Osun Defender History Corner: March 15 In Focus

Today, on the history corner, we take a trip in the realm of flashbacks and recall some events that marked this day.

March 15, 44 BCE

The assassination of Julius Caesar in Rome.

March 15, 1493

Christopher Columbus returns to Spain after his first voyage to the New World.

March 15, 1672

Charles II of England issues the Royal Declaration of Indulgence, suspending penal laws against Catholics and Nonconformists.

March 15, 1781

During the American Revolutionary War, the Battle of Guilford Courthouse took place in North Carolina.

March 15, 1820

Maine becomes the 23rd U.S. state.

March 15, 1877

The first Test cricket match takes place between England and Australia in Melbourne.

March 15, 1917

Tsar Nicholas II of Russia abdicates the throne, marking the end of the Romanov dynasty.

March 15, 1939

Nazi Germany occupies Czechoslovakia after breaking the Munich Agreement.

March 15, 1965

President Lyndon B. Johnson addresses a joint session of Congress to urge the passage of legislation guaranteeing voting rights for all.

March 15, 1972

The Godfather, directed by Francis Ford Coppola and based on the novel by Mario Puzo, premieres in New York City.

March 15, 1985

The first internet domain name, symbolics.com, is registered.

March 15, 1990

Mikhail Gorbachev is elected as the first President of the Soviet Union.

March 15, 2001

The world’s first space tourist, Dennis Tito, is launched aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft.

March 15, 2004

The Republic of Ireland becomes the first country in the world to ban smoking in all enclosed workplaces, including bars and restaurants.

March 15, 2011

Protests erupt in Syria as part of the wider Arab Spring movement.

March 15, 2013

Pope Francis is officially inaugurated as the 266th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church.

March 15, 2017

The Netherlands holds general elections, with the Party for Freedom led by Geert Wilders gaining seats but falling short of expectations.

March 15, 2019

A mass shooting occurs in two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, resulting in 51 deaths and dozens of injuries.

March 15, 2020

The World Health Organization declares COVID-19 a global pandemic due to its rapid spread and severity.

March 15, 2022

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope is successfully launched into space, marking a significant milestone in space exploration.

Please note that these are just a few historical events that happened on March 15. History is full of numerous other significant events on this day, ranging from politics and warfare to cultural and scientific milestones.