This Day in History Class

On this day in 1906, an explosion and fire in a French mine killed 1,099 people, making it one of the deadliest mining disasters in history. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this day in 1916, the Battle of Columbus began as a raid that Pancho Villa led on the border town of Columbus, New Mexico.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this day in 1957, the Suez Canal was reopened after being closed for several months during the Suez Crisis. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this day in 1971, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman gave a speech in Dhaka encouraging people to prepare for a war for independence.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this day in 1869, Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev presented his periodic table.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this day in 1904, Nikola Tesla attempted to explain ball lightning in the publication Electrical World and Engineer.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Singer, actor, and activist Miriam Makeba was born in South Africa.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A group of American oil prospectors discovered a commercially viable source of petroleum near Dammam, Saudi Arabia.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The supersonic airliner known as the Concorde took its first test flight on this day in 1969.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this day in 1790, the first U.S. census was authorized by Congress.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.