March 24th in History

March 24th was the 365th and last day of the year in many European implementations of the Julian calendar.

1401 - Turko-Mongol emperor Timur sacks Damascus.

1603 - Upon the death of Queen Elizabeth I of England, James VI of Scotland also becomes James I of England.


1663 - The Province of Carolina is granted by charter to eight Lords Proprietor in reward for their assistance in restoring Charles II of England to the throne.

1707 - The Acts of Union 1707 is signed, officially uniting the Kingdoms of England and Scotland to create the Kingdom of Great Britain.

1720 - Count Frederick of Hesse-Kassel is elected King of Sweden by the Riksdag of the Estates, after his consort Ulrika Eleonora has abdicated the throne on 29 February. She has been wanting to rule jointly with her husband in the same manner as William and Mary in the British isles, but after the Riksdag of the Estates has said no to this, she has chosen to abdicate the throne in his favor instead.

1765 - American Revolutionary War: The Kingdom of Great Britain passes the Quartering Act that requires the Thirteen Colonies to house British troops.

1829 - Catholic Emancipation: The Parliament of the United Kingdom passes the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829, allowing Catholics to serve in Parliament.

1837 - Canada gives African Canadian men the right to vote.

1882 - Robert Koch announces the discovery of mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium responsible for tuberculosis.

1907 - The first issue of the Georgian Bolshevik newspaper Dro is published.

1922 - Irish War of Independence: In Belfast, Northern Irish policemen break into the home of a Catholic family and shoot all eight males inside.


1934 - U.S. Congress passes the Tydings-McDuffie Act allowing the Philippines to become a self-governing commonwealth.

1944 - Ardeatine Massacre: German troops kill 335 Italian civilians in Rome.

1946 - The British Cabinet Mission, consisting of Lord Pethick-Lawrence, Sir Stafford Cripps and A. V. Alexander, arrives in India to discuss and plan for the transfer of power from the British Raj to Indian leadership.

1958 - Rock'N'Roll teen idol Elvis Presley is drafted in the U.S. Army.

1972 - The United Kingdom imposes direct rule over Northern Ireland.

1976 - In Argentina, the armed forces overthrow the constitutional government of President Isabel Perón and start a 7-year dictatorial period self-styled the National Reorganization Process. Since 2006, a public holiday known as Day of Remembrance for Truth and Justice is held on this day.

1999 - Mont Blanc Tunnel fire kills 38 people

1999 - Kosovo War: NATO commences air bombardment against Yugoslavia, marking the first time NATO has attacked a sovereign country.


2003 - The Arab League votes 21-1 in favor of a resolution demanding the immediate and unconditional removal of U.S. and British soldiers from Iraq.

2008 - Bhutan officially becomes a democracy, with its first ever general election.

Famous Birthdays

1494 - Georg Agricola, scientist

1628 - Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg, Queen of Denmark and Norway

1809 - Joseph Liouville, mathematician

1884 - Eugène Tisserant, Cardinal and Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals

1903 - Adolf Butenandt, chemist, Nobel laureate

1920 - Gene Nelson, actor

1930 - Steve McQueen, actor

1949 - Ruud Krol, footballer

1951 - Pat Bradley, golfer

1970 - Sharon Corr, musician

1973 - Jim Parsons, actor

1977 - Jessica Chastain, actress

1981 - Mark Looms, footballer

1987 - Ramires, footballer

1988 - Matías Martínez, footballer

1992 - Jeremy Rosado, singer