Historical Drops # 016: Your weekly dose of History here at Mega

The time has come to update the historical repertoire! And the focus of this week's Historical Drops column is sports. We have a little football and motor racing, but it also has religion, culture, fun and of course a good deal of politics, as it is always present in the most striking facts in the world. Come with us to know remarkable facts that happened between July 16 and 22 in the last centuries!

July 16th

622: Beginning of Islamic Calendar

Happy New Year! According to the Islamic calendar, this is the year 1439, as for the Muslim people the calendar began to count from the day the Prophet Muhammad fled from his hometown Mecca and settled in Medina. This occurred in 622 and became known as Hijra.

If you do the math, you'll realize that 2018 minus 622 gives 1396, so why would we be in the year 1439? It turns out that the Muslim calendar is lunar - not solar, as adopted by Christianity, for example. That is why the months are 29 or 30 days, so each year is closed at 354 or 355 days, ten less than the solar calendar.

July 17th

1955: Inauguration of Disneyland

Did you know that Disney was not born in Orlando? While this Florida city is home to the largest Disney park complex in the world today, the first seed was planted in Anaheim, California, just outside Los Angeles.

On July 17, 1955, Walt Disney himself inaugurated the park that would kick-start a true empire of entertainment just one year after its construction began.

Today, this Disneyland still exists, but has gained several other attractions, including a whole new park, the Disney California Adventure Park, opened in 2001 where was the former parking lot.

1994: Brazil is Tetra!

For those who want to forget the 7 x 1 or the recent elimination of the Brazilian National Team, focus on July 17th. On that date, in 1994, the canarinho became the first in the world to celebrate the four-time world football championship at the United States World Cup.

After beating Italy 3-2 on penalties with Roberto Baggio's historic kick-off, the team celebrated a lot, and we heard Galvão Bueno's epic screams: "It's TETRA! It's over!".

July 18th

1841: D. Pedro II is crowned Emperor of Brazil

Let's go a little further now. Back in 1841, Brazil crowned its youngest king, even before he turned 15. Born in December 1826, Pedro de Alcântara Joao Carlos Leopoldo Salvador Bibiano Francisco Xavier de Paula Leocadio Miguel Gabriel Rafael Gonzaga, better known as Dom Pedro II, was the first person to be of age before 18 in Brazil.

After losing his mother when he was less than a year old and growing away from his father - Dom Pedro I, who had returned to Portugal - he was raised by regents in the well-known period of the Brazilian monarchy.

At that time, to stifle the revolts and demonstrations against the system that were taking place throughout the country, the rulers decided to anticipate the prince's coming of age to give the people a face to respect and try to regain control of the situation.

July, 19

1976: National Football Day

Let's talk a bit about football again, as we are still in the mood of the World Cup - which ended yesterday, unfortunately, and without hex! - July 19th marks two important facts of sports history here in national lands.

Although this sport arrived in Brazil from England in 1894, by Paulista Charles Miller, it was in 1900, on July 19, that the first club of the sport was founded: the Sport Club Rio Grande, in Rio Grande do Sul.

In 1976, in reference and tribute to this occasion, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), which at the time was called the Brazilian Sports Confederation (CBD), proposed the establishment of the National Football Day.

July 20th

1934: Getúlio Vargas becomes president

In 1930, a civil coup put Getúlio Vargas in power, having ousted President Washington Luis and ignoring the elections that had chosen Julio Prestes for the position.

Four years later, although his mandate was already underway, Getúlio was named president of the Republic by the National Constituent Assembly. He remained in this post until 1937, as he managed to stay in his seat during the Estado Novo, one of the most repressive dictatorial regimes in Latin America. This phase ended in 1945. Six years later, elected by direct vote in 1951, Vargas spent another 3 years as president until committing suicide in 1954.

1969: Apollo 11 lands on the moon

It was on July 20, 1969, after four days of travel, that man achieved the dream of setting foot on the moon for the first time.

Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin were the names of the scientists who were part of the Apollo 11 mission to be the first humans to walk across the sand of the moon - and perhaps contribute to the rising temperature of the satellite!

July 21st

1983: The world reaches its lowest temperature

If you already complain of the cold when it reaches 10 degrees, what do you think about -89.2 ° C? This frightening temperature is the lowest ever recorded in the world and happened exactly 25 years ago at the Russian base of Vostok in Antarctica.

Located at 3, 400 meters above sea level, this region of the continent, which is a true desert of ice, usually registers between -30ºC and -80ºC, but that year it was very close to -90ºC.

July, 22

1894: The World's First Automotive Race Happens

It was between Paris and Rouen, two French cities 50 kilometers apart, that the world's first motor racing event was organized in 1894, organized by Le Petit Journal.

The Concours des Voitures sans Chevaux (Horse- Drawn Car Competition) included 69 vehicles and was defeated by Jules-Albert de Dion, an earl who took 6 hours and 48 minutes to travel at an average speed of 19 km / h ( imagine the agony!). However, Count Jules was disqualified for having prohibited equipment in his car, and the victory was with Georges Lemaître.

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