Today in history, April 28, is a day that saw historical moments in the formation of countries. This day marks both the political birth of a state in the United States and the emergence of Indian freedom movements. It is also a day of sporting triumph, nuclear catastrophe, and the dawn of commercial space tourism. Let us explore this day in history with events arranged chronologically.
What Happened on This Day in History: 28th April
The following are some of the events that took place on this day in history:
Maryland Becomes the Seventh State (1788)
On this day Maryland became the seventh state to ratify the Constitution of the United States. This was a pivotal moment after a debate between Federalists and Anti-Federalists. With a 63-11 vote, Maryland chose to join the nation, helping to give momentum to the Constitution's ratification. This ensured that the federal government had the necessary geographical and political backing.
Birth of Madhusudan Das, the "Pride of Odisha" (1848)
The legendary Indian lawyer and social reformer Madhusudan Das was born in Odisha's Cuttack district. He was fondly called "Utkal Gourab" and was the first graduate and advocate from the region. He was instrumental in the successful struggle for the formation of Odisha as a lingual province in 1936.
Formation of the Indian Home Rule League (1916)
The Indian Home Rule League was established on this day by Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Annie Besant to achieve Swarajya. Tilak established it on
The First FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium (1923)
The Wembley stadium hosted the FA Cup finals played between Bolton Wanderers and West Ham United. There was a huge rush of 300,000 spectators for a stadium built to hold only 127,000. But the situation was managed by Billie. It came to be known as White Horse Final and established Wembley as Cathedral of Football.
Did You Know?
Despite the massive overcrowding at the 1923 Wembley opening, no major injuries were reported, and the match began only 45 minutes late thanks to the calm presence of "Billie" the white horse.
Execution of Benito Mussolini (1945)
Italian fascist leader Benito Mussolini was executed by the partisans in the last days of the second world war in Europe. He was taken as a prisoner near Lake Como while trying to escape disguised as a German soldier. His execution marked the end of Fascist regime, and defeat of one of the major Axis powers.
The Kon-Tiki Expedition Begins (1947)
Thor Heyerdahl and five crew members embarked on a raft made from balsa wood named Kon-Tiki, from Peru to test the theory that ancient people could have colonised the Polynesian islands from South America. Heyerdahl hoped to demonstrate the validity of a theory that ancient South Americans could have populated the Polynesian islands using ocean currents. The raft journeyed almost 7,000 kilometers over 101 days before hitting a Polynesian reef.
Japan Regains Sovereignty (1952)
This day marked the commencement of the Treaty of San Francisco that accepted Japan as a sovereign country. The treaty was signed on September 8, 1951 between Japan and 48 allied states and came into effect on 28th April, 1952. It also led to Japan renouncing claims on Korea, Taiwan and Kurii Islands.
Muhammad Ali Refuses the Vietnam Draft (1967)
Muhammad Ali refused to be drafted into the US army for the Vietnam War. He was a member of the Nation of Islam and objected to the war. His statement "I ain't got no quarrel with Viet Cong... No Viet Cong ever called me nigger". This decision led to loss of his world title and ban for three years, including a 5 year prison sentence, which was ultimately upheld by the Supreme Court.
The Soviet Union Acknowledges Chernobyl (1986)
Soviet Union acknowledged the Chernobyl Nuclear disaster publically two days after the incident, this was prompted after high levels of radiation was detected by Sweden. This also marked the end of Soviet political secrecy.
The Dawn of Space Tourism (2010)
Entrepreneur Dennis Tito was the first "space tourist" to travel to the International Space Station (ISS) as he took off from Russia in a Soyuz rocket. He spent an estimated $20 million on the trip, despite NASA's initial reluctance to allow a non-astronaut on board, for fear it would distract the astronauts. He spent almost a week in space, conducting basic experiments and enjoying the views of Earth. His journey demonstrated that space was open to non-government astronauts. This achievement paved the way for the commercialization of space.
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