Catherine Howard married Henry VIII on this date in 1540. She was Mrs. VIII number five.
Maximilien Robespierre got nicked with his razor on this date in 1794. Witnesses said Robespierre died within seconds of the guillotine blade severing his head from his neck but, after viewing A Tale of Two Cities, Dr. Senator Bill Frist was certain guillotine victims “respond to visual stimuli.”
Beatrix Potter was born on this date in 1866.
Beatrix Potter thought she might become a scientist, but when she wrote a paper to present to the Royal Botanic Gardens, she was turned away because only men were allowed to present. So she continued to make detailed drawings of animals and plants, and she continued to refuse the suitors her parents brought home for her, because she didn’t want to be a Victorian housewife and raise children and have no time left for her own interests.
In 1893, Potter sent an illustrated letter to the child of her former governess, and it was in that letter that Peter Rabbit made his debut. She liked creating animal characters, writing and illustrating their stories. So she decided to write children’s books, but for years publishers didn’t take her seriously.
You’ll have to read the rest at The Writer’s Almanac.
Jacqueline Lee Bouvier was born on this date in 1929.
“Dollar Bill,” Bill Bradley is 65 today.
Sally Struthers and Georgia Engel are each 60 today.
Hugo Chávez, the President of Venezuela is 54. Venezuela supplies about 6% of U.S. daily oil consumption.
An earthquake in China killed an estimated 242,000 people 32 years ago today.