This Day In History, March 9th.
Five Historical Events That Happened on March 9th.
Amerigo Vespucci was born in Florence, Italy, in the year 1454. In addition to being a navigator, cartographer, and explorer, Vespucci is best recognized for naming both North and South America.
In the historic case of United States v. The Amistad, the U.S. Supreme Court declared in 1841 that a group of African slaves who had rebelled against their masters and taken control of the Spanish ship Amistad should be set free and sent back to their native continent.
In 1916, Mexican rebel Pancho Villa conducted a raid on Columbus, New Mexico, which resulted in the deaths of 18 Americans and sparked a military involvement by the United States in Mexico.
1959 saw the premiere of the Barbie doll at the American International Toy Fair in New York City, which was designed by Ruth Handler for the Mattel toy company.
1796: Napoleon Bonaparte marries his first wife, Josephine de Beauharnais, in a civil ceremony in Paris, France.
This Day In History, March 9th, 1454: Amerigo Vespucci was born in Florence, Italy. Vespucci was a navigator, cartographer, and explorer who is best known for giving his name to the continents of North and South America.
Amerigo Vespucci was born in Florence, Italy, on March 9, 1454. He was a navigator and explorer who made multiple trips to the New World, which made him realize the country he was investigating was not Asia, as had been previously believed, but a completely new continent. As a result, he inspired the naming of North and South America. During the Age of Discovery, Vespucci's writings and maps made an important contribution to our understanding of the geography of the New World.
1841: The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the landmark case of United States v. The Amistad that a group of African slaves who had revolted against their captors and seized control of the Spanish ship Amistad should be freed and returned to their homes in Africa.
The United States Supreme Court rendered its decision in the case of United States v. The Amistad on March 9, 1841. On a Spanish ship known as the Amistad, a group of African slaves had been carried from Africa to Cuba. The slaves attempted to overthrow their masters and take control of the ship, but a U.S. naval ship eventually apprehended them off the shore of Long Island, New York. When the case eventually reached the Supreme Court, it was decided that the slaves were actually free people who had been forcibly abducted and transported, not property. The U.S. government must provide the means for the slaves' transportation, the court ruled, and they must be sent back to Africa. The case helped to emphasize the brutality and inhumanity of the slave trade and became a representative of the American abolitionist movement.
1916: Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa led a raid on the town of Columbus, New Mexico, killing 18 Americans and prompting a U.S. military intervention in Mexico.
Pancho Villa, the leader of the Mexican Revolution, organized a raid on the border hamlet of Columbus, New Mexico, on March 9, 1916. The village was invaded by Villa's men, who killed 18 Americans and set several structures on fire. The attack, which was viewed as a direct assault on American authority, sparked what is now known as the Punitive Expedition, a military intervention by the United States in Mexico. U.S. troops led by General John J. Pershing pursued Villa and his group all the way into Mexico, but they were unable to arrest them. Once the United States enlisted in World War I, the mission was ultimately abandoned in the early months of 1917. One of several instances that highlighted the tense relationship between the United States and Mexico in the early 20th century was the raid on Columbus.
1959: The Barbie doll, created by Ruth Handler of the Mattel toy company, made its debut at the American International Toy Fair in New York City.
The Barbie doll was introduced on March 9, 1959, at the American International Toy Show in New York City. Ruth Handler, a co-founder of the toy business Mattel, was motivated to make the doll because she wanted girls to be able to picture themselves as strong, independent women. One of the most well-known toys in history, Barbie soon rose to fame and became a symbol of culture. Barbie has changed over the years to reflect shifting cultural ideas and customs and has generated debate on topics like gender roles and body image. Barbie is nevertheless a cherished and enduring icon of American popular culture despite these problems.
In a civil ceremony held in Paris, France, Napoleon Bonaparte weds Josephine de Beauharnais, his first wife.
The marriage was significant in French history because Josephine's connections aided in elevating Napoleon's status and advancing his military career. However, the couple's marriage was turbulent, and they divorced in 1809. Despite their turbulent relationship, Josephine remained a significant figure in Napoleon's life, and he reportedly mourned her death in 1814.