10 History Lessons + 6 Births & 4 Deaths for April 6, 2025
Today’s History:
- 1320 – The Declaration of Arbroath is signed in Scotland, asserting Scottish independence from England.
- 1652 – Dutch sailor Jan van Riebeeck establishes the first permanent European settlement in South Africa.
- 1862 – The Battle of Shiloh begins during the American Civil War in Tennessee.
- 1896 – The first modern Olympic Games open in Athens, Greece.
- 1909 – Robert Peary and Matthew Henson are credited with reaching the North Pole.
- 1917 – The United States declares war on Germany, entering World War I.
- 1930 – Hostess Twinkies are invented by James Dewar.
- 1941 – Nazi Germany invades Yugoslavia and Greece during World War II.
- 1965 – Early Bird, the first commercial communications satellite, is launched into orbit.
- 1994 – The Rwandan Genocide begins following the assassination of President Habyarimana.
Today’s Birthdays:
- 1928 – James Watson, co-discoverer of DNA structure and Nobel laureate (97)
- 1944 – Michelle Phillips, singer with The Mamas & the Papas and actress (81)
- 1947 – John Ratzenberger, actor (Cheers, voice in Pixar films) (78)
- 1955 – Michael Rooker, actor (Guardians of the Galaxy, The Walking Dead) (70)
- 1975 – Zach Braff, actor and filmmaker (Scrubs) (50)
- 1998 – Peyton List, actress (Jessie, Cobra Kai) (27)
Today’s Deaths:
- 1520 – Raphael, Italian Renaissance painter and architect (37)
- 1890 – Anthony Trollope, English novelist (The Way We Live Now) (74)
- 1992 – Isaac Asimov, prolific science fiction author and biochemist (72)
- 2016 – Merle Haggard, country music icon (79)
Our revenue comes from a combination of direct subscriptions from users and commissions earned by affiliate commissions from sponsors’ links and banners. Some of the links you click may be affiliate links that generate that revenue.