October 1 facts for kids

October 1 is the 274th day of the year (275th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar; 91 days remain until the end of the year.

October 1st is a special day filled with many important events throughout history, from ancient battles to modern inventions and the founding of countries. It's a day when many famous people were born and when others passed away. Let's explore some of the most interesting moments that happened on this date.

Historical Events on October 1st

Ancient Times and Early History

• 331 BC – A long time ago, the famous leader Alexander the Great won a big battle against Darius III of Persia in the Battle of Gaugamela. This was a very important victory for Alexander.
• 959 – Edgar the Peaceful became the king of all England. He took over from King Eadwig.
• 1553 – Queen Mary I of England had her special crowning ceremony, called a coronation, at Westminster Abbey.

Major Changes (1600s-1900s)

• 1779 – The city of Tampere in Finland was officially started by King Gustav III of Sweden. At that time, Finland was part of Sweden.
• 1795 – What we now know as Belgium was officially taken over by France during the time of the French Revolution.
• 1800 – Spain gave a huge area of land called Louisiana to France. Later, France would sell this land to the United States.
• 1814 – The Congress of Vienna began. This was a big meeting where European leaders planned to redraw the map of Europe after Napoleon's defeat.
• 1827 – During the Russo-Persian War, the Russian army captured Yerevan. This ended a very long period of Muslim rule in Armenia.
• 1829 – The South African College was founded in Cape Town. It later split into two important schools: the University of Cape Town and the South African College Schools.
• 1890 – Yosemite National Park, a beautiful natural area in the United States, was created by the U.S. Congress.
• 1891 – Stanford University, a famous school in California, United States, opened its doors for the first time.

Modern Milestones (1900s-Present)

• 1903 – Baseball history was made! The Boston Americans played the Pittsburgh Pirates in the very first game of the modern World Series.
• 1908 – The first Ford Model T cars were put up for sale. They cost US$825, which was a lot of money back then!
• 1918 – During World War I, the Egyptian army captured the city of Damascus.
• 1928 – The Soviet Union started its first "five-year plan," which was a big plan for how the country would develop its economy.
• 1928 – Newark Liberty International Airport opened. It was the first airport in the New York City area.
• 1931 – The George Washington Bridge opened in the United States. This huge bridge connects New Jersey and New York.
• 1931 – Clara Campoamor helped women in Spain get the right to vote in their new constitution.
• 1938 – Following an agreement, Nazi Germany began to take over the Sudetenland area of Czechoslovakia.
• 1939 – In World War II, after a month-long siege, German troops took control of Warsaw.
• 1940 – The Pennsylvania Turnpike, often seen as the first superhighway in the United States, opened for cars.
• 1946 – Important trials called the Nuremberg trials ended. During these trials, Nazi leaders were sentenced for their actions in World War II.
• 1949 – The People's Republic of China was officially established.
• 1958 – NASA, the famous space agency, was created. It replaced an older group called the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics.
• 1960 – Nigeria became an independent country, gaining freedom from the United Kingdom.
• 1961 – The United States created the Defense Intelligence Agency, its first main military intelligence group.
• 1961 – East and West Cameroon joined together to form the Federal Republic of Cameroon.
• 1962 – James Meredith became the first African American student to enter the University of Mississippi, challenging unfair racial segregation rules.
• 1964 – The Free Speech Movement started at the University of California, Berkeley. This movement was about students' rights to express themselves freely.
• 1964 – Japan's famous Shinkansen (also known as "bullet trains") began super-fast train service between Tokyo and Osaka.
• 1969 – The Concorde airplane flew faster than the speed of sound for the very first time.
• 1971 – Walt Disney World opened its doors near Orlando, Florida, becoming a popular theme park.
• 1971 – The first useful CT scanner was used to help diagnose a patient.
• 1975 – In a famous boxing match known as the "Thrilla in Manila," Muhammad Ali defeated Joe Frazier in the Philippines.
• 1978 – Tuvalu became an independent country, gaining freedom from the United Kingdom.
• 1982 – EPCOT (Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow) opened at Walt Disney World in Florida.
• 1982 – Sony and Phillips launched the compact disc in Japan. This was a big step for music and technology.
• 1989 – Denmark became the first country to legally recognize same-sex registered partnerships.
• 1994 – Palau became an independent nation, forming a special agreement with the United States.
• 2001 – 3G wireless technology, which allows faster internet on phones, became available for the first time in Japan.
• 2003 – The popular website 4chan was launched.
• 2009 – The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom took over the highest legal duties from the House of Lords.
• 2012 – A ferry collision happened off the coast of Hong Kong, sadly causing many deaths and injuries.
• 2015 – Heavy rains caused a large landslide in Guatemala, leading to many deaths.
• 2015 – The American cargo ship SS El Faro sank with all its crew during Hurricane Joaquin.
• 2017 – An independence vote took place in Catalonia, Spain, though it was later declared illegal by the Spanish court.
• 2021 – The 2020 World Expo finally began in Dubai. It was delayed from 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• 2022 – A tragic event occurred at Kanjuruhan Stadium in East Java, Indonesia, following a football match, resulting in many fatalities.

