November 2 facts for kids

November 2 is the 306th day of the year (307th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar; 59 days remain until the end of the year.

Every day is special, and November 2nd is no different! Many interesting things have happened on this day throughout history, and many famous people were born or passed away. Let's explore some of these moments and learn about the people who made history.

Historical Events on November 2nd

Important Moments Before the 1600s

• 619 – A powerful leader of the Western Turkic Khaganate, called a qaghan, was sadly killed in a Chinese palace. This happened with the approval of the Chinese emperor, Gaozu, during a time of conflict with rival groups.
• 1410 – A peace agreement, known as the Peace of Bicêtre, was signed. This agreement helped to stop fighting in the Armagnac–Burgundian Civil War in France.

Key Events from 1601 to 1900

• 1675 – During King Philip's War, the governor of Plymouth Colony, Josiah Winslow, led a group of colonial soldiers against the Narragansett tribe.
• 1795 – In France, a new government called the French Directory was formed. It was made up of five leaders and took over after the French Revolution.
• 1868 – New Zealand became one of the first countries to officially adopt a standard time across the whole nation. This made it easier for everyone to know what time it was!
• 1882 – A huge fire, known as the great fire, destroyed a large part of the city center in Oulu, Finland.
• 1889 – Two new states, North Dakota and South Dakota, officially joined the United States. They became the 39th and 40th states.
• 1899 – During the Second Boer War, soldiers from the Boer side began a long siege (a military blockade) of the British-held town of Ladysmith. This siege lasted for 118 days.

Modern History: 1901 to Today

• 1912 – Bulgaria won a major victory against the Ottoman Empire in the Battle of Lule Burgas. This was one of the bloodiest battles of the First Balkan War and helped Bulgaria advance towards Constantinople.
• 1914 – World War I: The Russian Empire declared war on the Ottoman Empire. After this, the important Dardanelles strait was closed, affecting sea travel.
• 1917 – The Balfour Declaration was announced. This statement from Britain supported the idea of creating a "national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine, while also saying that the rights of other communities living there should be protected.
• 1920 – In the United States, KDKA in Pittsburgh began broadcasting. It was the first commercial radio station and its first broadcast shared the results of the 1920 United States presidential election.
• 1936 – The BBC Television Service started broadcasting. This was the world's first regular "high-definition" (for its time) television service. It was later renamed BBC1 and is still on air today!
• 1947 – In California, the famous designer Howard Hughes flew his giant airplane, the Hughes H-4 Hercules, for the first and only time. This plane, also known as the "Spruce Goose," was the largest fixed-wing aircraft ever built for many years.
• 1949 – The Dutch–Indonesian Round Table Conference concluded. As a result, the Netherlands agreed to give control of the Dutch East Indies to the United States of Indonesia.
• 1959 – During the quiz show scandals in the U.S., a contestant named Charles Van Doren admitted to a Congressional committee that he had been given answers in advance for the game show Twenty-One.
• 1959 – The first part of the M1 motorway in the United Kingdom was opened. This was the first major highway connecting cities in the UK.
• 1963 – The President of South Vietnam, Ngô Đình Diệm, was killed after a military coup (when the military takes control of the government).
• 1964 – King Saud of Saudi Arabia was removed from power by a family coup and replaced by his half-brother, Faisal.
• 1966 – The Cuban Adjustment Act became law in the U.S. This act allowed many Cubans to apply for permanent residency in the United States.
• 1982 – Channel 4, a new television channel, began broadcasting in the UK.
• 1983 – U.S. President Ronald Reagan signed a bill to create Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a national holiday honoring the civil rights leader.
• 1988 – The Morris worm, one of the first computer worms to get a lot of attention in the news, was launched from MIT.
• 2000 – Expedition 1 arrived at the International Space Station. Since this day, there has been a continuous human presence in space on the station, which is a truly amazing achievement!
• 2008 – Lewis Hamilton won his first ever Formula One Drivers' Championship Title in a very exciting race at the Brazilian Grand Prix. He secured the win on the very last lap!
• 2016 – The Chicago Cubs won the World Series baseball championship, defeating the Cleveland Indians. This ended their incredibly long championship drought of 108 years!
• 2022 – A peace agreement was signed between the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front, bringing an end to the Tigray War.

Famous Birthdays on November 2nd

Many interesting people were born on this day throughout history!

