Worldcrunch
Updated May 21, 2024 at 10:50 a.m. Charles Lindbergh flew from New York City to Le Bourget Field in Paris, covering a distance of 3,610 miles (5,810 kilometers) in just 34 hours. He touched down in Paris on this day in 1927. Who was Charles Lindbergh? Charles Lindbergh was an American aviator and military officer […]
Updated May 20, 2024 at 12:50 p.m. Cher was born on this day in 1946, in El Centro, California, United States. The American singer, actress, and performer, who has had a career spanning over six decades, is known for her distinctive voice, theatrical performances, and iconic fashion sense. What was Cher’s childhood like? Cher had […]
Updated May 19, 2024 at 5 p.m. On this day in 2018, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were married at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, England. How did Prince Harry and Meghan Markle meet? Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reportedly met on a blind date in July 2016, set up by a mutual friend. […]
Updated May 18, 2024 at 11 a.m. The volcano Mount St. Helens erupted on this day in 1980, in the state of Washington, United States. What caused the eruption of Mount St. Helens? The eruption of Mount St. Helens was caused by a combination of geological factors, including the movement of tectonic plates, the buildup […]
Updated May 17, 2024 at 11:25 a.m. The first legal same-sex marriages ever in the U.S. were performed on this day in 2004 in the state of Massachusetts. Where were the first legal same-sex marriages performed in the United States? The first legal same-sex marriages in the United States were performed in the state of […]
Updated May 16, 2024 at 11 a.m. The Warsaw Uprising officially ended on this day in 1943, when the remaining Jewish fighters were killed or captured by German forces. What was the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising? The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising was a military operation by the Jewish resistance during World War II aimed at resisting the […]
Updated May 15, 2024 at 1:30 p.m. Billy Graham’s 1957 crusade began at Madison Square Garden in New York City on this day. The crusade drew a total of 2.3 million people over the course of its four-month run, with an average attendance of around 18,000 people per night. Who was Billy Graham? Billy Graham […]
Updated May 14, 2024 at 10:35 a.m. Cate Blanchett was born on this day in 1969. Blanchett is an Australian actress known for her roles in film, television, and theater. She has won multiple awards, including two Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and three Screen Actors Guild Awards. What are some of Cate Blanchett’s […]
Updated May 13, 2024 at 12:30 p.m. Mehmet Ali Ağca attempted to kill Pope John Paul II on this day in 1981 in St. Peter’s Square. Who was Mehmet Ali Ağca? Mehmet Ali Ağca was a Turkish national who was a member of the extremist right-wing organization known as the Grey Wolves. Why did Mehmet […]
Updated May 12, 2024 at 10:45 a.m. On this day in 2008, an earthquake hit the Sichuan province of China, in Wenchuan county. It was one of the deadliest recorded earthquakes ever to hit China. What was the magnitude of the Sichuan earthquake? The earthquake had a magnitude of 7.9 on the Richter scale. How […]
Updated May 10, 2024 at 11:40 a.m. Nelson Mandela was sworn into the presidency at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, South Africa on this day in 1994. What happened during Mandela’s president? Nelson Mandela led the end of apartheid and the transition to democracy in South Africa during his time as president. Mandela had been […]
Updated May 9, 2024 at 11:40 a.m. On this day in 2016, the controversial Rodrigo Duterte was elected as the 16th President of the Philippines. What was Duterte’s presidential campaign platform? Rodrigo Duterte’s campaign platform for the presidency was centered around the fight against corruption, crime, and drugs. Most controversially, he urged citizens to shoot […]
Updated May 8, 2024 at 11:20 a.m. Mahatma Gandhi began an iconic fast on this day in 1933 in protest against the British government’s decision to separate the electoral system in India based on religion. He believed that the decision would lead to communal division and destroy Hindu-Muslim unity. Gandhi’s fast lasted for a total […]
Updated May 7, 2024 at 11:45 a.m. Emmanuel Macron was elected president of France on this day in 2017, after winning the second round of the presidential election. Who is Emmanuel Macron? Emmanuel Macron is a French politician who has served as the President of France since 2017. He is currently in his second term. […]
Updated May 6, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. The Hindenburg caught fire on this day in 1937, while attempting to land at Lakehurst Naval Air Station in New Jersey, USA. What was the Hindenburg? The Hindenburg was a German zeppelin airship that was built in the 1930s. It was the largest airship ever built and was […]
Updated May 3, 2024 at 9:15 a.m. Margaret Thatcher was elected prime minister of the United Kingdom on this day in 1979. She served as prime minister for 11 years, until her resignation in November 1990. What were Margaret Thatcher’s key policies as prime minister? As prime minister, Margaret Thatcher pursued a program of economic […]
Updated May 2, 2024 at 1:15 p.m. The iconic war photograph of the raising of the flag over the Reichstag was taken on this day in 1945. Why was the raising of the flag over the Reichstag significant? The image showing a Soviet soldier raising the Soviet flag on the roof of the Reichstag building […]
Updated April 30, 2024 at 10:15 p.m. Thirty years ago, Formula 1 icon Ayrton Senna died in a crash during the San Marino Grand Prix at Imola. Who was Ayrton Senna? Ayrton Senna was a Brazilian Formula One racing driver who is widely considered to be one of the greatest drivers in the history of […]
Updated April 30, 2024 at 12:15 p.m. On this day in 1993, tennis icon Monica Seles was stabbed by a deranged fan of her rival during a tennis match in Hamburg, Germany. Who was Monica Seles? Monica Seles is a former professional tennis player who was ranked world No. 1 and won nine Grand Slam […]
