the French physicist and mathematician Andre-Marie Ampere is born. The unit for the measurement of electric current, ampere is named after him.
In 1788 one of the greatest English poets George Gordon Noel Byron is born.
In 1901 secluded and away from the public eye British Queen Victoria dies. She reigned for almost 64 years. The “Victorian era” was named after her. It was the time of great prosperity when Britain was the most powerful nation in the world.
In 1905 before the Winter Palace in St Petersburg imperial troops fire on a crowd of unarmed demonstrators who wanted to draw attention to their miserable situation. On that so-called »Bloody Sunday« the imperial troops killed 500 people.
In 1980 they arrest Andrej Saharov, the Soviet physicist who greatly contributed to the development of the Soviet hydrogen bomb. Concerned about the implications of his work he fought for the abolition of nuclear weapons. In 1975 he received the Nobel Peace Prize.
In 2004 Slovenian poet Janez Menart dies. Slovenian writer Rudi Šeligo dies.
In 2008 Australian actor Heath Ledger dies.
MUSIC HISTORY
1966 - The Beach Boys record 'Wouldn't It Be Nice'.
1972 - Don McLean's album 'American Pie' is at the top of the American charts.
1977 - Stevie Wonder is No. 1 on the American singles chart with 'I Wish'.
1994 - Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart and Sting are at No. 1 on the American singles chart with 'All For Love'.
BORN ON THIS DAY
1931 - Soul singer Sam Cooke (1960 ‘Wonderful World’).
1940 - Addie Harris, singer in The Shirelles (1961 Will You Love Me Tomorrow).
1962 - Michael Hutchence, singer in INXS (1988 'Need You Tonight'). In 1997, at the age of 37, he hung himself in a hotel room in Sydney.
1965 - Steven Adler, drummer in Guns N' Roses (1988 'Sweet Child O' Mine').