Born Before the 1600s

• 1470 – Edward V of England, a young king of England.
• 1475 – Anne of York, a princess and daughter of King Edward IV of England.

Born Between 1601 and 1900

• 1699 – Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin, a famous French painter known for his still life paintings.
• 1734 – Daniel Boone, a legendary American hunter and explorer.
• 1755 – Marie Antoinette, the Queen of France, wife of King Louis XVI.
• 1795 – James K. Polk, who became the 11th President of the United States.
• 1815 – George Boole, an English mathematician and philosopher. He created Boolean algebra, which is super important for computer science!
• 1844 – Mehmed V, an Ottoman sultan.
• 1865 – Warren G. Harding, who became the 29th President of the United States.
• 1877 – Aga Khan III, an important spiritual leader.
• 1893 – Battista Farina, an Italian businessman who founded the famous Pininfarina Company, known for designing beautiful cars.

Born from 1901 to Today

• 1911 – Odysseas Elytis, a Greek poet who won the Nobel Prize in Literature.
• 1913 – Burt Lancaster, a well-known American actor.
• 1927 – Steve Ditko, an American artist and writer who helped create many famous comic book characters like Spider-Man!
• 1929 – Amar Bose, an American engineer and businessman who founded the Bose Corporation, famous for its audio equipment.
• 1929 – Richard E. Taylor, a Canadian physicist who won the Nobel Prize in Physics.
• 1938 – Queen Sofía of Spain, a former queen consort of Spain.
• 1941 – Bruce Welch, an English singer-songwriter and guitarist, known for being in the band The Shadows.
• 1942 – Stefanie Powers, an American actress.
• 1944 – Keith Emerson, an English musician, famous for playing keyboards in the band Emerson, Lake & Palmer.
• 1961 – k.d. lang, a Canadian singer-songwriter.
• 1963 – Borut Pahor, a Slovenian lawyer and politician who became the 4th President of Slovenia.
• 1965 – Shah Rukh Khan, a very famous Indian film actor, producer, and television host.
• 1966 – David Schwimmer, an American actor, known for his role in the TV show Friends.
• 1974 – Nelly, a popular American rapper.
• 1981 – Mitchell Johnson, a well-known Australian cricketer.
• 1992 – Naomi Ackie, a British actress.
• 1998 – Jordan Love, an American football player.
• 2001 – Moisés Caicedo, an Ecuadorian footballer.

Notable People Who Passed Away on November 2nd

This day also marks the passing of many important figures.

Passed Away Before the 1600s

• 1483 – Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham, an English politician.

Passed Away Between 1601 and 1900

• 1863 – Theodore Judah, an American engineer who played a key role in planning the first transcontinental railroad.
• 1887 – Jenny Lind, a very famous Swedish opera singer, often called the "Swedish Nightingale."

Passed Away from 1901 to Today

• 1944 – Thomas Midgley, Jr., an American chemist and engineer.
• 1950 – George Bernard Shaw, a famous Irish author, playwright, and critic who won the Nobel Prize in Literature.
• 1963 – Ngô Đình Diệm, the first President of the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam).
• 1966 – Peter Debye, a Dutch-American physicist and chemist who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
• 1975 – Pier Paolo Pasolini, an Italian actor, director, and writer.
• 2004 – Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the first president and founder of the UAE.
• 2004 – Theo van Gogh, a Dutch actor, director, and producer.
• 2007 – The Fabulous Moolah, a well-known American professional wrestler.
• 2014 – Acker Bilk, a famous English singer and clarinet player.
• 2018 – Raymond Chow, a Hong Kong film producer who helped bring many martial arts films to the world.
• 2019 – Walter Mercado, a popular Puerto Rican television personality and astrologer.

Holidays and Celebrations on November 2nd

• All Souls' Day – A day observed by the Roman Catholic Church and Anglican Communion to remember and pray for the dead.
• Day of the Dead – The second day of the El Dia de los Muertos celebration in Mexico, a vibrant holiday honoring deceased loved ones.
• Statehood Day – Celebrated in North Dakota and South Dakota, United States, to mark the day they became states.
• International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists – A day recognized by the United Nations to highlight the importance of protecting journalists and ensuring justice for crimes committed against them.

See also

In Spanish: 2 de noviembre para niños