This day in history: 1 march

1476: The Battle of Toro took place in Spain, where forces of the Catholic Monarchs clashed with Portuguese-Castilian armies during the War of the Castilian Succession.
1562: The Massacre of Vassy marked the start of the French Wars of Religion. Sixty-three Huguenots were killed by troops loyal to Francis, Duke of Guise.
1815: Napoleon Bonaparte returned to France from exile on the island of Elba. Landing at Golfe-Juan, he began his dramatic “Hundred Days” campaign, which culminated in his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo.
1871: The victorious Prussian Army paraded through Paris after the Franco-Prussian War’s Siege of Paris, marking a significant moment in European history.
1896: Henri Becquerel discovered radioactivity, a groundbreaking scientific achievement by the French physicist.

1781: The Articles of Confederation were formally ratified by Congress, establishing the first governing framework for the United States during the Revolutionary War.
1790: The first United States Census was authorized, marking a key step in the country’s administrative development.
1872: President Ulysses S. Grant signed the Yellowstone National Park Protection Act, creating Yellowstone as the world’s first national park.
1932: Charles Lindbergh Jr., the 20-month-old son of aviator Charles Lindbergh, was kidnapped from his home in New Jersey. Sadly, his remains were discovered two months later.
1954: Four Puerto Rican nationalists opened fire in the U.S. House of Representatives, injuring five Congress members.
1961: President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps through an executive order, promoting volunteerism abroad to address global health care, education, and development needs.
1974: Seven former Nixon administration officials were indicted for their roles in obstructing justice during the Watergate scandal.

1919: The March First Movement began in Korea as a series of nationwide demonstrations against Japanese colonial rule. It was sparked by the reading of the Korean Declaration of Independence by 33 cultural and religious leaders in Seoul. The movement involved over two million participants in more than 1,500 demonstrations, but it was violently suppressed by Japanese authorities, resulting in thousands of deaths, injuries, and arrests. This movement laid the foundation for the establishment of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea in Shanghai and is commemorated annually as a national holiday in both North and South Korea.
1914: China joined the Universal Postal Union, marking a significant step in its modernization and integration into global systems.
1939: An ammunition dump explosion in Hirakata, Osaka, Japan, killed 94 people and caused extensive damage. This tragic event highlighted risks associated with wartime military storage.

1498: Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama landed at Mozambique during his voyage to India. This marked a critical moment in the Age of Exploration, as Europeans began establishing maritime routes to Asia via Africa.
1896: Ethiopia achieved a historic victory against Italy at the Battle of Adwa. Under Emperor Menelik II and General Ras Makonnen, Ethiopian forces defeated Italian troops, ensuring Ethiopia’s sovereignty and inspiring anti-colonial movements worldwide. This battle is celebrated as a symbol of African resistance to European imperialism.
1811: Egyptian ruler Muhammad Ali massacred the leaders of the Mamluk dynasty in Cairo, consolidating his power and marking a turning point in Egyptian history.