Updated April 29, 2024 at 1:15 p.m. In April of 1975, as North Vietnamese troops approached the southern capital of Saigon, U.S. President Gerald Ford ordered the evacuation of all Americans from the country. How did the fall of Saigon happen? After years of conflict, the North Vietnamese army launched a final offensive on South […]
Updated April 28, 2024 at 11:45 a.m. Spanish actress Penélope Cruz was born on this day in 1974, in Madrid, Spain. She began her acting career in the early 1990s. Where did Penélope Cruz grow up? Penélope Cruz Sánchez grew up in Alcobendas, a town near Madrid, Spain. She grew up in a working-class family, the […]
Updated April 27, 2024 at 12:45 p.m. South African citizens of all races were allowed to vote in a general election for the first time on April 27, 1994. This was the first democratic election in South Africa after the end of the apartheid system. How did apartheid end in South Africa? The end of […]
Updated April 26, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. The Chernobyl nuclear disaster was a catastrophic nuclear accident that occurred on this day in 1986, on Ukrainian territory of the Soviet Union. It was the worst nuclear disaster in history, both in terms of the human and environmental impact. How did the Chernobyl nuclear disaster happen? The […]
Updated April 25, 2024 at 11:450 p.m. On this day in 1945, Allied troops entered Milan and other major Italian cities, signaling the end of fascist rule and the Nazi occupation. The Italian resistance movement played a significant role in the liberation of the country. What was the fascist regime in Italy? The fascist regime […]
Updated April 24, 2024 at 12:00 p.m. The Armenian genocide began on this day in 1915, when the Ottoman government arrested and deported hundreds of Armenian intellectuals and community leaders in Constantinople (now Istanbul). What led to the start of the Armenian genocide? The Ottoman government had long been hostile towards the Armenian population, who […]
Updated April 23, 2024 at 12:00 p.m. Roger Fenton’s photograph “the Valley of the Shadow of Death,” is considered the first-ever iconic war image, and was taken on this day in 1885. What is the Valley of the Shadow of Death? The area known as the “Valley of the Shadow of Death” is a narrow […]
Updated April 22, 2024 at 12:40 p.m. Elian Gonzalez is a Cuban national who became the subject of an international custody battle. He was five years old at the time. On this day in 2000, federal agents raided the Miami home where Elian was staying with his relatives and forcibly removed him, holding him and […]
Updated April 21, 2024 at 11:45 a.m. Iggy Pop was born on this day in 1947 in Michigan. He is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actor known for his influential career in rock music, particularly his work with the punk rock band The Stooges in the late 1960s and early 1970s. How did Iggy […]
Updated April 18, 2024 at 11:15 a.m. An earthquake hit San Francisco and its surrounding areas in California this day in 1906. The earthquake, which was caused by the movement of tectonic plates along the San Andreas Fault, was one of the most powerful in American history. How many people were killed in the 1906 […]
Updated April 17, 2024 at 12:00 p.m. The Bay of Pigs invasion began on this day in 1961, when a force of around 1,400 Cuban exiles, backed by the United States government, landed at the Bay of Pigs on the southern coast of Cuba. What was the goal of the Bay of Pigs invasion? The […]
Updated April 16, 2024 at 11:40 a.m. On this day in 2014, the MV Sewol ferry capsized off the coast of South Korea, killing 295 people, most of whom were high school students. What caused the MV Sewol to capsize? The ferry was carrying 476 passengers, including 325 students from Danwon High School in Ansan, […]
Updated April 15, 2024 at 12:20 p.m. The Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris caught fire on this day five years ago. What caused the fire at the Notre-Dame Cathedral? The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation, but it is believed to have started accidentally, possibly due to an electric short circuit or a cigarette that was not properly extinguished. How much damage did the fire cause to the Notre-Dame Cathedral? The fire caused significant damage to the cathedral, destroying the roof and spire and damaging many of the interior and exterior elements. However, the structure of the cathedral […]
Updated April 14, 2024 at 5 p.m. The Titanic hit the iceberg at approximately 11:40 p.m. on this day in 1912. How did the Titanic hit the iceberg? The Titanic hit the iceberg due to a combination of factors, including poor visibility, the lack of adequate warning systems, and the speed at which the ship was traveling. The crew also failed to take evasive action until it was too late. What damage did the iceberg cause to the Titanic? The iceberg caused significant damage to the Titanic, opening up a series of holes in the ship’s hull that allowed water […]
Tiger Woods became the youngest golfer to win the Masters Tournament on this day in 1997. He was 21 years old at the time.
Yuri Gagarin, a Soviet Air Force pilot and cosmonaut became the first human ever to travel into outer space on this day in 1961.
The trial of Adolf Eichmann began on this day in 1961, in Jerusalem, Israel. Eichmann was captured by Israeli agents in Argentina in 1960 and brought to Israel to stand trial.
Updated April 10, 2024 at 12:35 p.m. On this day in 2010, the Polish Air Force Tu-154M crashed near the Russian city of Smolensk. The crash killed all 96 people on board, including Polish President Lech Kaczyński and many other high-ranking officials. What was the cause of the Polish Air Force Tu-154M crash near Smolensk? […]
Updated April 9, 2024 at 12:00 p.m. The photos of the Saddam Hussein statue being toppled were iconic images of the fall of the regime of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein on this day in 2003. U.S. forces entered Baghdad and toppled a statue of Saddam Hussein in Firdos Square and the image of the statue […]
Updated April 8, 2024 at 11:45 a.m. This famous picture taken during the Sudanese revolution in 2019 depicts Alaa Salah, a young Sudanese woman, standing on top of a car and leading a crowd of protesters. Who is Alaa Salah? Alaa Salah is a Sudanese student and activist who became an icon of the Sudanese […]