April 27 facts for kids

April 27th is a day filled with many interesting events throughout history, from ancient Roman celebrations to modern-day discoveries and important agreements. Let's explore some of the key moments that happened on this date, along with famous people who were born or passed away.

Historical Events on April 27

Ancient Times and Middle Ages

• 247 – The Roman Emperor Philip the Arab celebrated Rome's 1000th birthday with special games called ludi saeculares.
• 395 – Emperor Arcadius married Aelia Eudoxia. She became a very powerful Roman empress.
• 711 – Moorish troops, led by Tariq ibn Ziyad, landed at Gibraltar. This was the start of their invasion of the Iberian Peninsula (modern-day Spain and Portugal).
• 1296 – During the First War of Scottish Independence, the Scottish army of John Balliol was defeated by the English at the Battle of Dunbar.
• 1521 – The explorer Ferdinand Magellan was killed by native people in the Philippines. Their chief was named Lapulapu.
• 1539 – The city of Bogotá, which is now the capital of Colombia, was officially founded.
• 1565 – Cebu in the Philippines became the first Spanish settlement there.
• 1595 – The relics (important historical remains) of Saint Sava were burned in Belgrade. Today, the Church of Saint Sava, one of the world's largest Orthodox churches, stands at that spot.

From the 1600s to the 1900s

• 1650 – In the Battle of Carbisdale, a Royalist army from Orkney invaded Scotland but was defeated.
• 1667 – The famous writer John Milton, who was blind and poor, sold his epic poem Paradise Lost for £10.
• 1805 – During the First Barbary War, U.S. Marines and local Berber fighters attacked the city of Derna in Tripoli. This event is mentioned in the Marines' Hymn.
• 1813 – In the War of 1812, American troops captured York, which was the capital of Upper Canada (now Toronto).
• 1861 – American President Abraham Lincoln temporarily stopped the right of habeas corpus. This meant people could be held without being told why.
• 1906 – The State Duma, which was Russia's first parliament, met for the very first time.
• 1909 – Abdul Hamid II, the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, was removed from power. His brother, Mehmed V, took his place.
• 1927 – The Carabineros de Chile, which is Chile's national police force, was created.
• 1941 – During World War II, German troops entered Athens, the capital of Greece.
• 1945 – World War II ended in Finland as German troops left the country. The famous photo Raising the Flag on the Three-Country Cairn was taken.
• 1945 – Benito Mussolini, the leader of Italy during World War II, was arrested by Italian resistance fighters while trying to escape.
• 1953 – Operation Moolah was launched, offering a large reward to any pilot who would fly a working Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 jet from North Korea to South Korea.
• 1967 – Expo 67, a big world's fair, officially opened in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
• 1978 – The Saur Revolution began in Afghanistan. It led to the end of President Mohammed Daoud Khan's rule and the start of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan.
• 1986 – The city of Pripyat and nearby areas were evacuated because of the Chernobyl disaster, a major nuclear accident.
• 1987 – The U.S. Department of Justice stopped Austrian President Kurt Waldheim from entering the U.S. because of his actions as a German Army officer during World War II.
• 1989 – Student-led protests, known as the April 27 demonstrations, took place in China. These were part of the larger Tiananmen Square protests of 1989.
• 1992 – The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, made up of Serbia and Montenegro, was officially announced.
• 1992 – Betty Boothroyd became the first woman ever to be chosen as the Speaker of the British House of Commons.
• 1992 – The Russian Federation and 12 other former Soviet countries joined the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
• 1993 – Most of the Zambia national football team died in a plane crash off the coast of Gabon.
• 1994 – South Africa held its first democratic general election, where black citizens could vote for the first time. This was a huge step for freedom in the country.
• 2005 – The Airbus A380 aircraft, one of the world's largest passenger planes, had its first test flight.
• 2006 – Construction began on the Freedom Tower (later renamed One World Trade Center) in New York City.
• 2007 – Estonian officials moved the Bronze Soldier of Tallinn, a Soviet war memorial, causing some disagreement with Russia.
• 2007 – Israeli archaeologists discovered the tomb of Herod the Great south of Jerusalem.
• 2011 – The 2011 Super Outbreak of tornadoes hit parts of the Southeastern United States. Over 200 tornadoes touched down, causing many deaths and injuries.
• 2012 – At least four explosions happened in the Ukrainian city of Dnipropetrovsk, injuring many people.
• 2018 – The Panmunjom Declaration was signed between North and South Korea. This agreement showed their goal to officially end the Korean conflict.

