November 2nd: All Facts & Events That Happened Today In History

HISTORICAL EVENTS

• 1898: The United States officially takes possession of Puerto Rico.
• 1917: The Balfour Declaration is issued, expressing British support for the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine.
• 1947: Howard Hughes’ “Spruce Goose” (the H-4 Hercules wooden airplane) makes its first and only flight.
• 1983: U.S. President Ronald Reagan signs a bill establishing Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a federal holiday, to be observed on the third Monday of January.
• 2000: The first crewed expedition to the International Space Station (ISS), Expedition 1, launches from Kazakhstan.

SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGHS

• 1930: The planet Pluto is discovered by astronomer Clyde Tombaugh at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona.
• 1951: The first thermonuclear bomb, codenamed “Ivy Mike,” is detonated at the Eniwetok Atoll in the Pacific Ocean.
• 2000: The first permanent International Space Station (ISS) crew, consisting of an American astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts, arrives on board the ISS.
• 2005: The European Space Agency’s Venus Express spacecraft successfully enters orbit around Venus, becoming the first European mission to Venus.
• 2016: The European Space Agency’s ExoMars mission successfully puts the Schiaparelli lander on the surface of Mars.

POLITICAL MILESTONES

• 1948: President Harry S. Truman is re-elected as the 33rd President of the United States, defeating Thomas E. Dewey.
• 1976: Jimmy Carter is elected as the 39th President of the United States, defeating incumbent President Gerald Ford.
• 2008: Barack Obama is elected as the 44th President of the United States, becoming the first African American to hold the office.
• 2010: Dilma Rousseff is elected as the first female President of Brazil.
• 2016: Donald Trump is elected as the 45th President of the United States, defeating Hillary Clinton.

CULTURAL EVENTS

• 1895: The first performance of the famous play “The Importance of Being Earnest” by Oscar Wilde premieres at the St. James’s Theatre in London.
• 1959: The musical “West Side Story” opens on Broadway at the Winter Garden Theatre.
• 1983: The music video for Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” is premiered on MTV, revolutionizing the music video industry.
• 2003: The animated film “Finding Nemo” is released, becoming a major success for Pixar Animation Studios.
• 2012: The James Bond film “Skyfall” is released, marking the 50th anniversary of the James Bond film series.

BIRTHS

• 1755: Marie Antoinette, Queen of France.
• 1865: Warren G. Harding, 29th President of the United States.
• 1913: Burt Lancaster, American actor.
• 1961: k.d. lang, Canadian singer-songwriter.
• 1966: David Schwimmer, American actor.

NOTABLE DEATHS

• 1675: Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, German mathematician and philosopher.
• 1875: Charles Wheatstone, English scientist and inventor of the concertina.
• 1950: George Bernard Shaw, Irish playwright and critic.
• 1985: Phil Silvers, American actor known for his role in the TV series “The Phil Silvers Show.
• 2018: Ray Galton, British comedy writer best known for his work on the sitcom “Steptoe and Son.

Conclusion

November 2nd has been witness to a myriad of significant events throughout history. From political milestones such as the presidential elections of Truman, Carter, Obama, and Trump, to scientific breakthroughs like the discovery of Pluto and the successful missions to the International Space Station and Mars, this date has left its mark on multiple domains. It is also a day marked by cultural events, with the premieres of notable plays, films, and musicals. Furthermore, November 2nd marks the births of remarkable individuals such as Marie Antoinette and k.d. lang, while also being a day that sees the world bidding farewell to influential figures like Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz and George Bernard Shaw. As we reflect on the events of November 2nd, we are reminded of the richness of history and the impact that these occurrences have had on shaping our present world.

FAQs

Q: What are some significant events that happened on November 2nd in history?

A: Some notable events on November 2nd include the United States taking possession of Puerto Rico in 1898, the discovery of Pluto in 1930, and the signing of a bill establishing Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a federal holiday in 1983.

Q: Who was born on November 2nd?

A: Some famous personalities born on November 2nd include Marie Antoinette, Warren G. Harding, Burt Lancaster, k.d. lang, and David Schwimmer.

Q: What scientific breakthroughs are associated with November 2nd?

A: November 2nd witnessed significant scientific milestones, including the detonation of the first thermonuclear bomb in 1951, the arrival of the first permanent International Space Station crew in 2000, and the successful landing of the Schiaparelli lander on Mars in 2016.

Q: Are there any political events of importance that took place on November 2nd?

A: Yes, some notable political milestones on November 2nd include the re-election of President Harry S. Truman in 1948, the election of Jimmy Carter as the 39th President of the United States in 1976, and the election of Barack Obama as the first African American President of the United States in 2008.

Q: What cultural events occurred on November 2nd?

A: November 2nd witnessed the premiere of Oscar Wilde’s play “The Importance of Being Earnest” in 1895, the opening of the musical “West Side Story” on Broadway in 1959, and the release of the iconic music video for Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” in 1983.