This Day In History, April 22nd.
Five Historical Events That Happened on April 22nd.
Brazil was found by Portuguese explorer Pedro lvares Cabral in 1500, and Portugal claimed it as its own. On April 22, 1500, he set foot on the shore of what is now Brazil.
1864: To address a currency scarcity during the American Civil War, the U.S. Congress approved the Coinage Act of 1864, allowing the creation of a two-cent coin.
World War I's Second Battle of Ypres started in 1915. The conflict, which lasted until May 25th, saw Germany employ toxic gas for the first time in combat.
1970: The United States celebrated its inaugural Earth Day, ushering in the contemporary environmental movement.
In 1993, the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., opened to honor the six million Jews and other Holocaust victims.
Portuguese navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral discovered Brazil and claimed it for Portugal. He landed on the coast of what is now Brazil on April 22nd, 1500.
Portuguese sailor Pedro lvares Cabral found Brazil on April 22, 1500, and Portugal claimed it as its own. On their way to India, Cabral and his crew made a landing on the coast of what is now Brazil, naming the new territory "Ilha de Vera Cruz" (Island of the True Cross) since they did so on the Christian holiday of Good Friday. The territory was later given the names "Terra de Santa Cruz" (territory of the Holy Cross) and then "Brazil" in honor of the numerous brazilwood trees that grew there.
The U.S. Congress passed the Coinage Act of 1864, which authorized the production of a two-cent coin to help alleviate a coin shortage during the Civil War.
On April 22, 1864, the U.S. Congress approved the Coinage Act of 1864. With the passage of this legislation, a brand-new two-cent piece was produced, becoming the first American currency to have the motto "In God We Trust." Due to the increasing demand for small-denomination coins, this coin was produced in an effort to deal with the coin scarcity that was present during the Civil War. From 1864 until 1873, the two-cent coin was in circulation.
The Second Battle of Ypres began during World War I. It was the first time Germany used poisonous gas in warfare, and the battle lasted until May 25th.
On April 22, 1915, the Second Battle of Ypres got under way during World War I. The battle took place in the Ypres salient, a kink in the front line near the Belgian city of Ypres. The conflict, which lasted until May 25, was significant because it was Germany's first use of poison gas in combat. Chlorine was the gas that was discharged from pressure cylinders, and it led to the horrible asphyxiation of many Allied men. Poison gas was used in this fight, which represented a huge increase in the cruelty of warfare and prompted both sides to create even more lethal gases for use in later conflicts.
The first Earth Day was celebrated in the United States, marking the beginning of the modern environmental movement.
In the United States, April 22nd, 1970, was observed as the inaugural Earth Day. Senator Gaylord Nelson of the United States hosted the event to spread knowledge about environmental concerns and to motivate participants to take action to save the environment. An estimated 20 million people attended the event, which featured demonstrations, rallies, and educational events around the nation. A number of significant environmental legislation, including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Endangered Species Act, were passed as a result of the inaugural Earth Day's success, including the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Today, Earth Day is observed yearly all over the world and has grown into an international movement for environmental preservation and protection.
The Holocaust Memorial Museum opened in Washington, D.C. to commemorate the six million Jews and other victims of the Holocaust.
On April 22, 1993, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., officially opened. The museum was founded to remember the millions of other victims and six million Jews who perished during the Holocaust. It also serves as a warning on the perils of prejudice, intolerance, and hatred. The museum has exhibits that examine the Holocaust's history, artifacts and survivor accounts, as well as educational activities to advance knowledge of the Holocaust and its effects on the globe. Millions of people from all over the world visit the museum annually, which has grown to be a prominent cultural and educational institution.