TODAY IN HISTORY: Monkey trial
In 1904, the Trans-Siberian railway was completed.
In 1925, the famous “monkey trial” ended in Dayton, Tenn. John T. Scopes was found guilty and fined $100 for teaching Darwin’s theory of evolution. Scopes, who was defended by famed lawyer Clarence Darrow, later had his conviction overturned. The case was portrayed in the film “Inherit the Wind.”
In 1944, American forces landed on Guam during the Second World War.
In 1959, the United States launched the first nuclear-powered merchant ship, the “N.S. Savannah.”
In 1961, the government-built town of Inuvik, N.W.T., was officially opened. The town, the largest Canadian community north of the Arctic Circle, was constructed to replace the old settlement of Aklavik, which was being threatened by flood and erosion. Located on the Mackenzie River delta, the town’s economy is centred on nearby oil and gas exploration.
In 1961, Captain Virgil “Gus” Grissom became the second American to rocket into a sub-orbital pattern around the Earth, flying aboard the “Liberty Bell 7.”
In 1969, Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin blasted off from the moon aboard the ascent stage of the lunar module for docking with the command module.
In 1972, the CRTC approved the creation of a third television network — Global TV. It was licensed to serve five Ontario cities.
In 1973, Canada ended all ceasefire monitoring activities in Vietnam.
In 1975, a bill creating a federal human rights commission with powers to stop discrimination by businesses under federal jurisdiction was introduced in the Canadian House of Commons. The bill outlawed discrimination by employers on grounds of race, sex, colour, religion, age or marital status.
In 1976, 14-year-old Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci won the all-round gold medal in women’s gymnastics, obtaining perfect scores on the balance beam and the uneven bars.
In 1987, Guns N’ Roses released their debut album, “Appetite for Destruction.” It has sold over 20 million copies worldwide and included the singles “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” “Welcome to the Jungle,” and “Paradise City.”
In 2013, Belgium’s King Albert abdicated after a 20-year reign; his son Philippe took over as the fractured nation's seventh king.
In 2017, Kenny Shields, the brash lead singer of Reginabased rock band Streetheart, died of heart failure. He was 69. The Juno-winning artist was part of the homegrown brand of guitar-driven hits that became rock radio staples throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s, including “Action,” “Hollywood,” “Look in Your Eyes” and “What Kind of Love Is This.”