the economy started to decline in 2007 and 2008, a number of measures were taken to prevent a full collapse. On October 3, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 was signed by then President of George W. Bush. The bailout called for the creation of the Troubled Asset Relief Program, or TARP, to help give banks the capital they needed to survive. The bailout was unpopular with the general public and inflated the budget deficit for fiscal 2009 to over $1 trillion and the national debt to over $11 trillion.