This Day In History, September 21st.
Five Historical Events That Happened on September 21st
During the American Revolutionary War, British spy John Andre was apprehended by American soldiers in Tarrytown, New York, in 1780.
The New York Sun newspaper published the editorial "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus" in 1897.
J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit" was originally published in 1937 in London, England.
The first United Nations General Assembly convened in New York City in 1970.
Armenia declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
In 1780, during the American Revolutionary War, British spy John Andre was captured by American forces in Tarrytown, New York.
During the American Revolutionary War, John Andre was a British Army commander who served as the chief of the British Army's Secret Service in New York. He was implicated in a conspiracy to assist Benedict Arnold, an American commander who had defected to the British, in handing over the important bastion of West Point to the British. However, on September 21, 1780, Andre was apprehended by American forces after he was discovered carrying incriminating documents related to the plot. Andre was afterwards accused as a spy and executed on October 2, 1780.
In 1897, the "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus" editorial was published in the New York Sun newspaper.
The "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus" editorial is one of the most renowned in American journalistic history. It was written by Francis Pharcellus Church, an editor at the New York Sun newspaper, in response to a letter from Virginia O'Hanlon, an eight-year-old girl who had asked the publication if Santa Claus was real. Church's answer, published on September 21, 1897, informed Virginia and other youngsters that Santa Claus was genuine, and that he symbolized the spirit of giving and generosity that people of all ages should celebrate. The editorial has now become a Christmas classic, reproduced in countless newspapers and periodicals throughout the years.
In 1937, J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit" was first published in London, England.
J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy novel "The Hobbit" was originally published on September 21, 1937, by George Allen & Unwin Ltd. in London, England. The plot follows Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit on a journey to restore riches stolen by the dragon Smaug. "The Hobbit" was an instant hit, and it has since gone on to become one of the most popular and influential pieces of fantasy fiction of all time. The novel also acted as a prequel to Tolkien's later and larger work, "The Lord of the Rings."
In 1970, the first General Assembly of the United Nations opened in New York City.
The United Nations General Assembly is the UN's main deliberative body, meeting yearly to deliberate and coordinate international problems and policy. The General Assembly convened its inaugural session on January 10, 1946, but it wasn't until September 21, 1970, that the General Assembly held its first annual session in New York City. This event was noteworthy in the history of the United Nations because it highlighted the organization's rising relevance as a venue for international cooperation and diplomacy. Since then, the General Assembly has played a critical role in influencing global events and supporting global peace and prosperity.
In 1991, Armenia declared independence from the Soviet Union.
Armenia, which is located in Eurasia's South Caucasus region, was a Soviet Union country until it achieved independence on September 21, 1991. The proclamation of independence came after an overwhelming majority of Armenian residents voted in favor of seceding from the Soviet Union in a referendum. The move was part of a larger wave of democratic and nationalist movements that swept across the Soviet Union in the late 1980s and early 1990s, eventually culminating to the Soviet Union's demise in December 1991. Armenia has encountered a lot of political and economic obstacles since obtaining independence, but it has also made tremendous steps toward constructing a democratic and affluent country.