Magellan Finds the Strait at the End of South America
On October 21, 1520, Ferdinand Magellan's fleet entered the strait at the southern tip of South America, opening a route to the Pacific.
Tokugawa Ieyasu Wins the Battle of Sekigahara
Tokugawa Ieyasu won the Battle of Sekigahara on October 21, 1600. The victory founded the Tokugawa shogunate, which ruled Japan for over 250 years.
Nelson Wins Trafalgar and Dies
Admiral Nelson won the Battle of Trafalgar on October 21, 1805 but was killed. The victory secured British naval supremacy for a century.
Alfred Nobel Is Born in Stockholm
On October 21, 1833, Alfred Nobel, the Swedish inventor of dynamite and founder of the Nobel prizes, was born in Stockholm.
Edison Tests the Practical Light Bulb
Thomas Edison tested the first practical incandescent light bulb on October 21, 1879. The carbon filament burned for over thirteen hours.
A Filament That Would Not Burn Out
Edison lit a carbon filament lamp for 13 and a half hours on October 21, 1879, making electric lighting practical.
French Women Vote for the First Time
French women voted for the first time on October 21, 1945. The right had been granted the previous year after the liberation of France.
The Government Administration Council Is Set Up
On October 21, 1949, the Government Administration Council of the Central People's Government was formed, with Zhou Enlai as premier.
The Guggenheim Museum Opens
The Guggenheim Museum opened on October 21, 1959. Frank Lloyd Wright's spiral building became an icon of modern architecture.
The Aberfan Disaster
A coal tip collapsed on Aberfan, Wales on October 21, 1966, killing 144 people, most of them children. The disaster was blamed on neglect.
Protesters March on the Pentagon
More than 50,000 people marched on the Pentagon on October 21, 1967 to protest the Vietnam War. Hundreds were arrested.
China Decides to Restore the University Entrance Examination
On October 21, 1977, China announced the restoration of the national university entrance examination, which had been suspended since 1966.
The United States and North Korea Sign a Nuclear Agreement
On October 21, 1994, the United States and North Korea signed the Agreed Framework in Geneva to freeze the North Korean nuclear programme.