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Information about March 23


March 23 is the 82nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (83rd in Leap


years). There are 283 days remaining.


Events


   * 752 - Stephen II becomes Pope


   * 1708 - James Francis Edward Stuart lands at the Firth of Forth


   * 1775 - American Revolutionary War: Patrick Henry delivers his speech -


     "give me liberty or give me death" in Williamsburg, Virginia.


   * 1806 - After traveling through the Louisiana Purchase and reaching the


     Pacific Ocean, explorers Lewis and Clark and their "Corps of Discovery"


     begin their journey home


   * 1839 - First recorded use of "OK" oll korrect (Boston Morning Post)


   * 1857 - Elisha Otis' first elevator is installed (at 488 Broadway, New


     York City)


   * 1868 - The University of California is founded in Oakland, California


     when the Organic Act is signed into law.


   * 1889 - Land Run: President Benjamin Harrison opens Oklahoma to white


     settlement starting on April 22.


   * 1903 - The Wright Brothers apply for a patent on their invention of the


     first successful airplane.


   * 1909 - Theodore Roosevelt leaves New York for a post-presidency safari


     in Africa. The trip was sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution and


     National Geographic Society.


   * 1919 - In Milan, Italy, Benito Mussolini founds his Fascist political


     movement.


   * 1933 - The Reichstag passes the Enabling Act, giving Adolf Hitler


     dictatorial powers over German legislation.


   * 1935 - Signing of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of the


     Philippines


   * 1942 - World War II: In the Indian Ocean, Japanese forces capture the


     Anadaman Islands.


   * 1956 - Pakistan becomes the first Islamic republic.


   * 1965 - NASA launches Gemini 3, the United States' first two-person


     space flight (crew: Gus Grissom and John Young).


   * 1983 - Strategic Defense Initiative: President Ronald Reagan makes his


     initial proposal to develop technology to intercept enemy missiles. The


     media dub this plan "Star Wars."


   * 1989 - Stanley Pons and Martin Fleischmann announce cold fusion at the


     University of Utah.


   * 1989 - A 1,000-foot diameter Near-Earth asteroid misses the Earth by


     400,000 miles.


   * 1996 - The Republic of China on Taiwan holds its first direct elections


     for president


   * 1999 - Gunmen assassinate Paraguay's Vice President Luis Maria Argana.


Births


   * 1749 - Pierre Simon de Laplace, mathematician and astronomer (+ 1827)


   * 1769 - William Smith, geologist/cartographer (+ 1839)


   * 1823 - Schuyler Colfax, Vice President of the United States (+ 1885)


   * 1882 - Emmy Noether, mathematician (+ 1935)


   * 1887 - Juan Gris, painter and graphic artist (+ 1927)


   * 1900 - Erich Fromm, psychoanalyst (+ 1980)


   * 1904 or 1908 - Joan Crawford, actor (+ 1977)


   * 1910 - Lale Andersen, singer and cabaretist (+ 1972)


   * 1910 - Akira Kurosawa, film director (+ 1998)


   * 1912 - Wernher von Braun, physicist and engineer (+ 1977)


   * 1929 - Sir Roger Bannister, athlete, first "Miracle Mile"


   * 1949 - Ric Ocasek, musician ("The Cars")


   * 1952 - Kim Stanley Robinson, science fiction author


   * 1953 - Chaka Khan, singer


   * 1972 - Judith Godr�che, actress/author


Deaths:


   * 1801 - Tsar Paul of Russia


   * 1842 - Stendhal, writer


   * 1964 - Peter Lorre, actor


   * 1970 - Del Lord, pioneer Hollywood director


   * 1979 - Orlando Letelier, former Chilean ambassador to the United States


   * 1983 - Barney Clark, first artificial heart recipient


Holidays and observances


   * Roman Empire - The fifth and final day of Quinquatria, held in honor of


     Minerva.


   * Roman Empire - Tubilustrium was held in honor of Mars


   * Ancient Latvia - Lieldienas held in honor of Mara and other goddesses


   * National Day (Pakistan)

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