Five Historical Events That Happened on January 21st.
1793: On January 21, 1793, during the French Revolution, Louis XVI, the King of France, was beheaded by the guillotine.
The Sullivan Ordinance, which made it unlawful for women to smoke in public, was adopted in New York City in 1908. Later, in 1927, this rule was overturned.
On January 21, 1911, the first Monte Carlo Rally took place. One of the oldest rallies in the world, it is a yearly event held in Monte Carlo, Monaco.
1976: On January 21st, the first commercial Concorde flight departed. Up until 2003, the Concorde was a supersonic passenger airplane that could travel at double the speed of sound.
2008: On January 21st, global stock markets plunged amid fears of a US recession, with Dow futures down about 546 points. US exchanges were closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, so Wall Street felt the shock the next morning, when the Federal Reserve made an emergency rate cut.
Louis XVI, the King of France, was executed by guillotine during the French Revolution on January 21st, 1793.
On January 21st, 1793, in Paris' Place de la Révolution (today known as the Place de la Concorde), Louis XVI was put to death by guillotine. The National Convention, France's executive body during the French Revolution, had tried and convicted him of treason. The French monarchy was overthrown and the First French Republic was established as a result of his execution.
The Sullivan Ordinance was passed in New York City, making it illegal for women to smoke in public. This law was later overturned in 1927.
On January 21st, 1908, the New York City Council approved the Sullivan Ordinance. It made it illegal for women to smoke anywhere in public, even on the streets. The legislation bears Alderman Timothy D. Sullivan's name, who sponsored it. The principal justification for the regulation was that smoking in public was not "ladylike" behavior and would result in "immoral conduct." However, the law was mostly disregarded and denounced for violating the rights of women. In the end, it was overturned in 1927.
The first Monte Carlo Rally was held on January 21st, 1911. It is an annual rally that takes place in Monte Carlo, Monaco, and is one of the oldest rallies in the world.
The Monte Carlo Rally, one of the oldest and most renowned rallies in the world, was first held on January 21, 1911. The Automobile Club de Monaco organized the rally, and it has been held yearly ever since, with the exception of the two World Wars. The rally draws some of the best drivers and automakers in the world because of its difficult roads through the Alps and the French Riviera. Since 1973, the event has also been a component of the World Rally Championship (WRC).
The first commercial Concorde flight took off on January 21st, 1976. The Concorde was a supersonic passenger jet that could fly at twice the speed of sound and was in service until 2003.
On January 21st, 1976, the first commercial Concorde flight departed from London Heathrow Airport bound for Bahrain with a layover in Paris. Developed collaboratively by British and French aerospace companies, the Concorde was a supersonic passenger jet that could travel twice as fast as sound. With a top speed of Mach 2.04 (about 1,350 mph), it was the world's fastest commercial passenger aircraft. British Airways and Air France operated the Concorde during its 27-year operational period, which spanned 1976 to 2003. The Concorde was finally abandoned, nevertheless, as a result of its high operating costs, dwindling passenger demand, and worries about its safety following a collision in 2000.
Global stock markets plunged on January 21st, 2008, as fears of a US recession spread.
Stock markets around the world fell sharply on January 21st, 2008. Europe’s FTSEurofirst 300 closed down about 5.8 percent and Japan’s Nikkei fell to a two-year low. US stock exchanges were closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, but Dow futures fell about 546 points, or 4.5 percent, signaling a steep drop when trading resumed.
The selloff was driven by worries that the US housing slump and the subprime mortgage crisis were dragging the economy toward recession. Hours later, after an emergency meeting, the Federal Reserve cut its key interest rate by three-quarters of a point to 3.5 percent, its biggest cut in more than two decades and its first between scheduled meetings since 2001. When US markets reopened on January 22nd, the Dow fell nearly 465 points at the open but recovered to close down 128 points. More sharp declines followed through 2008 as the financial crisis deepened.
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