The entire history of mankind is, in any case, nothing but a prolonged fight to the death for the conquest of universal prestige and absolute power.”
Albert Camus, French-Algerian author
1. The American Revolutionary War began
On this day in history in 1775 The Battles of Lexington and Concord marked the beginning of the armed conflict between the Kingdom of Great Britain and 13 colonies of British North America. The war resulted in U.S. independence.
2. Leslie Irvin made the world’s first free-fall parachute jump
On this day in history in 1919 Leslie Irvin made the world’s first free-fall parachute jump. The jump was executed to test a new kind of parachute, which was also the first featuring a ripcord. The Hollywood stuntman broke a leg on landing.
3. The Soviet Union launched the world’s first manned space station
On this day in history in 1971 The Soviet Union launched the world’s first manned space station
Salyut 1 was 23 meters long and offered 100 cubic meters of pressurized space.
4. The first installment of The Simpsons was aired
On this day in history in 1987 The first installment of The Simpsons was aired. The hugely popular animated sitcom debuted on the Tracey Ullman Show in the form of one-minute shorts.
5. 168 people died in the Oklahoma City bombing
On this day in history in 1995 168 people died in the Oklahoma City bombing. Timothy McVeigh, the mastermind behind the attack, was executed on June 11, 2001. The motives for the bombing, which also killed 19 babies and children, remain somewhat unclear.
