The month of November has a rich historical past.
November, the eleventh month of the year, is mostly known for its holidays, including Thanksgiving in the United States, Guy Fawkes Night in Britain, St. Andrew's Day in Scotland and Independence Day in Lebanon. However, many historically significant events have occurred in November, ranging from the discovery of Puerto Rico in 1493 to a fatal flood in Vietnam in 2008.
JFK Assassination
On November 22, 1963, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States, was killed while riding through Dallas, Texas. As his motorcade passed the Texas School Book Depository, Lee Harvey Oswald allegedly fired three fatal shots from inside. That afternoon, Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as the 36th President. Lee Harvey Oswald, arrested that evening, was shot and killed on November 24 before standing trial. While Kennedy was the fourth president assassinated, it was the first assassination captured on video.
King Tut's Tomb Discovery
After discovering debris-covered stairs, British archaeologist Howard Carter and his crew entered the four-room Egyptian tomb of 18-year-old King Tutankhamen on November 26, 1922. After more than 3,000 years, the interior chambers were well-preserved, as were the treasures contained within. Among the discoveries were golden coffins, thrones, treasure chests and numerous paintings, in addition to the mummified remains of King Tut and his family. To date, King Tut's tomb is the most intact tomb ever discovered.
The Holland Tunnel Opening
The first mechanically ventilated underwater tunnel in the world opened to traffic on November 13, 1927. The Holland Tunnel, built under the Hudson River, links New York City to New Jersey with two 1.6-mile tubes. 56 high-powered fans automatically refresh tunnel air every 90 seconds, removing toxic automobile fumes. In 1993, because of its revolutionary design and contribution to tunnel construction, the Holland Tunnel was designated as a National Historic Landmark.
Ceiling Revealed
On November 1, 1512, the Sistine Chapel, located in the Pope's official palace residence in Rome, opened its painted ceiling to the public. Painted over a period of four years, the ceiling is one of artist Michelangelo's most widely known works of art and consists of nine panels depicting various scenes and figures from biblical history. Although Michelangelo considered himself a sculptor, these scenes are among his most famous work and the Sistine Chapel ceiling is world-renowned.
First DIrect Long-Distance Telephone Call
On November 10, 1951, the mayors of Englewood, New Jersey and Alameda, California picked up their telephones and in eighteen seconds, successfully completed the first long-distance telephone call conducted without switchboard operator assistance. This customer-dialed phone call introduced area codes as a successful method of dividing North America into unique calling areas and prompted American Telephone and Telegraph, now AT&T, to implement Direct Distance Dialing across the country.
World War I Ending
In June 1914, a Serbian assassinated the heir of Austria-Hungary's empire, prompting Austria-Hungry to declare war on Serbia. Treaties obligated other countries, prompting the participation of Germany, Russia, Great Britain, France and later, the United States. On the eleventh hour of November 11, 1918, World War I ended after Germany was the final country to sign an armistice agreement. However, this war was not without consequences. It was the second deadliest war in history, leaving nine million soldiers dead and 21 million wounded.
Tags: Holland Tunnel, Sistine Chapel, United States, Harvey Oswald