Today in History

Tweet

History is filled with all kinds of interesting events. Many of us have seen major history-making events in our lives, including two of those mentioned for today. However, even I wasn't around for the first two events, even if my children try to tell me I crossed the Red Sea with Moses. First up is a suicide. What's so special about this suicide. For one it ended an important era in history. Movies have been made about her, particularly with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. I'm sure you've guessed who committed suicide on this date in 30 BCE. With Mark Antony dead by his own hand, yes, it does sound a bit like Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, Cleopatra killed herself, bringing an end to Egyptian Pharaohs. History isn't certain by what means she killed herself, whether poison or an asp, but either way, she was dead. Next up is another death, but this one, unless you're a great history buff, isn't as well-known. In 1676 after decades of living peacefully with each other, war broke out between Plymouth Colonists and the Wampanoags. Of course, it did. Peace is something that doesn't last long at any time in history. Chief Metacomet otherwise known as King Philip launched raids against the settlers and met his end in what became known as King Philips War. Too bad the song, Let There be Peace, wasn't known at that time. They might have thought differently about going to war, or maybe not. Next up is something we are all familiar with, and many of us were around for its debut. Gone, or at least set aside to become an antique is the portable and electric typewriters. When I was in eighth grade, my teachers alluded to the information age and the World Wide Web. In 1981 the reality we take for granted became a fact when the 'PC' Computer Debuts. IBM came out with the 5150 computer, changing how we look at the world. This computer had 16K of RAM, a 4.77 MHz CPU and DOS 1.0. Try to work with that today. I dare you. However, everything starts somewhere, and on August 12, 1981, computers became part of our everyday lives. Next up is an accidental find. But then most things are accidental, aren't they? That's how discoveries are made. With those discoveries, ideas go from comic books to the silver screen. Natural history museums receive bones and fossils of past history. On this date in 1990, Paleontologist Sue Hendrickson stood on the side of the road with a flat tire, when she saw bones scattered about in South Dakota. What she found amounted to the biggest and most complete T. Rex ever found. This T. Rex will also get a name - T. Rex Sue. I guess she wanted something named after her. But then she did find it. Have you unearthed anything major while you had a flat tire, or been on vacation? About the only thing I ever unearth is a penny on the ground. Though I have come across dollar bills lying around as well, now that's a find. You can't say history is boring. Oh, and while you're enjoying those history facts, enjoy World Elephant Day. Picture courtesy of Wikimedia Commons