|
Post by frankthetriviaman on Aug 11, 2018 21:16:40 GMT -5
In the grand fabric of history, no single moment can ever stand out as the defining moment of a generation, let alone a century. Every day, history is created, and a mere fraction of those events go on to obtain great historical prominence. Join me as we take but a small sample of history, and dive into some of the moments which shaped the world we live in today.
For this list, we are looking at one event per year, and we are defining the 20th century as 100 years, from 1900 to 1999.
Let's get started!
|
|
|
Post by frankthetriviaman on Aug 11, 2018 21:21:49 GMT -5
September 1900: The Great Galveston HurricaneThe deadliest natural disaster in the history of the United States, this hurricane left anywhere from 6,000 to 12,000 people dead, including deaths in the Midwest, Northeast and even Canada. Most notable, is the total annihilation of Galveston as a result of this hurricane. 30,000 of Galveston's 38,000 residents were left homeless. The Golden age of Galveston ended, and investors were now deterred from going to the city; turning their attention to Houston instead. By comparison, Hurricane Katrina, the most devastating hurricane to hit the US in the 20th Century, only caused about 1800 deaths at most.
|
|
|
Post by frankthetriviaman on Aug 11, 2018 21:39:43 GMT -5
September 6, 1901- Assassination of William McKinleyThe curse of Tippecanoe struck again when anarchist Leon Czolgosz shot president William McKinley twice during a visit to the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York. At 4:07 p.m. the anarchist went to shake hands with McKinley, only to be shot by a gun concealed under a handkerchief. The 25th president died eight days later, making Theodore Roosevelt the 26th president of the United States. Following McKinley's death the Secret Service, whose original task was to protect the nation from counterfeit currency, had their duties upgraded to include protecting the President of the United States.
|
|
|
Post by frankthetriviaman on Aug 11, 2018 21:59:21 GMT -5
August 1902: Reign of Edward VII beginsThe coronation of Edward VII marked the end of the Victorian Era and the beginning of the Edwardian era. Queen Victoria was the longest reigning monarch not only in England, but in all of Europe up until that time. The Edwardian period was significant because it "coincided with the start of a new century and heralded significant changes in technology and society, including steam turbine propulsion and the rise of socialism."
|
|
|
Post by frankthetriviaman on Aug 11, 2018 22:10:17 GMT -5
December 17, 1903- First powered flightOrville Wright flew the first powered flight of a heavier than air craft on this day in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Though only four flights took place that day, all less than one minute long, they paved the way for all future developments in aviation technology to come
|
|
|
Post by frankthetriviaman on Aug 12, 2018 10:03:54 GMT -5
June 15, 1904: General Slocum DisasterPrior to the fire that destroyed it, this steam powered ferry was involved in a number of mishaps and accidents. In part due to poor upkeep by her owners, when the fire broke out almost all the devices and equipment which could have saved lives were either broken or unusable. Many women died when their heavy clothing of the day made swimming virtually impossible. There were over 1,000 deaths; the worst disaster in the New York area prior to 9/11. Although largely forgotten today, General Slocum's legacy was a refining of the federal and state regulations concerning safety equipment on ships
|
|
|
Post by frankthetriviaman on Aug 12, 2018 10:14:14 GMT -5
May 27-28 1905: Battle of TsushimaOne of the most lopsided and decisive battles in history, the Battle of Tsushima was the final major engagement of the Russo-Japanese war. In the first major naval battle where telegraphy played a role, the Japanese Navy annihilated the Russian navy; sinking or capturing most of their ships. It was the first time an Asian n power had defeated a European power in the modern era in such a decisive manner, and Japan went on to win the war. It stands out as a blow to the prestige of Russia and was a great blow to the Romanov Dynasty. The Russian Navy's annihilation is sometimes cited as one of the contributing factors to the beginning of World War I, because the loss of their Naval might destabilized the balance of power in Europe, and may have emboldened the Central powers to take action when they did. It has even been argued that the effectiveness of the Japanese fleet designs versus the Russian fleet designs is what inspired the British to build the HMS Dreadnought; the battleship so revolutionary that the entire generation of battleships that came after were called "dreadnoughts"
|
|
|
Post by frankthetriviaman on Aug 12, 2018 11:32:07 GMT -5
April 18, 1906- San Francisco EarthquakeThe earthquake devastated the Californian City, destroying over 80 percent of its buildings and causing over 400 million dollars in damage (10.9 billion in today's money). It remains one of the deadliest earthquakes in the history of the United States, and it wasn't until 1915 when the city was considered largely rebuilt.
|
|
|
Post by frankthetriviaman on Aug 12, 2018 12:57:17 GMT -5
March 15-16, 1907- Parliament of Finland Elections
In a major victory for the suffrage movement, for the first time elections for a national assembly are held where there are women candidates, and for the first time in Europe universal suffrage is granted. 19 women went on to win seats in Finland's parliament; a great victory that would be just one in a string of many more to come.
|
|
|
Post by frankthetriviaman on Aug 12, 2018 13:13:01 GMT -5
June 30, 1908- Tunguska EventThe largest impact event in recorded history, an interstellar object (widely agreed today to have been a meteoroid), exploded over a remote region of Siberia, leveling nearly 770 square miles of forest. Fortunately, the remoteness of the region meant there were no confirmed human deaths. This event was one of several that eventually lead to serious discussions on the topic of asteroid impact avoidance.
