There is always much to learn from quotes and their historical significance. Read on for a collection of quotes and general history from March 14th – 20th.
March 14, 1592
“I wanted to be clever, but being funny came first. That’s how you know someone is clever. They don’t come out and tell you pi to 13 places – they tell you a joke.”
– Ricky Gervais
Happy Pi Day! The number pi (π) is a mathematical constant defined as the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. Pi is one of the best-known transcendental numbers, meaning its decimal representation never ends and never settles into a permanently repeating pattern. March 14, 1592, at 6:53am and 58 seconds can be considered “Ultimate Pi Day” for matching the most digits of pi (3.14159265358)! The nature of pi also makes the number a common target for testing computer algorithms efficiency calculating numeric series. This challenge led Google employee Emma Haruka Iwao to set a world record calculating pi to 31.4 trillion digits using Google Cloud, as announced on Pi Day in 2019!
March 15, 44 BC
“If you must break the law, do it to seize power: in all other cases observe it.”
– Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar was assassinated on the Ides of March (March 15th) of 44 BC during a Senate meeting. The assassination plot was led by Brutus and Cassius but involved at least 60 senators who claimed to be acting over fears that Caesar’s dictatorship was undermining the Roman Republic. After being stabbed 23 times, Caesar’s last words remain a subject of debate. Although there are several reports he said nothing, the most common version has him saying “Et tu, Brute?” (“You too, Brutus?”) like in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. Unfortunately, the assassination didn’t save the Roman Republic, instead leading to a series of civil wars and the formation of the Roman Empire.
March 16, 1968
“The conscious massacre of defenseless babies, children, mothers, and old men in a kind of diabolical slow-motion nightmare that went on for the better part of a day, with a cold-blooded break for lunch.”
– General William C. Westmoreland, Description of the Mỹ Lai massacre from his book A Soldier Reports
The Mỹ Lai massacre took place on March 16, 1968, during the Vietnam War. Classed as a war crime, between 347 and 504 unarmed people were killed by U.S. Army soldiers. Although 26 soldiers were charged with criminal offenses, only Lieutenant William Calley Jr. was convicted for killing 22 people. Given a life sentence, he ended up serving just 3.5 years under house arrest. On the other side, it took 30 years before three U.S. servicemen who tried to stop the massacre were honored for shielding non-combatants. The incident became one of the most publicized massacres of civilians by U.S. forces and led to increased opposition to U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.
March 17, 1903
“Every St. Patrick’s Day every Irishman goes out to find another Irishman to make a speech to.”
– Shane Leslie
Although celebrated since the ninth century, Saint Patrick’s Day wasn’t made an official public holiday in Ireland until March 17, 1903. The holiday originated as the Feast of Saint Patrick, a religious celebration on the traditional death date of Saint Patrick. Interestingly, Patrick was never formally canonized by the Catholic Church but is still recognized as the foremost patron saint of Ireland for bringing Christianity to the country. Saint Patrick’s Day has since expanded to celebrate the culture and heritage of the Irish more generally and is celebrated in more countries than any other national festival!
March 18, 1942
“Dillon, if you can sleep and still carry on the job my answer would be yes. I can’t sleep and do this job. I had to get out of it.”
– Milton S. Eisenhower to Dillon S. Myer on directing the WRA
On March 18, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9102 creating the War Relocation Authority (WRA). The WRA was responsible for the forced relocation and internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II. About 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry were placed into concentration camps throughout the Western U.S. as a result. 62% of the internees were U.S. citizens. Very little evidence of disloyalty was ever found and the U.S. government eventually disbursed more than $1.6 billion in reparations to those who had been interned.
March 19, 1863
“The destruction of the Georgiana not only touched their [the Confederate’s] pockets, but their hopes. She was a splendid craft, peculiarly fitted for the business of privateering.”
– Gideon Welles, U.S. Secretary of Navy
The SS Georgiana was sunk on March 19, 1863, during her maiden voyage while attempting to run the Union Navy blockade at Charleston, South Carolina. The ship was rumored to be the “most powerful” cruiser in the Confederate fleet but wasn’t outfitted with her guns yet and never had the opportunity to see battle. The wreck was discovered 102 years later in 1965 by underwater archaeologist E. Lee Spence and is valued at around $50 million. The wreck is particularly significant due to the secrecy surrounding the vessel’s construction and cargo that’s led to speculation about her intended role, whether as a cruiser, merchantman, or privateer.
March 20, 1774
“An Act to discontinue in such Manner, and for such Time as are therein mentioned, the landing and discharging, lading or shipping, of Goods, Wares, and Merchandise, at the Town and within the Harbour of Boston, in the Province of Massachusetts Bay, in North America.”
– Parliament of Great Britain
King George III gave his royal assent for the Boston Port Act on March 20, 1774. This was the first of five laws issued to punish Boston for the Boston Tea Party that came to be known as the Intolerable Acts. The act closed the Port of Boston to all ships until restitution was paid to the King’s treasury and the East India Company. In response, the colonies organized the First Continental Congress on September 5, 1774, and were set on the path to revolution.
In case you missed last week’s quotes, see History March 7th – 13th.
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Excellent quotes! Thanks for sharing!
♥ Mae