Famous Births on April 27

Before 1600

• 85 BC – Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus, a Roman politician and general.
• 1593 – Mumtaz Mahal, a Mughal empress who is buried at the famous Taj Mahal.

From the 1600s to the 1900s

• 1759 – Mary Wollstonecraft, an English philosopher and writer who supported women's rights.
• 1791 – Samuel Morse, an American painter and inventor who helped create the Morse code.
• 1820 – Herbert Spencer, an English thinker who studied biology, sociology, and philosophy.
• 1822 – Ulysses S. Grant, an American general and the 18th President of the United States.
• 1840 – Edward Whymper, an English mountaineer and explorer.
• 1891 – Sergei Prokofiev, a famous Russian pianist, composer, and conductor.
• 1899 – Walter Lantz, an American animator and producer, known for creating Woody Woodpecker.

From 1901 to Today

• 1910 – Chiang Ching-kuo, a Chinese politician who became the 3rd President of the Republic of China.
• 1922 – Jack Klugman, a well-known American actor.
• 1927 – Coretta Scott King, an African-American activist and author, and wife of Martin Luther King Jr.
• 1932 – Casey Kasem, an American radio host who created American Top 40.
• 1937 – Sandy Dennis, an American actress.
• 1944 – Cuba Gooding Sr., an American singer.
• 1945 – August Wilson, an American author and playwright.
• 1947 – Ann Peebles, an American soul singer-songwriter.
• 1948 – Frank Abagnale Jr., an American security consultant, known for his past as a con artist.
• 1951 – Ace Frehley, an American guitarist and songwriter, famous from the band Kiss.
• 1959 – Sheena Easton, a Scottish-American singer and actress.
• 1967 – Willem-Alexander, the current King of the Netherlands.
• 1969 – Cory Booker, an African-American lawyer and politician.
• 1969 – Darcey Bussell, a famous English ballerina.
• 1976 – Sally Hawkins, an English actress.
• 1986 – Jenna Coleman, an English actress.
• 1988 – Lizzo, an American singer and rapper.
• 1995 – Nick Kyrgios, an Australian tennis player.

Notable Deaths on April 27

Before 1600

• 1521 – Ferdinand Magellan, the Portuguese sailor and explorer mentioned earlier.

From the 1600s to the 1900s

• 1605 – Pope Leo XI.
• 1882 – Ralph Waldo Emerson, a well-known American poet and philosopher.
• 1896 – Henry Parkes, an English-Australian politician who was the Premier of New South Wales.

From 1901 to Today

• 1915 – Alexander Scriabin, a Russian pianist and composer.
• 1936 – Karl Pearson, an English mathematician.
• 1965 – Edward R. Murrow, a famous American journalist.
• 1972 – Kwame Nkrumah, the first President of Ghana.
• 1989 – Konosuke Matsushita, a Japanese businessman who founded Panasonic.
• 1992 – Olivier Messiaen, a French organist and composer.
• 2002 – Ruth Handler, an American inventor and businesswoman who created the Barbie doll.
• 2007 – Mstislav Rostropovich, a famous Russian cellist and conductor.
• 2023 – Jerry Springer, an American politician and actor.

Holidays and Celebrations

April 27th is a day for various celebrations and observances around the world:

• Day of Russian Parliamentarism (Russia)
• Day of the Uprising Against the Occupying Forces (Slovenia)
• Flag Day (Moldova)
• Freedom Day (South Africa): This day celebrates the first democratic general election in South Africa in 1994, where all citizens could vote.
• Independence Day (Sierra Leone): Celebrates independence from the United Kingdom in 1961.
• Independence Day (Togo): Celebrates independence from France in 1960.
• King's Day (Netherlands, Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten): A national holiday celebrating the King's birthday.
• National Veterans' Day (Finland)

See also

In Spanish: 27 de abril para niños