On This Day - What Happened On November 1 | Britannica

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1952 First thermonuclear bomb tested by the United States On this day in 1952 on an atoll of the Marshall Islands, Edward Teller and other American scientists tested the first thermonuclear bomb, its power resulting from an uncontrolled, self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction. U.S. Air Force photograph

Featured Biography

Sholem Asch American writer bornNovember 1, 1880Kutno, Russian EmpirediedJuly 10, 1957 (aged 76)London, EnglandEncyclopædia Britannica, Inc. 1973 Aishwarya Rai Bachchan Indian actress 1972 Toni Collette Australian actress 1960 Tim Cook American business executive 1957 Lyle Lovett American musician 1935 Edward Said American professor and literary critic See All Biographies On This Day

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2023 The Texas Rangers defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks, 4–1, to win the franchise's first World Series.How much do you know about football?©Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images 2006 American novelist William Styron—known for his treatment of tragic themes and his rich classical prose style, highlighted in such works as Sophie's Choice (1979)—died at age 81. Test your knowledge of famous writersBernard Gotfryd Photograph Collection, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. (reproduction no. LC-DIG-gtfy-03606) 1999 American professional gridiron football player Walter Payton, who was one of the game's greatest running backs, died from bile duct cancer. Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about American football© Jerry Coli/Dreamstime.com 1997 James Cameron's Titanic, a drama about the doomed ocean liner, had its first public screening at the Tokyo International Film Festival; the movie would become one of the highest grossing of all time, and it made Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet international stars. How much do you know about the movie Titanic?Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation/Paramount Pictures Corporation 1994 The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) launched its Wind spacecraft on a mission that would include a “halo orbit” between the Sun and Earth to explore the space environment there. Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about space exploration 1993 The Maastricht Treaty entered into force, thereby establishing the European Union. Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about world organizationsEncyclopædia Britannica, Inc. 1981 Antigua and Barbuda achieved independence from the United Kingdom, with Vere Bird serving as the first prime minister. Take our quiz about islandsEncyclopædia Britannica, Inc. 1967 The film classic Cool Hand Luke opened in American theaters, and it became especially known for Paul Newman's performance in one of his iconic antihero roles. Test your knowledge of Paul Newman© 1967 Warner Brothers, Inc.; photograph from a private collection 1950 Puerto Rican nationalists, members of the Armed Forces of National Liberation (FALN), attempted to assassinate U.S. President Harry S. Truman.Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. (LC-USZ62-13033) 1945 Chicagoan John H. Johnson published Ebony, the first U.S. mass-market magazine aimed at a Black audience. Ebony promised to talk honestly about race, but also “mirror the happier side of Negro life—the positive, everyday achievements from Harlem to Hollywood.” Learn more about the people, places, and events that shaped the 1940s 1938 In a horse race that captured the imagination of Americans during the Great Depression, Seabiscuit defeated War Admiral by four lengths. Take our quiz about famous horses 1922 The Grand National Assembly, at the behest of Kemal Atatürk, voted to abolish the sultanate of Turkey. Take our quiz about the history of Turkey and the Ottoman EmpireVictor Console/ANL/REX/Shutterstock.com 1871 American author Stephen Crane, whose works included The Red Badge of Courage (1895), was born. Test your knowledge of famous novelsStephen Crane Collection, Syracuse University Library Department of Special Collections 1765 The Stamp Act went into effect, marking the first British parliamentary attempt to raise revenue through direct taxation of all American colonial commercial and legal papers. Take our quiz about early AmericaRare Books and Manuscripts Division, The New York Public Library Digital Collections (59010928) 1755 Lisbon was heavily damaged by an earthquake that demolished more than 9,000 buildings and killed as many as 30,000 people. How much do you know about natural disasters?Photos.com/Jupiterimages 1611 William Shakespeare's The Tempest was reportedly performed for the first time. Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about Shakespearean playsCourtesy of the National Portrait Gallery, London (http://www.npg.org.uk) 1512 For the first time, the general public was able to view Michelangelo's fresco on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican Palace; the artwork is among the greatest achievements in Western painting. Test your knowledge of Italian Renaissance art© Art Images/Getty Images 996 Holy Roman Emperor Otto III granted the Bavarian bishopric of Freising 30 “royal hides,” or about 8 square km (2,000 acres), of land in a deed that contained the first recorded use of the name Ostarrîchi, from which the name Austria is derived. Take our quiz about kings and emperorsPhotos.com/Jupiterimages SIGN UP FOR History's Biggest Headlines Discover the fascinating events that shaped the world, straight from our editors. SIGN UP Thanks for signing up for Today in History. Your first newsletter will arrive soon! SIGN UP By clicking "Sign Up" you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.