October 15 facts for kids

October 15 is the 288th day of the year (289th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar; 77 days remain until the end of the year. October 15th is a day filled with many important moments throughout history, from ancient battles and royal events to amazing scientific discoveries and the birth of famous people. It's a day when hot air balloons first carried people, new computer languages were created, and space probes began their long journeys to other planets. Let's explore some of the exciting things that happened on this date!

Events

Historical Moments Before 1600

• 1066 – After the Battle of Hastings, a young man named Edgar the Ætheling was chosen as King of England. However, he was never officially crowned and gave up his power to William the Conqueror just two months later.
• 1529 – The Siege of Vienna ended. This was a big battle where Austria successfully defended its city against invading forces, stopping their expansion into Europe.
• 1582 – The world started using the Gregorian calendar. This new way of tracking days and years eventually became the standard calendar used almost everywhere today.

Events from 1601 to 1900

• 1783 – The Montgolfier brothers made history! Their hot air balloon carried a person for the very first time. The pilot was Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier.
• 1793 – Marie Antoinette, the Queen of France, was found guilty of serious charges.
• 1815 – Napoleon, a famous French leader, began his exile on the island of Saint Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean.
• 1863 – During the American Civil War, the submarine H. L. Hunley sank. This was the first submarine to ever sink another ship, but sadly, its inventor also died in the incident.
• 1878 – The Edison Electric Light Company started its business. This company would become very important in bringing electricity to homes and cities.

Modern Events: 1901 to Today

• 1910 – The airship America was launched from New Jersey. This was the first time anyone tried to fly across the Atlantic Ocean in a powered aircraft.
• 1928 – The airship Graf Zeppelin completed its first flight across the Atlantic, landing in New Jersey, USA.
• 1932 – Tata Airlines, which later became Air India, made its very first flight.
• 1939 – The New York Municipal Airport was officially opened. It was later renamed LaGuardia Airport.
• 1944 – World War II: Germany changed the Hungarian government after Hungary announced it would stop fighting with the Soviet Union.
• 1954 – Hurricane Hazel caused a lot of damage along the eastern coast of North America. It led to many deaths and huge floods, even as far north as Toronto, Canada.
• 1956 – FORTRAN, one of the first modern computer programming languages, was shared with computer programmers for the first time.
• 1965 – During the Vietnam War, a protest against the war led to the first arrest under a new law.
• 1966 – The Black Panther Party was started by Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale.
• 1970 – A part of Australia's West Gate Bridge fell during construction, killing 35 workers. This was the country's worst industrial accident at the time.
• 1979 – In El Salvador, a change in government happened, which started the 12-year-long Salvadoran Civil War.
• 1987 – In Burkina Faso, the country's leader, Thomas Sankara, was overthrown and died during a change in government.
• 1989 – Wayne Gretzky, a famous ice hockey player, became the all-time leading scorer in the NHL.
• 1990 – Soviet Union leader Mikhail Gorbachev received the Nobel Peace Prize. He was honored for his efforts to reduce tensions during the Cold War and to open up his country.
• 1991 – Scientists observed the "Oh-My-God particle", an incredibly powerful cosmic ray. It was measured at 40 million times the energy of the strongest particles made in accelerators!
• 1994 – The United States helped Jean-Bertrand Aristide, Haiti's first democratically elected president, return to the island.
• 1997 – The Cassini probe was launched from Cape Canaveral. Its mission was to travel all the way to Saturn.
• 2003 – China launched Shenzhou 5, its first space mission with a human crew.
• 2006 – A strong 6.7 magnitude earthquake, known as the Kiholo Bay earthquake, shook Hawaii. It caused damage, injuries, and power outages.
• 2013 – A 7.2 magnitude earthquake, the Bohol earthquake, hit the Philippines, killing at least 215 people.
• 2016 – One hundred and ninety-seven nations agreed to change the Montreal Protocol to gradually stop using certain chemicals called hydrofluorocarbons.

Births

Born Before 1600

• 70 BC – Virgil, a very famous Roman poet.
• 1542 – Akbar, a powerful Mughal emperor.

Born Between 1601 and 1900

• 1608 – Evangelista Torricelli, an Italian physicist and mathematician.
• 1814 – Mikhail Lermontov, a well-known Russian author, poet, and painter.
• 1844 – Friedrich Nietzsche, a German philosopher.
• 1858 – John L. Sullivan, a famous American boxer.
• 1881 – P. G. Wodehouse, a popular English novelist and playwright.
• 1893 – Carol II of Romania, a king of Romania.
• 1894 – Moshe Sharett, the second Prime Minister of Israel.

