1551 San Marcos University in Lima Peru opened. The first in the Americas. It still exists as the National University of San Marcos.
1797 Napoleon entered Venice without a fight and dismembered the moribund remnant of the thousand year old Venetian Republic in a few days. He made Venice a part of Italy when he placed one of his brothers on Italian throne. Venetians and Italians agree that Venice is not Italian despite maps, passports, taxes, and more. Several books about Venice are discussed elsewhere on this blog. We hope to visit there this year.
1856 Melbourne, Politics: The antipodean Eight-Hour working day was introduced. Despite predictions of the Pox News of the day the sky did not fall.
1926 The airship Norge flew over the North Pole with Roald Amundsen on board, piloted by Umberto Nobile. It was the first overflight of the Pole.
1949 New Delhi, Politics: The Nehru government appointed Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit Indian ambassador to the United States. She is the first woman ambassador in Washington, and perhaps anywhere.
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