Famous Births on October 1st

Many interesting people were born on October 1st throughout history.

Born Before 1900

• 86 BC – Sallust, a famous Roman historian.
• 1207 – Henry III of England, a king of England.
• 1480 – Saint Cajetan, an Italian Catholic priest who helped reform the church.
• 1542 – Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira, a Spanish explorer.
• 1685 – Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, a powerful emperor.
• 1760 – William Thomas Beckford, an English writer and politician.
• 1832 – Caroline Harrison, the wife of a U.S. President and a First Lady of the United States.
• 1847 – Annie Besant, an English-Indian activist and writer.
• 1881 – William Boeing, an American engineer who started the famous Boeing Company that makes airplanes.
• 1893 – Ip Man, a famous Chinese martial artist.
• 1895 – Liaquat Ali Khan, the first Prime Minister of Pakistan.

Born After 1900

• 1903 – Vladimir Horowitz, a very talented Russian-born American pianist.
• 1910 – Bonnie Parker, an American criminal, famous as part of "Bonnie and Clyde."
• 1920 – Walter Matthau, a well-known American actor.
• 1921 – James Whitmore, an American actor.
• 1922 – Chen-Ning Yang, a Chinese-American physicist who won a Nobel Prize.
• 1924 – Jimmy Carter, a former President of the United States and a Nobel Prize winner.
• 1924 – William Rehnquist, a former Chief Justice of the United States.
• 1928 – George Peppard, an American actor.
• 1930 – Richard Harris, a famous Irish actor.
• 1935 – Julie Andrews, a beloved English actress and singer, known for movies like Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music.
• 1936 – Duncan Edwards, a talented English footballer.
• 1945 – Ram Nath Kovind, a former President of India.
• 1947 – Aaron Ciechanover, an Israeli biologist who won a Nobel Prize.
• 1947 – Stephen Collins, an American actor.
• 1949 – André Rieu, a Dutch violinist and conductor, famous for his orchestra.
• 1950 – Randy Quaid, an American actor.
• 1956 – Theresa May, a former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
• 1959 – Youssou N'Dour, a Senegalese singer and politician.
• 1966 – George Weah, a Liberian footballer and now the President of Liberia.
• 1969 – Zach Galifianakis, an American actor and comedian.
• 1984 – Beck Bennett, an American actor and comedian.
• 1989 – Brie Larson, an American actress.
• 2000 – Kalle Rovanperä, a Finnish professional rally driver.
• 2001 – Mason Greenwood, an English footballer.

Notable Deaths on October 1st

This day also marks the passing of many significant individuals.

Died Before 1900

• 686 – Emperor Tenmu of Japan.
• 959 – Eadwig, an English king.
• 1404 – Pope Boniface IX.
• 1499 – Marsilio Ficino, an Italian philosopher.
• 1578 – John of Austria, a military leader.
• 1684 – Pierre Corneille, a famous French playwright.

Died After 1900

• 1901 – Abdur Rahman Khan, an Afghan emir.
• 1929 – Antoine Bourdelle, a French sculptor.
• 1959 – Enrico De Nicola, the first President of Italy.
• 1972 – Louis Leakey, a Kenyan-English archaeologist who studied early humans.
• 1985 – E. B. White, a beloved American writer, known for books like Charlotte's Web.
• 1990 – Curtis LeMay, an American general.
• 2002 – Walter Annenberg, an American publisher and diplomat.
• 2004 – Richard Avedon, a famous American photographer.
• 2013 – Tom Clancy, a popular American author known for his spy and military novels.
• 2018 – Charles Aznavour, a famous French-Armenian singer and composer.
• 2019 – Karel Gott, a popular Czech singer.
• 2022 – Antonio Inoki, a Japanese professional wrestler and politician.
• 2023 – Tim Wakefield, an American professional baseball player.

Holidays and Celebrations

October 1st is a day of celebration and observance around the world.

• Armed Forces Day (South Korea) – South Korea honors its military.
• Children's Day – Celebrated in countries like El Salvador, Guatemala, and Sri Lanka.
• Christian feast day: Many Christian churches celebrate saints like Remigius and Thérèse of Lisieux.
• Independence Day – Cyprus celebrates its freedom from the United Kingdom in 1960.
• Independence Day – Nigeria celebrates its freedom from the United Kingdom in 1960.
• Independence Day – Palau celebrates its independence in 1994.
• Independence Day – Tuvalu celebrates its freedom from the United Kingdom in 1978.
• International Day of Coffee – A day to celebrate coffee!
• International Day of Older Persons – A day to recognize and appreciate older people.
• National Day of the People's Republic of China – A major holiday in China.
• Tampere Day – The city of Tampere in Finland celebrates its founding.
• Unification Day (Cameroon) – Cameroon celebrates the day East and West Cameroon joined.
• Defender of Ukraine Day – A holiday in Ukraine honoring its defenders.

See also

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In Spanish: 1 de octubre para niños