Born from 1901 to Today

• 1908 – John Kenneth Galbraith, a Canadian-American economist and diplomat.
• 1914 – Mohammed Zahir Shah, the last king of Afghanistan.
• 1920 – Mario Puzo, an American author and screenwriter, famous for The Godfather.
• 1923 – Italo Calvino, an Italian novelist and short story writer.
• 1924 – Lee Iacocca, a famous American businessman.
• 1926 – Michel Foucault, a French historian and philosopher.
• 1931 – A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, an Indian engineer and the 11th President of India.
• 1935 – Bobby Morrow, an American sprinter who won Olympic gold medals.
• 1935 – Willie O'Ree, a Canadian ice hockey player who was the first black player in the National Hockey League (NHL).
• 1938 – Fela Kuti, a Nigerian musician and activist.
• 1940 – Peter C. Doherty, an Australian surgeon and immunologist who won a Nobel Prize.
• 1943 – Penny Marshall, an American actress and director.
• 1944 – David Trimble, a Northern Irish politician who won a Nobel Peace Prize.
• 1946 – Richard Carpenter, an American singer and pianist, part of The Carpenters.
• 1948 – Chris de Burgh, a British-Irish singer-songwriter.
• 1953 – Tito Jackson, an American singer and guitarist, part of The Jackson 5.
• 1957 – Mira Nair, an Indian-American director and producer.
• 1959 – Emeril Lagasse, a famous American chef.
• 1959 – Sarah, Duchess of York.
• 1964 – Roberto Vittori, an Italian astronaut.
• 1966 – Jorge Campos, a Mexican footballer and manager.
• 1968 – Didier Deschamps, a French footballer and manager.
• 1969 – Dominic West, an English actor.
• 1970 – Ginuwine, an American singer and actor.
• 1977 – David Trezeguet, a French footballer.
• 1978 – Wes Moore, an American politician and the current Governor of Maryland.
• 1979 – Jaci Velasquez, an American singer.
• 1981 – Elena Dementieva, a Russian tennis player.
• 1986 – Lee Donghae, a South Korean singer.
• 1988 – Mesut Özil, a German footballer.
• 1989 – Anthony Joshua, a British professional boxer.
• 1992 – Ncuti Gatwa, a Rwandan-Scottish actor.
• 1994 – Babar Azam, a Pakistani cricket player.
• 1999 – Bailee Madison, an American actress.
• 2005 – Christian, Crown Prince of Denmark.

Deaths

Passed Away Before 1600

• 925 – Rhazes, a Persian polymath (someone with knowledge in many subjects).
• 1240 – Razia Sultana, a sultan of Delhi.
• 1243 – Hedwig of Silesia, a Polish saint.
• 1389 – Pope Urban VI.
• 1564 – Andreas Vesalius, a Belgian-Greek anatomist and physician.

Passed Away Between 1601 and 1900

• 1674 – Robert Herrick, an English poet.
• 1817 – Tadeusz Kościuszko, a Polish-Lithuanian general and engineer.
• 1838 – Letitia Elizabeth Landon, an English poet and novelist.

Passed Away from 1901 to Today

• 1917 – Mata Hari, a Dutch dancer and spy.
• 1930 – Herbert Henry Dow, a Canadian-American businessman who founded the Dow Chemical Company.
• 1934 – Raymond Poincaré, a former President of France.
• 1940 – Lluís Companys, the President of Catalonia, was executed.
• 1945 – Pierre Laval, a former Prime Minister of France.
• 1964 – Cole Porter, a famous American composer and songwriter.
• 1976 – Carlo Gambino, an Italian-American crime boss.
• 1987 – Thomas Sankara, the President of Burkina Faso, died during a change in government.
• 2000 – Konrad Emil Bloch, a Polish-American biochemist who won a Nobel Prize.
• 2012 – Norodom Sihanouk, the first Prime Minister of Cambodia.
• 2018 – Paul Allen, who co-founded Microsoft and was a well-known philanthropist.
• 2021 – David Amess, a British politician.

Holidays and observances

• Anniversary of the 1987 Coup d'État (Burkina Faso)
• Breast Health Day (Europe)
• Christian feast day:
  • Bruno of Querfurt
  • Cúan of Ahascragh
  • Teresa of Ávila
• Evacuation Day (Tunisia)
• King Father's Commemoration Day (Cambodia)
• National Latino AIDS Awareness Day (United States)
• Shwmae Su'mae Day (Wales)

Images for kids

• H. L. Hunley (submarine).jpg

  The H. L. Hunley submarine, the first to sink a ship.

• Marie Antoinette, Queen of France.jpg

  Marie Antoinette, Queen of France.

• Napoleon Bonaparte.jpg

  Napoleon Bonaparte, exiled on Saint Helena.

• Montgolfier brothers hot air balloon.jpg

  The Montgolfier brothers' hot air balloon.

• Graf Zeppelin.jpg

  The airship Graf Zeppelin.

• Wayne Gretzky.jpg

  Wayne Gretzky, NHL's all-time leading scorer.

• Mikhail Gorbachev.jpg

  Mikhail Gorbachev, Nobel Peace Prize winner.

• Cassini probe.jpg

  The Cassini probe on its way to Saturn.

• Shenzhou 5.jpg

  Shenzhou 5, China's first crewed space mission.

• Paul Allen.jpg

  Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft.

See also

In Spanish: 15 de octubre para niños