From the first week to the last week of November, many events over time have made history. From birthdays, achievements, and war changing decisions, this is the history of November.
November 1, 1848: A step to equality for women. The first medical school for women opened in Boston. The Boston Female Medical School was founded by Samuel Gregory with just 12 students. In 1874, the school merged with the Boston University School of Medicine, becoming one of the first co-ed medical schools. Those who have taken history classes will remember that a century later.
November 2, 1962: JFK made important decisions that would impact the war with Soviets. During the Cuban Missile Crisis, President John F. Kennedy announced on TV, “The Soviet bases in Cuba are being dismantled, their missiles and related equipment being crated, and the fixed installations at these sites are being destroyed.” This was potentially a turning point for the Cuban Missile Crisis.
November 3, 1957: The space race skyrocketed. Soviet Russia launched the world’s first inhabited space capsule, Sputnik II, which carried a dog named Laika. This occurred during the Cold War and started a Space Race with the United States. This resulted in the construction of the Berlin Wall.
November 4, 1922: The king was found. King Tut’s tomb was discovered at Luxor, Egypt, by British archaeologist Howard Carter after several years of searching. The child-King Tutankhamen became pharaoh at age nine and died around 1352 B.C. at age 19. The tomb was found mostly intact, containing numerous priceless items now exhibited in Egypt’s National Museum in Cairo.
November 6, 1860: Abraham Lincoln was elected as the 16th U.S. President as the first Republican. He received 180 of 303 possible electoral votes and 40 percent of the popular vote.
November 7, 1990: Mary Robinson became Ireland’s first female president. Leading another victory for women in reaching equality!
November 24, 1863: The Battle of Chattanooga took place during the American Civil War as General Ulysses Grant’s soldiers scaled heavily fortified Lookout Mountain and overran Confederate General Braxton Bragg’s army.
November 25, 1963:Three days after his assassination, John F. Kennedy was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery. Listed before on November 2nd, this was only a year after he came on tv to speak about the Cuban Missile Crisis.
November 26, 1789: The first American holiday occurred, proclaimed by President George Washington to be Thanksgiving Day, a day of prayer and public thanksgiving in gratitude for the successful establishment of the new American republic.
November 27, 1701: Anders Celsius (1701-1744) was born in Sweden. He invented the centigrade (Celsius) temperature scale commonly used in Europe.
November 28, 1942: Fire erupted inside the Coconut Grove nightclub in Boston killing nearly 500 persons who had become trapped inside.
November 29, 1929: American explorer Richard Byrd and Bernt Balchen completed the first airplane flight to the South Pole.
November 30, 1782: A provisional peace treaty was signed between Great Britain and the United States heralding the end of America’s War of Independence. The final treaty was signed in Paris on September 3, 1783. It declared the U.S. “…to be free, sovereign and independent states…” and that the British Crown “…relinquishes all claims to the government, propriety and territorial rights of the same, and every part thereof.”
Corrynne Medina, Staff Writer
Senior Corrynne Medina is a staff writer for the 2016-2017 Colonel. She plays varsity basketball and softball and participates in Young Marines. After graduation, she will be going into the United States Marine Corps.