One of the deepest impulses in man is the impulse to record, to scratch a drawing on a tusk or keep a diary… The enduring value of the past is, one might say, the very basis of civilisation. John Jay Chapman, American author (1862-1933)
1. The First Parachute Jump
On this day in history in 1797 French balloonist André-Jacques Garnerin made history by jumping out of a balloon over Parc Monceau in Paris using a silk parachute he designed himself. This brave feat marked the first frameless parachute descent, with Garnerin riding in a basket attached to the bottom of the parachute.
2. International Meridian Conference
On this day in history in 1884 in Washington, D.C., 26 countries gathered for the International Meridian Conference, where Greenwich, England was adopted as the initial longitudinal meridian. This conference also established a universal day, beginning at midnight at the initial meridian.
3. End of the Long March in China
On this day in history in 1936 The Long March, a 6,000-mile journey led by Mao Zedong, came to an end. This epic journey was undertaken to escape the Nationalist army of Chiang Kai-shek.
4. François Duvalier Took Office
On this day in history in 1957 François Duvalier, also known as Papa Doc, became the President of Haiti.
5. India’s First Lunar Mission
On this day in history in 2008 India launched its first lunar mission, Chandrayaan-1, which successfully landed on the Moon on November 14, 2008. This achievement made India the fifth country to land a spacecraft on the Moon.
