Paracultural Calendar for March 3

[Mark Thibodeau]

On this day in *468 AD*, *Saint Simplicius* is chosen to succeed *Pope
Hilarius* as Supreme Pontiff of the Holy Roman Catholic Church. This, of
course, took place during the "Monty Python Era" of the Dark Ages.


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On this day in *1857*, Second Opium War takes place when France and the
United Kingdom declare war on China.


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On this day in *1861*, Russian *Tsar Alexander II* abolishes serfdom,
prompting his newly-liberated subjects to complain about not having
anything to do anymore.


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On this day in *1873*, the story of censorship in the United States. The
U.S. Congress enacts the *Comstock Law*, making it illegal to send any
"obscene, lewd, or lascivious" books through the mail.


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On this day in *1875*, the first ever organized indoor game of ice hockey
is played in Montreal, Canada as recorded in The Montreal Gazette.


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On this day in *1885*, the American Telephone & Telegraph Company is
incorporated in New York.


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On this day in *1913*, thousands of women march in a suffrage parade in
Washington, D.C.


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On this day in *1915*, NACA, the predecessor of NASA, is founded.


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On this day in *1923*, TIME magazine is published for the first time.


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On this day in *1924*, the thirteen-century-old Islamic caliphate is
abolished when *Caliph Abdul Mejid II* of the Ottoman Empire is deposed.
The last remnant of the old regime gives way to the reformed Turkey of *Kemal
Atatürk*.


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On this day in *1931*, the United States adopts The Star-Spangled Banner as
its national anthem.


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On this day in *1938*, oil is discovered in Saudi Arabia.


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On this day in *1939*, in Mumbai, *Mohandas Gandhi* begins to fast in
protest at the autocratic rule in India.


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On this day in *1951*, *Jackie Brenston*, with Ike Turner and his band,
records "Rocket 88", often cited as "the first rock and roll record", at *Sam
Phillips*' recording studios in Memphis, Tennessee.


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On this day in *1969*, the Apollo program: NASA launches Apollo 9 to test
the lunar module.


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On this day in *1991*, an amateur video captures the beating of *Rodney
King* by Los Angeles police officers.


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On this day in *2004*, Belgian brewer Interbrew and Brazilian rival AmBev
agree to merge in a $11.2 billion deal that forms InBev, the world's
largest brewer.


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On this day in *2005*, *Steve Fossett* becomes the first person to fly an
airplane non-stop around the world solo without refueling.
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