There is always much to learn from quotes and their historical significance. Read on for a collection of quotes and general history from April 18th – 24th.
April 18, 1775
Listen, my children, and you shall hear
– Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “Paul Revere’s Ride”
Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere,
On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-Five;
Hardly a man is now alive
Who remembers that famous day and year
Paul Revere’s Midnight Ride occurred on the night of April 18, 1775, to warn the American colonial militia of the approach of the British forces. The ride began in Charlestown when Robert Newman hung two lanterns in the steeple of Boston’s Old North Church to signal the British movements, leading to the famous phrase “one if by land, two if by sea”. Revere, William Dawes, and Samuel Prescott were then able to ride to Lexington and Concord to raise the alarm. The following day, the Americans won the Battles of Lexington and Concord to start the American Revolutionary War in what became known as the “shot heard round the world”!
April 19, 1897
“Boston is the cream of the crop of the marathon world. It has such history that you feel such honor just being a part of it. All the other races have pacers to get you to a Boston qualifying time.”
– Summer Sanders
The first Boston Marathon was held on April 19, 1897, establishing the world’s oldest annual marathon! The event was inspired by the success of the marathon at the first modern Summer Olympics in 1896. Except in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A) has held the race every year since it was established. Traditionally held on Patriots’ Day, the race has also become a celebration of American independence and the first battles of the Revolutionary War. On April 15, 2013, the Boston Marathon was the target of a terrorist bombing that killed 3 spectators and injured an estimated 264.
April 20, 1862
“In the field of observation, chance favors only the prepared mind.”
– Louis Pasteur
On April 20, 1862, Louis Pasteur and Claude Bernard completed the first pasteurization tests to prevent beverages from spoiling. This process of heating liquids like milk to between 60 and 100 °C to kill any bacteria and mold present was a direct result of Pasteur’s research into germ theory. Disproving the concept of spontaneous generation allowed many advances in medicine to prevent infections that have saved many lives ever since!
April 21, 1918
“Of course, with the increasing number of aeroplanes one gains increased opportunities for shooting down one’s enemies, but at the same time, the possibility of being shot down one’s self increases.”
– Manfred von Richthofen
German fighter pilot Manfred von Richthofen, better known as the “Red Baron”, was shot down and killed during WWI on April 21, 1918, near Vaux-sur-Somme in France. Officially credited with 80 air combat victories, he is considered one of the greatest fighter aces in history. The circumstances surrounding his death have been debated for years with the RAF crediting Canadian pilot Arthur “Roy” Brown with the kill but many now agreeing the shot came from the ground. Richthofen was regarded as a national hero in Germany and remains one of the most widely known fighter pilots of all time!
April 22, 1970
“On Earth Day, we celebrate all the gifts the world and nature make available to us. We recognize our complete dependence on its bounty. And we acknowledge the need for good stewardship to preserve its fruits for future generations.”
– John Hoeven
The first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970. Peace activist John McConnell first proposed a day to honor the Earth at the 1969 San Francisco UNESCO Conference. The idea was taken up by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson who hired Denis Hayes to coordinate the first Earth Day. With more than 20 million participants, the first Earth Day remains the largest single-day protest in human history.
April 23, 1516
“Give a man a beer, waste an hour. Teach a man to brew, and waste a lifetime!”
– Bill Owen
On April 23, 1516, the Reinheitsgebot or “German Beer Purity Law” was passed limiting the ingredients used for brewing beer to barley, hops, and water. Although named for purity, the law was mostly introduced to keep the price of wheat and rye low for use in breadmaking. Many variations of the law have been introduced in the years since, but the basics have remained malted grain, hops, water, and yeast. While modern beer trends, like Belgian lambics and American craft styles, have begun experimenting with additional ingredients, the Reinheitsgebot continues to have a strong influence on brewing throughout the world.
April 24, 1184 BC
“What a thing was this, too, which that mighty man wrought and endured in the carven horse, wherein all we chiefs of the Argives were sitting, bearing to the Trojans death and fate!”
– Homer, The Odyssey
April 24, 1184 BC, is the traditional date recognized for the fall of Troy when the Greeks used the Trojan Horse to end the Trojan War. The ruse was thought up by Odysseus in order to enter the city after a fruitless 10-year siege. Thus, a “Trojan horse” has become a common metaphor for any trick to get invited into a secure place. More recently, the term named a group of computer viruses designed to trick users into willingly running them. The main literary account of the event is found in Virgil’s Aeneid. It’s also referenced in Homer’s Odyssey and depicted in the 2004 film Troy!
In case you missed last week’s quotes, see History April 11th – 17th.
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