ON THIS DAY
530
Pope Dioscorus dies, averting a schism over the choice of pope. 1066 William of Normandy and his Norman army defeat King Harold’s army at the Battle of Hastings. Harold is killed, leaving William free to claim the throne of England.
1322
An army commanded by Robert the Bruce defeats the English army at the battle of Old Byland, securing Scotland’s independence.
1824
The first edition of The Australian, the first privately owned newspaper in the colony, is published. It will continue until 1848.
1884
American inventor and photographer George Eastman (above) receives a patent for paper strip photographic film. It does away with heavy glass plates and revolutionises photography.
1912
Theodore Roosevelt, campaigning as Progressive Party candidate for the US presidency, is shot in Milwaukee. He is saved by his thick coat and a bundle of paper in his breast pocket and goes ahead with a scheduled speech. He loses the election.
1947
Air force pilot Charles “Chuck” Yeager becomes the first person to break the sound barrier, in the Bell X-1 rocket plane.
1959
Tasmanian-born film star Errol Flynn dies of a heart attack, aged 50, in Vancouver, British Columbia.
1968
Apollo 7 transmits the first live broadcast from a manned US spacecraft. The crew shares views through the windows with TV audiences.
2008
Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd announces a $10.4bn stimulus package to help prevent the country sliding into recession. A second package of $42bn was announced in February, 2009.
2012
Extreme athlete Felix Baumgartner lands after a 38km jump from the stratosphere in a feat that made him the first skydiver to fall faster than the speed of sound.