This Day In History, February 16th.
Five Historical Events That Happened on February 16th.
600 - Pope Gregory the Great declares that the proper response to a sneeze is "God Bless You."
Spencer Compton is elected Prime Minister of Great Britain in 1742.
The Confederate ironclad CSS H.L. Hunley sinks the USS Housatonic in Charleston Harbor during the American Civil War, becoming the first submarine to sink an enemy ship.
1923, the burial chamber of King Tutankhamun, also known as King Tut, was unsealed by British archaeologist Howard Carter and his team.
1996 – The Taliban seize Kabul, ending a period of civil war and establishing their rule over much of Afghanistan.
This Day In History, February 16th, 600 - Pope Gregory the Great decrees "God Bless You" as the correct response to a sneeze.
When someone sneezes, Pope Gregory the Great decreed in 600 AD that the appropriate response should be "God Bless You." The reasoning behind this decree is unclear, but it may have been based on the belief that a sneeze could cause the soul to leave the body for a brief moment, and that saying "God Bless You" would protect the soul from being captured by evil spirits. This tradition has survived to the present day in many cultures and languages around the world.
Who becomes the Prime Minister of Great Britain on February 16th,1742?
Spencer Compton, Earl of Wilmington, was elected Prime Minister of Great Britain on February 16, 1742. He succeeded Robert Walpole, who had served as Prime Minister for over 20 years. Compton's tenure as Prime Minister was brief, lasting just over two years, but he was a pivotal figure in British politics at a time of transition and change. He oversaw the War of Jenkins' Ear, a conflict between Britain and Spain, and worked to strengthen the country's economy and trade relationships during his presidency.
1862 - During the American Civil War, the Confederate ironclad CSS H.L. Hunley sinks the USS Housatonic in Charleston Harbor.
The Confederate submarine CSS H.L. Hunley became the first submarine to sink an enemy ship during the American Civil War on February 16, 1862, when it attacked and sank the Union sloop-of-war USS Housatonic in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. The Hunley, named after its inventor, Horace L. Hunley, was a hand-cranked submarine powered by an eight-man crew. The attack on the Housatonic was successful, but the Hunley was also lost, with all of its crew members killed. The exact cause of the Hunley's sinking is unknown, but it is thought to have been caused by a malfunction of the torpedo it was using.
The burial chamber of King Tutankhamun, also known as King Tut, was opened on February 16, 1923.
The discovery of the tomb, which had been undiscovered for over 3,000 years, was one of the most significant archaeological discoveries of the twentieth century, providing a wealth of information about ancient Egyptian civilization and culture. The tomb was discovered to be brimming with treasures, including gold jewelry, chariots, and a ceremonial throne, as well as the famous golden death mask, which has become an iconic symbol of ancient Egypt.
1996 - The Taliban capture the Afghan capital of Kabul, ending a period of civil war and establishing their rule over much of Afghanistan.
After a period of intense fighting with other mujahideen factions vying for control of the country following the withdrawal of Soviet troops in 1989, the Taliban, an Islamic fundamentalist group, captured Kabul on February 16, 1996. The Taliban's capture of Kabul signaled the start of their rule over much of Afghanistan, which lasted until 2001, when they were deposed by a US-led coalition in response to their harboring of Al-Qaeda terrorists responsible for the September 11th attacks. The Taliban's rule was marked by strict Islamic law, which included severe restrictions on women's rights and the prohibition of many forms of entertainment and artistic expression.