Victoria Day commemorates the May 24, 1819, birthday of Britain’s Queen Victoria (who since has had a whole era named for her—the Victorian era). The British have always celebrated the birthday of the ruling monarch. After Queen Victoria’s death in 1901, the people of Canada continued to mark her birthday to show loyalty to the British Empire. In the early 1890s, this day was known as Empire’s Day. In 1947, the name was changed to Commonwealth Day. Today it is again known as Victoria Day, and it is a legal holiday in all Canadian provinces except Quebec.
Question of the Day
What is the origin of American football, and when was the first game played?
Football is an American version of English rugby. It was first played, on the college level, in 1869 — in a 6-4 victory of Rutgers over Princeton.
Advice of the Day
Strong chamomile tea, rubbed over your skin, is a natural bug repellent.
Home Hint of the Day
If the bricks in your chimney are starting to crumble from age, seal the outsides with a clear masonry sealer, applied with a paintbrush. Preventing the bricks from absorbing rainwater will extend their life.
Word of the Day
Nephelococcygia
Sometimes clouds look like other objects, such as dragons, elephants, letters, and even people. Cloud naming is called nephelococcygia.
Puzzle of the Day
Why do seagulls live by the sea?
Because if they lived by the bay, they’d be bagels.
Died
Christopher Columbus(explorer)–
Joseph Carr(president of NFL)–
Gilda Radner(actress)–
Stephen Jay Gould(paleontologist & author)–
Robin Gibb(musician; member of the Bee Gees)–
Born
William Thornton(architect)–
Dolley Madison(U.S. First Lady)–
William Fargo(businessman)–
Allan Nevins(historian)–
Jimmy Stewart(actor)–
Joe Cocker(musician)–
Cher(singer & actress)–
Tony Stewart(race car driver)–
Events
First Council of Nicaea (which standardized how to calculate the date of Easter) likely convened–
D. Hyde patented the fountain pen–
Homestead Act signed–
The Saturday Evening Post published its first cover with a Norman Rockwell painting–
Charles Lindbergh began first nonstop solo flight across Atlantic–
First airplane catapulted from a dirigible–
A 680-pound goliath grouper was caught off Fernandina Beach, Florida–
