April 29 is a day of heroes and world-changing events. Old battles end and great artists are born on this day. We find these events in France and on film sets in India. These demonstrate the power and ingenuity of the human mind. In this April 29 edition, we go back in time over many years.
What Happened on This Day in History: April 29
Joan of Arc Breaks the Siege of Orleans (1429)
On April 29, 1429, a 17-year-old girl named Joan of Arc walked into the city of Orleans. She had a small army to deliver food to the French army. The city was surrounded by the English army so no food could reach them. Joan's encouragement helped the exhausted soldiers to win the battle a few days later. This was an important moment in the history of France.
Captain James Cook Lands at Botany Bay (1770)
Captain James Cook brought his ship, the HMS Endeavour, to the east coast of Australia. This day he anchored at Botany Bay. He gave it this name because the ship's scientists found many new plants there. It was the first time Europeans had visited this coast. This marked the beginning of British occupation, but also of trouble for the local people.
Raja Ravi Varma, Modern Painter of India is born (1848)
Raja Ravi Varma was an Indian painter, born in 1848. He used European techniques of painting with Indian faces and stories. Varma was the first to paint well-known Indian stories from sacred books. He copied his fine art using a special printing technique. This allowed people to decorate their homes with art.
Jazz Legend Duke Ellington is Born (1899)
Duke Ellington was a great musician from Washington, D.C. He played the piano and was a big band leader. Ellington composed over three thousand pieces of music. He made jazz into a great art. He also spoke out against racism by touring the world.
Did You Know?
Gideon Sundback was granted a patent for the zipper on April 29, 1913. At that time people wore buttons or hooks to fasten their clothing. Zippers made getting dressed easier and quicker.
Liberation of the Dachau Concentration Camp (1945)
In 1945, the U.S. Army liberated the Dachau camp in Germany. It was the first of the Nazis' concentration camps. The soldiers found many emaciated people and graves. This showed the world the atrocities of the Holocaust. It also helped them to make new laws to protect people's rights.
U.S. Invades Cambodia (1970)
In 1970, President Richard Nixon announced the U.S. was invading Cambodia. This was to halt enemy supply lines in the Vietnam War. This was a risky decision to make because Cambodia was neutral and not involved in the war. This decision caused students in the U.S. to protest the war.
138,000 Die in Bangladesh from Tropical Cyclone (1991)
Bangladesh was hit by a large storm in 1991 on April 29. The storm had wind speeds of up to 155 miles an hour. A massive flood of water covered the low lying area. That day, 138,000 people were killed and many people lost their homes.
Los Angeles Riots Begin (1992)
Los Angeles riots began in 1992 after a trial. A group of police were cleared of punching a black man, Rodney King. This upset a lot of people in the city. The riots went on for six days and there was much violence and bloodshed.
Marriage of Catherine Middleton and William (2011)
In 2011, Prince William and Catherine Middleton were married in a big wedding ceremony in London. The wedding was watched by around two billion TV viewers. William was next to be the King of England. The wedding boosted the economy when tourists arrived to see it.
Death of Actor Irrfan Khan (2020)
Actor Irrfan Khan passed away in Mumbai on this day in 2020. He had colon infection and a rare form of cancer. Irrfan was known for his eye and face expressions. He starred in Slumdog Millionaire, Life of Pi, Lunchbox and acted in both Indian and Hollywood films.
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