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Back in the Day Jan 6-12

Adam LaMascus
The Commuter

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

This day in history…

Jan. 6, 1838: • • • – - – • • •
Samuel Morse (yes, the guy who invented Morse code) tests the electric telegraph. This invention revolutionizes global communication. Western Union, the last company to still offer telegraph services, stops offering them in 2006.

Jan. 7, 1945: Leave it to Monty…
British General Bernard Montgomery holds a press conference and claims credit for winning the Battle of the Bulge (WWII). Many Americans respond with comments unfit for print. Monty is known for being a very capable and extremely arrogant commander.

Jan. 8, 1835: 8 trillion and counting…
The only time in history when the U.S. has a national debt of $0. The national debt spiked hugely during the Civil War, WWI, and WWII, and has been steadily growing since then. Currently, our debt is almost 100% of our GDP.

Jan. 9, 1349: What did the Jews ever do to you?
The Jewish population of Basel, Switzerland, is rounded up and burned to death. Local Christian leaders claim the Jews were causing the Black Plague by poisoning wells. The Vatican has an official policy encouraging “good” anti-Semitism until around WWII. “Good” anti-Semitism included preventing Jews from getting jobs so they wouldn’t conspire to take over the world.

Jan. 10, 1984: Only took 117 years…
The U.S. and Vatican City finally establish full diplomatic relations. Surprising, seeing how many powerful Catholics the U.S. has. In their defense, it did take the Vatican almost 400 years to admit that Galileo was right.

Jan. 11, 1879: For King and Country…
The Anglo-Zulu War begins. Despite the fact that the Zulus predominantly use spears and bows, while the British use modern firearms, cannons, rocket batteries, and a Gatling gun, the Zulus repel the first British invasion, hold out for almost six months and kill over 1,700 British soldiers.

Jan. 12, 1915: You don’t have enough testosterone to vote…
The U.S. House of Representatives rejects a bill giving women the right to vote. Women are not given suffrage until 1920.

Thought for the week:
“History doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme.”
-Mark Twain

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