Soviet cosmonauts Leonid Kizim and Vladimir Solovyev were sent in a Soyuz spacecraft to rendezvous with the space station Mir on this day in 1986. AP File Photo.
Various historical incidents took place today, 13 March. Founder of Church of Scientology, Lafayette Ronald Hubbard, was born on this day in 1911. A bill was passed by Tennessee legislature on 13 March that banned the teachings of Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. The Anschluss was announced through annexation by Adolf Hitler on this day in 1938. Soviet cosmonauts Leonid Kizim and Vladimir Solovyev were sent to Mir space station on this day in 1986. A gunman shot 16 young children and their teacher in Dunblane, Scotland on 13 March 1996. Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected as pope of the Roman Catholic Church on this day in 2013.
Let’s have a glance at the important events that took place today in detail:
1911 – Founder of Church of Scientology, Lafayette Ronald Hubbard, was born
American novelist and founder of the Church of Scientology, Lafayette Ronald Hubbard, was born on 13 March 1911 in Tilden, Nebraska in United States. Hubbard established the Church of Scientology in 1954, however, he struggled to gain its recognition as a legitimate religion.
1925 – A bill was passed by Tennessee legislature that banned the teaching of Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution
The Tennessee legislature passed the Butler Act on 13 March 1925 that banned the teachings of Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution in the public schools of the state. Later, high-school teacher named John T. Scopes had been convicted of breaking the law.
1938 – The Anschluss was announced through annexation by Adolf Hitler
The Anschluss, which means the political union between Austria and Germany, was achieved on this day in 1938. This was done via annexation by Adolf Hitler.
1986 – Soviet cosmonauts Leonid Kizim and Vladimir Solovyev were sent to Mir space station
Soviet cosmonauts Leonid Kizim and Vladimir Solovyev were sent in a Soyuz spacecraft to rendezvous with the space station Mir on this day in 1986. With this, they became the space station’s first occupants. The core module of Mir was launched on 20 February 1986, and it was in the shape of a stepped cylinder. The space station was nearly 13 metres long and had a diameter of 4.2 metres at its widest pint.
1996 – A gunman shot 16 young children and their teacher in Dunblane, Scotland
On 13 March 1996, a primary school in Dunblane, Scotland was invaded by a gunman who fatally shot 16 young children and their teacher before shooting himself. The school shooting led to many changes in the British gun laws.
2013 – Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected as pope of the Roman Catholic Church
The archbishop of Buenos Aires, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was elected pope of the Roman Catholic Church on 13 March 2013. Taking the name Francis I, he succeeded Benedict XVI, who had given resignation.
2020 – An African American EMT Breonna Taylor was killed by the police, leading to massive protests of Black Lives Matter
An African American EMT Breonna Taylor was killed by the police officers of Louisville, Kentucky in United States on this day in 2020. This happened when the police burst into Taylor’s apartment during a botched raid. Her death caused the Black Lives Matter activists to conduct massive protests.
2021 – American boxer Marvin Hagler passed away at the age of 66 years
American boxer Marvin Hagler died at the age of 66 years on this day in 2021. Hagler was a durable middleweight champion and was among the greatest boxers of the 1970s and 1980s.