November 11 in History

1111 – Most of the people alive at 11:11 11/11/1111 had no idea anything was interesting about that moment.

1215 – The Fourth Lateran Council met, defining the doctrine of transubstantiation, the process by which bread and wine are, by that doctrine, said to transform into the body and blood of Christ.

1750 – The F.H.C. Society, also known as the Flat Hat Club, was formed at Raleigh Tavern, Williamsburg, Virginia. It is the first American college fraternity.

1790 – Chrysanthemums were introduced to England from China by M. Cels (France).

1839 – The Virginia Military Institute was founded in Lexington, Virginia.

1851 – The first U.S. patent (Patent #8,509) for a telescope design was issued to Alvan Clark of Cambridge, Mass.

1864 – Sherman’s March to the Sea – General William Tecumseh Sherman began burning Atlanta, Georgia to the ground in preparation for his march south.

1918 – Armistice signed by the Allies and Germany comes into ending WW I.

1921 – President Harding dedicated the Tomb of Unknown Soldier at Arlington Cemetery. It is also known as The Tomb of the Unknowns.

1926 – U.S. Route 66 was established. It has also been called The Will Rogers Highway.

1930 – Albert Einstein and Leó Szilárd got the patent (#1,781,541) for their invention, the Einstein refrigerator.

1935 -A record 72,395 feet was reached by Lt. Col. Albert William Stevens and Captain Orvil Anderson, by helium balloon in a sealed gondola, Explorer II.

1938 – Mary Mallon (Typhoid Mary) died. Fifty-one original cases of typhoid and three deaths were directly attributed to her, although she was immune to the typhoid bacillus (Salmonella typhi).

1939 – Kate Smith first sang Irving Berlin’s God Bless America on her radio show. Irving Berlin had originally written it in 1918.

1966 – Methodist Church & Evangelical United Brethren Church joined together as the United Methodist Church (USA)

1972 – Dow Jones Index moved above 1,000 for first time. It closed under 1,000 though.

1978 – #1 Hit November 11, 1978 – December 1, 1978: Donna Summer – MacArthur Park

1980 – Too Close for Comfort premiered on ABC. It was modeled after the British series Keep It in the Family’.

1982 – Star 80 was released in US theaters.

1987 – Van Gogh’s Irises sold for record 53.9 million dollars at auction via Sotheby’s, New York.

1989 – #1 Hit November 11, 1989 – November 24, 1989: Bad English – When I See You Smile

1994 – Bill Gates bought Leonardo da Vinci’s Codex Leicester for $30,800,000. It was an insightful overview on Leonardo’s thoughts on a variety of topics. It was also the most expensive book or manuscript of all time.

2000 – #1 Hit November 11, 2000 – November 17, 2000: Creed – With Arms Wide Open

2004 – The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) confirmed the death of Yasser Arafat and Mahmoud Abbas is elected chairman of the PLO minutes later.

2006 – #1 Hit November 11, 2006 – December 1, 2006: Justin Timberlake featuring T.I. – My Love