Historical Events tagged with "new year"
Turns out history loves a label—battles, breakthroughs, and the occasional disaster, all neatly tagged for your browsing pleasure. Because sometimes you just need every weird invention in one place.
Fire at Downtown Address Hotel Before New Year
A fire broke out at the Downtown Address Hotel in Downtown Dubai just two hours before the highly anticipated New Year's fireworks display. The blaze caused panic among the guests and the crowd gathered as emergency services responded rapidly. Sixteen people were reported injured; one individual experienced a heart attack, another sustained a major injury, while fourteen others sustained minor injuries. The incident raised concerns about safety measures in crowded areas.
Continue ReadingBomb Attack on Coptic Christians in Alexandria
A bomb exploded outside a Coptic Christian church in Alexandria, Egypt, as worshippers were leaving a New Year's Eve service, resulting in 23 fatalities. Around 100 other individuals sustained injuries in this horrific attack. The bombing targeted the Saints Church, which had been a focal point of Coptic Orthodox worship, particularly during festive occasions like the New Year. The incident heightened tensions in an already polarized society, prompting concern not only among Coptic Christians but also across the broader Egyptian landscape as issues of sectarian violence and religious discrimination were thrust into the national spotlight.
Continue ReadingKiribati Skips New Year's Day 1995
On December 31, 1994, the islands of Kiribati, specifically the Phoenix Islands and Line Islands, implemented a significant timezone change. This transition involved moving from UTC−11:00 to UTC+13:00 for the Phoenix Islands and from UTC−10:00 to UTC+14:00 for the Line Islands, effectively skipping New Year's Day 1995 altogether. This decision meant that while most of the world celebrated the start of the new year, residents of these islands experienced an unusual phenomenon of missing this day completely.
Continue ReadingFireworks Ignition Causes Deadly Blaze in Xinjiang
During the Chinese New Year celebrations, a firecracker ignited memorial wreaths dedicated to Mao Zedong at the Xinjiang 61st Regiment Farm. This conflagration swiftly escalated, resulting in the tragic deaths of 694 personnel. The incident marked the deadliest fireworks-related disaster in history, casting a dark shadow over the festive celebrations.
Continue ReadingInaugural Times Square Ball Drop Celebration
The inaugural Times Square ball drop took place at midnight, marking the transition into the new year. The event was organized by Adolph Ochs, the owner of The New York Times, to celebrate the paper's relocation to Times Square. The first ball, a 700-pound iron sphere adorned with 100 light bulbs, descended into place, captivating a crowd of around 200,000 people gathered in the square. This spectacle quickly became an iconic New Year’s Eve tradition in New York City, symbolizing new beginnings and hope for the coming year.
Continue ReadingEstablishment of the First Federal Holidays
In 1870, the U.S. Congress established the first federal holidays: New Year's Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. This monumental decision sought to create a standardized calendar of public holidays that would foster national unity and provide a common framework for celebrations across the country. The choice of these specific holidays reflected both cultural and historical significance in American society. The legislation aimed to recognize important events and traditions that embody American values and history.
Continue ReadingScotland Adopts January 1 as New Year's Day
Scotland officially adopted January 1 as its New Year, replacing March 25. This change reflected a broader European trend towards standardizing the start of the year. The decision was influenced by various cultural and legal considerations, aligning Scotland more closely with its neighbors. The recognition of January as the beginning of the year was part of a gradual shift in calendar systems across Europe at the time, showcasing the interconnectedness of societal practices.
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