30 Days of History - Day 6
Day 6: Today in History - August 14, 2021
I. August 14, 1872
The first election with ballot voting was conducted this day in England. Voting was made in secret to reduce voters’ oppression and coercion.
Here’s a ballot box sourced from BBC : https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-31630588
Plus a nice read on the topic
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballot_Act_1872
II. August 14, 1914
The Panama Canal was opened for traffic. It’s grown to become one of the busiest trading routes accounting for over 5% of world trade.
III. August 14, 1947
Old colonialists, Britain grants independence to India and Pakistan. It’s amazing how a small island was able to conquer countries with multiples of its population. The power of the gun and Christian evangelism!
Here’s a brief video on how the British Empire crumbled in Asia.
IV. August 14, 2001
The first solar system outside that of Earth was discovered. The star 47 Ursae Majoris is 46 light-years away from Earth and has a couple of planets orbiting in its system.
Here’s a cool video on how to find the Big Dipper