This Day In History, November 3rd.
Five Historical Events That Happened on November 3rd
During his second voyage to the New World, Christopher Columbus lands on the island of Guadeloupe in 1493.
The first Act of Supremacy is passed by the English parliament in 1534, making King Henry VIII the head of the Church of England.
With the help of the United States, Panama proclaims independence from Colombia in 1903.
1957: The Soviet Union launches Sputnik 2, carrying a dog called Laika as the first live thing to orbit the Earth.
1992: Democratic presidential candidate Bill Clinton defeats incumbent Republican George H.W. Bush and independent candidate Ross Perot.
1493: Christopher Columbus lands on the island of Guadeloupe during his second voyage to the New World.
During his second voyage to the New World, Christopher Columbus and his crew landed on the island of Guadeloupe on November 3, 1493. Columbus called the island Santa Maria de Guadalupe de Extremadura after a well-known Spanish chapel. This was part of Columbus' efforts to discover and claim new areas for Spain, and he made numerous additional expeditions to the Americas in the years that followed. However, Columbus' actions and the impact of European colonization on the indigenous peoples of the Americas remain contentious issues today.
1534: English parliament passes the first Act of Supremacy, making King Henry VIII the head of the Church of England.
The English Parliament approved the Act of Supremacy on November 3, 1534, establishing King Henry VIII as the head of the Church of England and removing the English Church from the authority of the Pope in Rome. This was a major event in English history because it signaled the start of the English Reformation, which had far-reaching consequences for religion, politics, and society in England and abroad. Henry VIII's divorce from the Catholic Church was prompted by a desire to cancel his marriage to Catherine of Aragon and establish his own control over the English Church. Other laws and reforms followed the Supremacy Act, changing the face of religion in England and leading to the formation of the Anglican Church.
1903: Panama declares independence from Colombia with the support of the United States.
Panama declared its independence from Colombia on November 3, 1903, with the help of the United States. The United States had been interested in creating a canal across Panama's Isthmus to connect the Atlantic and Pacific seas, but discussions with Colombia had failed. With the assistance of the United States, Panama declared its independence and soon signed a contract with the United States that handed the United States jurisdiction over the projected canal zone. The Panama Canal was a tremendous technical marvel that had a profound influence on worldwide business and transportation. However, the US role in Panama's independence and subsequent control over the canal zone was contentious, and the US presence in Panama remained a source of friction between the two countries for many years.
1957: Soviet Union launches Sputnik 2, with a dog named Laika on board, becoming the first living creature to orbit the Earth.
The Soviet Union launched Sputnik 2, an unmanned spacecraft carrying a dog called Laika, who became the first living thing to circle the Earth, on November 3, 1957. Laika was a stray dog from Moscow's streets who had been trained for the mission, but she did not survive the journey. Sputnik 2 was a significant milestone in the Soviet Union-US Space Race, demonstrating the Soviet Union's technological dominance in space exploration at the time. The launch of Sputnik 2 stimulated worldwide interest and investment in space research, paving the way for human spaceflight and solar system exploration in the decades that followed.
1992: Democrat Bill Clinton is elected President of the United States, defeating incumbent Republican George H.W. Bush and independent candidate Ross Perot.
Bill Clinton, a Democrat, was elected President of the United States on November 3, 1992, beating incumbent Republican President George H.W. Bush and independent candidate Ross Perot. Clinton, a former Arkansas governor, ran on a platform of economic renewal and social reform, and he won with 43% of the popular vote and 370 electoral votes. Clinton's election was a watershed moment in American politics since he was the first Democrat to win the president in 12 years and symbolized a new generation of Democratic leadership. Clinton's administration was defined by a number of major accomplishments and problems, including economic development, health-care reform, and impeachment proceedings, but it continues to be a source of discussion and study in American political history.