This Day In History, August 27th.
Five Historical Events That Happened on August 27th
At the Battle of Plataea in 479 BC, the Greeks defeated the Persians, effectively ending the Persian invasion of Greece. This fight is regarded as one of the most crucial of the Greco-Persian Wars.
Edwin Drake dug the first successful oil well in the United States at Titusville, Pennsylvania in 1859. This heralded the start of the modern oil industry.
Krakatoa, an Indonesian volcanic island located between the islands of Java and Sumatra, erupted in a devastating explosion in 1883. The eruption was one of the most explosive in recorded history, having global repercussions.
The Kellogg-Briand Pact is signed in Paris, France, in 1928. The pact was an agreement between major world countries to abstain from using war to settle international conflicts.
NASA launched the Mariner 2 spacecraft on a journey to Venus in 1962, making it the first successful interplanetary mission. The spacecraft successfully sailed past Venus, gathering crucial information on the planet's atmosphere and surface.
479 BC: The Greeks defeated the Persians at the Battle of Plataea, ending the Persian invasion of Greece. This battle is considered to be one of the most significant battles of the Greco-Persian Wars.
The combat of Plataea, fought on August 27, 479 BC, was the final land combat of Greece's second Persian invasion. The Greek coalition, led by Spartan commander Pausanias, destroyed Mardonius' Persian army. The victory was crucial because it put an end to the Persian threat to Greece and allowed the Greeks to reaffirm their independence and cultural identity. The fight also ended the Greco-Persian Wars, which had raged since 492 BC, and opened the way for the creation of the Athenian Empire.
1859: The first successful oil well in the United States was drilled in Titusville, Pennsylvania by Edwin Drake. This event marked the beginning of the modern oil industry.
Edwin Drake successfully dug the first commercial oil well in the United States in Titusville, Pennsylvania on August 27, 1859. The discovery of substantial oil deposits in the region triggered a spike in oil production and the development of the petroleum industry, ushering in the modern era. Drake's employment of a drilling rig, as well as procedures such as casing and tubing to protect the well bore, also contributed to the revolutionization of oil drilling and production technologies, making it simpler to extract oil from the earth. The discovery of oil in Pennsylvania had far-reaching economic and social consequences, transforming the region into a major hub of industry and trade and contributing to the expansion of the American economy.
1883: The volcanic island of Krakatoa, located between the islands of Java and Sumatra in Indonesia, erupted in a catastrophic explosion. The eruption was one of the most powerful in recorded history, with effects felt around the world.
On August 27, 1883, the volcanic island of Krakatoa, located between the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra, exploded in one of the most powerful volcanic eruptions in recorded history. The eruption was so powerful that it could be heard over 3,000 miles away and caused a large tsunami, killing tens of thousands of people in the area. For several years after the eruption, the ash and gas generated worldwide climatic anomalies such as spectacular sunsets and unusually chilly temperatures. The Krakatoa eruption is still one of the most researched volcanic catastrophes in history, helping scientists better understand the mechanics of volcanic eruptions and their worldwide consequences.
1928: The Kellogg-Briand Pact was signed in Paris, France. The pact was an agreement between major world powers to renounce war as a means of settling international disputes.
The Kellogg-Briand Pact was signed on August 27, 1928, in Paris, France, by the main international powers of the day, including the United States, France, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, and Japan. The agreement was conceived and negotiated by US Secretary of State Frank B. Kellogg and French Foreign Minister Aristide Briand. The agreement was a multilateral compact that rejected war as a way of resolving international conflicts and pledged parties to resolve their differences peacefully. Although the pact did not prevent World War II from breaking out, it did set an important precedent for the development of international law and the promotion of peace and diplomacy as a means of resolving international conflicts.
1962: The Mariner 2 spacecraft was launched by NASA on a mission to Venus, becoming the first successful interplanetary mission. The spacecraft successfully flew by Venus and provided valuable data on the planet's atmosphere and surface.
NASA's Mariner 2 spacecraft launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on a mission to Venus on August 27, 1962. The spacecraft sailed past Venus and produced crucial data about the planet's atmosphere and surface, making it the first successful interplanetary mission. The spacecraft was outfitted with scientific equipment such as a magnetometer, a cosmic ray detector, and an infrared radiometer, allowing scientists to analyze the planet's magnetic field, radiation environment, and temperature. The Mariner 2 mission's success prepared the way for NASA and other space agencies to launch a succession of succeeding interplanetary missions, including trips to Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and beyond.