Historical Drops # 003: Your weekly dose of History here at Mega!
This week, in the Historic Drops column, you will find information about the Brazilian military dictatorship, such as the beginning of the Institutional Act 1 (the first of five) and the election of President Castelo Branco.
From the space area we have the launch of the Apollo 13 mission, NASA's third with the intention of landing on the moon, as well as the first space shuttle from the US agency. You will also learn about the MKULTRA program, an American Intelligence Agency mind control project considered illegal and clandestine. Check out!
9th April
1957: The Suez Canal in Egypt is cleared for transportation.
The Suez Canal was built to connect the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea to be used as a shipping route. It is 195 kilometers long and 170 meters wide. Thanks to the canal, ships no longer have to go around the African continent.
1964: Effective date of Institutional Act 1 (AI-1) in the Brazilian military dictatorship
Published a few days after John Goulart's dismissal, AI-1 defended the military coup, which the document called a "revolution" that represented the interest not only of a group but of the entire nation. Its purpose was to dispel any form of opposition and to legitimize the coup.
April 10th
1815: Tambora Volcano erupts, largest recorded on Earth
The explosion rocked the planet in such a catastrophe that 200 years later, researchers are still struggling to understand its repercussions. It is estimated that between 60 and 70 thousand people died as a result of the event.
Died on this day ...
1985: Cora Coralina, Brazilian writer
Cora Coralina is a pseudonym of Anna Lins of Guimarães Peixoto Bretas, a poet and short story writer from Goiás, considered one of the most important Brazilian writers. Her first and most important book, "Poems of Goias Alleys and More Stories, " was published in 1965 when she was 76 years old.
11th of April
1964: Castelo Branco is elected president of Brazil
The 1964 presidential election was the 18th presidential election in Brazil and the first to take place indirectly after the ousting of President João Goulart. Castelo Branco, then Army Chief of Staff, was elected with 98.63% of the votes of the congressmen.
1970: Launch of Apollo 13
It was the Apollo Project's seventh manned mission and the third intended to land on the Moon, but failed to fulfill its purpose due to an accident during the outward journey caused by an explosion in the service module that prevented the satellite from descending. The ship and its crew, however, managed to return to Earth after six days in space.
1976: Creation of the Apple I personal computer, the company's first product.
It was a primitive personal computer created by Steve Wozniak for his own use. A friend of Wozniak - none other than Steve Jobs (co-founder of Apple) - had the idea to market the computer, becoming the first product to be launched by the Apple Company. About 200 units were sold at a price of $ 666.
April 12th
1865: American Civil War Begins
Also known as the Civil War, it was an armed conflict between the southern and northern states of the United States. The war came after the climate of tension - generated by the 1860 elections that elected President Abraham Lincoln - between the industrialized and the agrarian South.
1981: NASA launches its first space shuttle, Columbia
The space shuttle Columbia was the first in a series of five reusable spaceships created by the US space agency. This new form of space travel was an attempt by the United States to turn spaceflights into routine launches to be more economically viable.
April 13th
1953: The CIA begins the mind control program named Project MKULTRA.
MKULTRA was an illegal, clandestine US Intelligence Service program aimed at identifying and developing drugs and procedures for interrogation and torture to debilitate people to force confessions through mind control.
Born on this day ...
1570: Guy Fawkes, English Conspirator
He was an explosives expert who participated in the Gunpowder Revolution (1600), which aimed to assassinate King James I of England with the installation of gunpowder barrels under the Parliament building. The failure of one member revealed the plan that culminated in the arrest and execution of Fawkes and other conspirators.
1743: Thomas Jefferson, US Politician
He was the third US president and lead author of the United States Declaration of Independence. He is considered one of the most influential “founding fathers” in the country, known for his promotion of republican ideals. His presidency's list of successes includes the purchase of Louisiana from France, an area that accounts for 23 percent of today's US territory.
April 14th
1912: RMS Titanic collides with an iceberg on its maiden voyage
The most famous ship in the world was created to be the most luxurious and safe in the world of its time. It collided with an iceberg at 11:40 pm and sank the next morning with more than 1, 500 people on board, one of the biggest peacetime maritime disasters in history. Subsequent committees of inquiry led to changes in international shipping laws that remain in force today.
1945: Beginning of the Battle of Montese during World War II, with the participation of the Brazilian army.
It was held between April 14 and 17 as part of the Italian Campaign's allied offensive. The Brazilian Division carried out a faultless campaign, conquering Montese, but at a high cost: 430 casualties (34 dead and the others wounded, missing and imprisoned) against 497 Nazi casualties. The victory contributed to the complete dismantling of the German lines of defense in the V army sector and, as a consequence, in the rest of Italy.
2003: Announced that the Human Genome Project has sequenced 99% of the human genome.
The project was founded in 1990 and involved 5, 000 scientists from 250 different laboratories with an estimated budget of between $ 3 and $ 53 billion. Since then, the program has discovered more than 1, 800 disease genes. In addition, at least 350 biotechnology products resulting from the knowledge generated by PGH would be undergoing clinical trials.
April 15th
1994: Creation of the World Trade Organization
It was created from previous trade negotiations, especially from the Uruguay Round. Its purpose is to oversee and liberalize international trade, in addition to replacing the General Agreement on Trade Tariffs (GATT), created in 1947. It is currently chaired by Brazilian Roberto Azevêdo.
Born on this day ...
1452: Leonardo da Vinci, Italian artist and scientist
Da Vinci is one of the most important figures of the High Renaissance, who stood out in various fields as a scientist, mathematician, inventor, engineer, anatomist, painter, sculptor, architect, botanist, poet and musician. He is also known as the forerunner of aviation and ballistics, one of the greatest painters of all time, and possibly the most talented person to live, according to historians.