|
|
|
Post by frankthetriviaman on Aug 12, 2018 13:23:00 GMT -5
February 12, 1909- Establishment of the NAACPThe National Association for the Advancement of Colored People was established this day, with the intent of advancing justice for African Americans. In a time where racial discrimination and segregation was the norm in many communities, this group rose up to lead the charge and help fight for justice for all Americans, regardless of race.
|
|
|
Post by frankthetriviaman on Aug 12, 2018 13:35:46 GMT -5
November 20, 1910- Mexican Revolution BeginsSparked by the rigged election that kept 35-year ruler Porfirio Diaz in power, the Mexican Revolution began a decade long struggle that could also be interpreted as a Civil War. It lasted several phases, with the "revolutionaries" and "counter-revolutionaries" regularly changing. It went on to have a great impact on Mexican history and culture. It should also be noted that it was because of this struggle that Mexico did not take up the offer in the Zimmermann telegram sent in World War I that, if enacted, would have caused Mexico to declare war on the United States.
|
|
|
Post by frankthetriviaman on Aug 12, 2018 13:44:17 GMT -5
December 14, 1911: Roald Amundsen reaches the South Pole
It was a race between two expeditions: The British expedition lead by Robert Falcon Scott and the Norwegian expedition lead by Roald Amundsen. Ultimately, it was the Norwegians that would win... by five weeks as the five men team became the first to visit the south pole. Although Scott's expedition became more well known because contemporary publications would portray him as a martyr and Amundsen as a "cheater" in Truth both men made a great accomplishment, with Amundsen acknowledging and paying tribute to Scott's death and explorers' continued respect for Amundsen. Regardless, it remains a defining moment of 1911 and the 20th century
|
|
|
Post by frankthetriviaman on Aug 12, 2018 13:48:16 GMT -5
April 14-15, 1912: Sinking of the RMS TitanicOn a cold moonless night in April, White Star Line's newest ship, on its maiden voyage, struck an iceberg and sank with great loss of life, including many of the rich and famous people of the day. The tragedy sent shockwaves around the world and its cultural impact is felt even today.
|
|
|
Post by frankthetriviaman on Aug 12, 2018 13:57:14 GMT -5
May 1913: The Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution is passed.
Before 1913, U.S. senators were elected by their state legislatures. In a great victory for democracy though, by May of that year though 36 of the 48 states had ratified the 17th amendment to the Constitution, granting the people the power to elect their senators. In a time where many viewed their state legislatures as corrupt, this was seen as a great victory.
|
|
|
Post by frankthetriviaman on Aug 12, 2018 14:02:07 GMT -5
June 28th, 1914: Assassination of Archduke Franz FerdinandFor nearly a century, tensions had been brewing all over Europe. The rise of Militarism and Nationalism across the countries, and the rise of alliances among the powers were just the tip of the iceberg. But all the tension burst on this day, when Gavrilo Princip shot and killed the Archduke and his wife. This set off a chain reaction which ultimately lead to "The Great War" of 1914-1918... which later became known as World War I.
|
|
|
Post by frankthetriviaman on Aug 12, 2018 15:00:22 GMT -5
May 7, 1915: Sinking of the RMS LusitaniaThe ship Titanic was meant to rival met an arguably grimmer fate just 3 years later. She was torpedoed by a German U-boat on suspicion of carrying war supplies. She sank in only 18 minutes and more than 1200 people lost their lives, including more than 100 Americans. Outrage over her sinking was one of the driving factors behind the United States' eventual entry into World War I, and its sinking was often used as a symbol by the allies to help recruit for the war effort.
|
|
|
Post by frankthetriviaman on Aug 12, 2018 15:10:41 GMT -5
May 16, 1916: Sykes-Picot Agreement ratifiedThis secret agreement between the French and British stated that upon the conclusion of World War I and the breakup of the Ottoman Empire, the land of the Middle East would be divided based on the French and British interests in the region, regardless of the historical or ethnic make up of the region. The arbitrary borders created are believed to have been one of the largest contributing factors to the eventual formation of groups of Al-Qaeda and ISIL. While the impact of this agreement wasn't seen at first, in the coming decades the fallout was all too apparent.
|
|
|
Post by frankthetriviaman on Aug 12, 2018 15:18:04 GMT -5
November 7, 1917- October RevolutionThe Bolsheviks overthrew the provisional Government lead by Alexander Kerensky on this day, building off the success of the February Revolution when the Tsar was overthrown. The fall of the provisional Government signaled the beginning of Soviet Russia, and the ensuing Civil War in Russia eventually lead to the creation of the Soviet Union
|
|
|
Post by frankthetriviaman on Aug 12, 2018 15:22:38 GMT -5
November 11, 1918: The Armistice that ended World War IOn the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, 1918, hostilities in World War I officially ended with the armistice, although peace would not be official until the Treaty of Versailles, the Armistice signaled the end to a four year long, horrifying conflict that is regarded today as the first modern war.
|
|