HISTORY
On this day September 17-23, 2023 (week 38)
September 17, 2023 - September 23, 2023 - This week features the Dutch biologist Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, the U.S. Capitol building, the first country to give women the right to vote, England’s Salisbury Cathedral, the athlete Florence Griffith-Joyner, the rescue of 58 new-born babies in Mexico City three days after a devastating earthquake, and the retirement of tennis stars Roger Federer and Serena Williams
Related Graphics
View More
On this day October 13-19 (week 42)
On this day October 6-12 (week 41)
On this day September 29-October 5 (week 40)
On this day September 22-28 (week 39)
On this day September 15-21 (week 38)
On this day September 8-14 (week 37)
On this day September 1-7 (week 36)
On this day August 25-31 (week 35)
On this day August 18-24 (week 34)
On this day August 11-17 (week 33)
On this day August 4-10, 2024 (week 32)
On this day July 28-August 3, 2024 (week 31)
On this day July 21-27, 2024 (week 30)
On this day July 14-20, 2024 (week 29)
On this day July 7-13, 2024 (week 28)
On this day June 30 - July 6, 2024 (week 27)
On this day June 23-29, 2024 (week 26)
On this day June16-22, 2024 (week 25)
On this day June 9-15, 2024 (week 24)
On this day June 2-8, 2024 (week 23)
On this day May 26 - June 1, 2024 (week 22)
On this day May 19-25, 2024 (week 21)
On this day May 12-18, 2024 (week 20)
On this day May 5-11, 2024 (week 19)
On this day April 28-May 4, 2024 (week 18)
On this day April 21-27, 2024 (week 17)
On this day April 14-20 , 2024 (week 16)
On this day April 7-13 , 2024 (week 15)
On this day in history auto-updating
On this day March 31-Apr 6, 2024 (week 14)
September 17, 1683: Dutch biologist Antonie van Leeuwenhoek described seeing living animalcules (bacteria) when he used a microscope to examine plaque found between his teeth
September 18, 1793: President George Washington, using a silver trowel and marble-headed gavel, laid the cornerstone of the U.S. Capitol building in the District of Columbia
September 19, 1893: New Zealand became the first country to grant women the vote. In most other democracies, including Britain and the U.S., women had to wait until after WWI
September 20, 1258: Salisbury Cathedral in southern England was consecrated. The main building was completed in just 38 years from 1220, while the famous spire was added in 1320
September 21, 1998: Florence Griffith-Joyner, flamboyant star of the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, died of a heart attack at age 38. Her world records in 100m and 200m still stand
September 22, 1985: Three days after an earthquake devastated Mexico City, 58 new-born babies were rescued alive from the rubble of a hospital maternity ward
September 23, 2022: Roger Federer retired from tennis, three weeks after fellow superstar Serena Williams bowed out of the game. Both enjoyed era-defining parallel careers