Today (11th November) In History: Significant Events, Famous Birthdays And Notable Deaths

11th November appears to be just another odd day in the autumn month of November. However, it’s known for several memorable and history-defining events. Some of which, we’ll be covering in this article.

From the end of World War I and the discovery of a famous mathematical equation to the birthday of global heartthrob Leonardo DiCaprio, 11th November is a noteworthy day that everyone should know about. On that note, we bring you this article about the significant historical events, famous birthdays, and notable deaths that took place on 11th November.

Significant Historical Events

• In 1417, Martin V was elected the head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States, aka the Pope. His election marked the end of the Western Schism of 1378–1417.
• In 1675, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz first demonstrated integral calculus for the first time to find the area under the graph of y = f(x). Leibniz played a key role in developing calculus and also invented the symbols dx and dy.
• In 1865, U.S. Army surgeon Dr. Mary Edwards Walker was awarded the Medal of Honor, the highest military award, for her meritorious service in the American Civil War. Dr. Walker was stripped of the honor in 1916 but the medal was reinstated to her in 1977. To this day, she remains the first and only woman in American history to be awarded the Medal of Honor.
• In 1888, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, a freedom fighter, senior congress leader, and India’s first Minister of Education was born. His birth anniversary is celebrated as National Education Day in India.
• In 1918, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, World War I came to an end. Germany signed an armistice (agreement for peace), ceasing the fighting. The Treaty of Versailles was signed subsequently, but 11th November is the day World War I ended. It’s celebrated as Armistice Day, Remembrance Day, or Veteran’s Day all over the world.
• In 1975, the African nation of Angola gained independence from Portuguese occupation. After over a decade of fighting, Portugal withdrew from Angola. The cause was a military coup that overthrew the dictatorial regime of Estado Novo in Portugal.
• In 1992, the Church of England voted to allow the ordination of women as priests, a much-needed and overdue decision. The vote happened despite the long-standing tradition of male-only clergy and the threat of 1,000 Anglican clergymen giving up the priesthood.

Notable Deaths

• In 1880, the notorious Australian bushranger and outlaw Ned Kelly was hanged to death. Kelly and his gang killed multiple policemen, robbed numerous banks, and once even captured an entire town.
• In 1831, Nat Turner, a slave who led a violent uprising of fellow enslaved Virginians, was hanged. Turner’s rebellion claimed the lives of around 60 mostly white people and was suppressed within a few days. Numerous free and enslaved African Americans were killed in retaliation.
• In 2004, Yasser Arafat, the renowned political leader of Palestine, died. Arafat was the chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) until his death. He is seen as a martyr by Palestinians and a terrorist by Israel.
• In 1938, Mary Mallon died of pneumonia at the age of 69. Mallon was an Irish-American cook who was reported to have infected between 51 and 122 people with typhoid fever.

Sports Events

• In 2013, Novak Djokovic beat Spaniard Rafael Nadal 6-3, 6-4 to win the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals at London’s O2 Arena.
• 1946, New York Knicks debuted in their home New York City’s esteemed Madison Square Garden. The Knicks played against the Chicago Stags but lost 78 to 68.

Art and Culture

• In 1954, J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers was published by George Allen & Unwin.
• In 1969, American rockstar Jim Morrison and his friend actor, Tom Baker were jailed for getting drunk and misbehaving with flight attendants
• In 1985, the First AIDS theme television movie An Early Frost, aired on NBC.
• In 2013, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire premiered in London. The film is based on the acclaimed eponymous novel by Suzanne Collins and starred Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson.

Famous Birthdays

Also Read: Today In History (10th November): What is special today Indian history? Birthdays and Interesting Facts | Jagran Josh