This Day In History, March 21st.
Five Historical Events That Happened on March 21st.
An earthquake struck Shaanxi, China, in 1556, killing over 800,000 people. It was the deadliest earthquake ever recorded.
Napoleon Bonaparte enacted the French civil code, known as the "Napoleonic Code," in 1804. It is regarded as one of history's most influential legal codes.
In 1963, the Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, located on an island in San Francisco Bay, was closed.
South Africa declared a state of emergency in 1960 after police killed 69 black protesters in the township of Sharpeville. The Sharpeville Massacre became known as a watershed moment in the anti-apartheid movement.
Twitter, a social media platform, was launched in 2006. It has since grown to become one of the world's most popular social media platforms, with over 330 million monthly active users.
This Day In History, March 21st: In 1556, an earthquake struck Shaanxi, China, killing over 800,000 people. It was the deadliest earthquake in recorded history.
The 1556 Shaanxi earthquake, also known as the Jiajing earthquake, struck Shaanxi province, China, on January 23rd, 1556 (according to the lunar calendar). With an estimated death toll of over 800,000 people, it is considered the deadliest earthquake in recorded history. The magnitude of the earthquake was so great that it was felt in several neighboring provinces and even in parts of Mongolia. The Wei River Fault movement caused the Shaanxi earthquake, which resulted in widespread destruction of buildings and infrastructure, including the collapse of the Huashan mountain range.
In 1804, the French civil code, known as the "Napoleonic Code," was enacted by Napoleon Bonaparte. It is considered one of the most influential legal codes in history.
Napoleon Bonaparte enacted the Napoleonic Code, also known as the French Civil Code, on March 21, 1804. It is regarded as one of the most influential legal codes in history and continues to serve as the foundation of civil law systems in several countries, including France, Belgium, and Quebec. The code was the result of an effort to simplify and unify France's complex and varied legal systems prior to the French Revolution. It established the principle of legal equality, safeguarded individual property rights, and established a single legal system for the entire country. The Napoleonic Code had a significant impact on legal systems throughout Europe and other parts of the world, and it is often regarded as a model for future legal systems.
The Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, which was located on an island in San Francisco Bay, was closed in 1963.
Alcatraz was a maximum-security prison that housed some of the most dangerous criminals in America, including Al Capone and George "Machine Gun" Kelly. The prison was known for its harsh conditions and as "The Rock," a place where escaping was nearly impossible. Only three prisoners successfully escaped during the prison's 29-year history, and their fate is unknown. Alcatraz was closed due to the high cost of maintaining the prison and its outdated facilities. Alcatraz became a popular tourist attraction after its closure and is now managed by the National Park Service as part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
In 1960, a state of emergency was declared in South Africa after police killed 69 black protesters in the township of Sharpeville. The event became known as the Sharpeville Massacre and marked a turning point in the anti-apartheid movement.
South African police opened fire on a group of peaceful black protesters in the Sharpeville township on March 21, 1960, killing 69 people and injuring many more. The demonstrators were protesting against apartheid laws in South Africa, which enforced racial segregation and discrimination against non-white South Africans. The Sharpeville Massacre was a watershed moment in the anti-apartheid movement, both in South Africa and around the world. It sparked widespread outrage and condemnation, leading to South Africa's international isolation and increased pressure for change. The African National Congress (ANC) and other anti-apartheid organizations were banned in response to the massacre, and many of their leaders, including Nelson Mandela, were imprisoned. However, the massacre galvanized the resistance movement and contributed to the eventual victory.
In 2006, the social media platform Twitter was launched. It has since become one of the most popular social media platforms in the world, with over 330 million monthly active users.
Twitter is a social media platform that debuted on March 21, 2006. It was founded by Jack Dorsey, Biz Stone, and Evan Williams and rose to prominence as a platform for short, real-time messages known as "tweets" of up to 280 characters. Twitter has grown to become one of the world's most popular social media platforms, with over 330 million monthly active users as of 2021. It's been used for a variety of things, including news distribution, marketing, political campaigning, and personal communication. Twitter has also had a significant impact on society, facilitating social movements such as the Arab Spring protests and the Black Lives Matter movement.