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Uncover the Excitement: Top 8 Fun Facts About March 30th Throughout History

illustration of march-30th
Get ready to be amazed as we dive into some weird and wonderful trivia about March 30th that might just be the quirky conversation starter you never knew you needed!

1. Amendment Equality

When the founding fathers said, "I'll take Constitution Amendments for $1000, Alex": On March 30, 1870, the 15th Amendment to the United States Constitution was adopted, granting African American citizens the right to vote regardless of race or previous conditions of servitude, laying the groundwork for the civil rights movement and inching closer to democracy.
Source => zinnedproject.org

2. Eraser-Tipped Pencil Drama

Before the Supreme Court took pencil-pushers to the eraser-edge of legal turmoil: On March 30th, 1865, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on a patent infringement case between Joseph Reckendorfer and the A.W. Faber company, invalidating Hymen Lipman's original patent for the eraser-tipped pencil, claiming "no joint function" and leading to their widespread production in early 20th century America.
Source => haaretz.com

3. Eiffel Tower's Extended Stay

They say, "What goes up, must come down" — but not in Paris, at least not when it comes to the Eiffel Tower: The magnificent iron-lace structure, which was completed on March 30, 1889, was only supposed to be a temporary addition to the City of Lights for the 1889 World's Fair. Today, it continues to reign supreme as one of the world's most iconic landmarks and a testament to the enchanting blend of engineering genius and artistic allure that the French do so well.
Source => toureiffel.paris

4. Reagan's Dodgeball Incident

Mark your calendars for the "Reagan Rumble": On March 30th, 1981, President Ronald Reagan took part in an unscheduled, high-stakes game of dodge-ball—a bullet, to be precise—courtesy of John Hinckley Jr. outside the Washington Hilton Hotel. Though this close encounter of the "bang" kind led to increased focus on mental health policies and gun control laws, it also left an indelible mark on American history, captured in the annals of the Library of Congress through news articles, books, and official documents.
Source => loc.gov

Tank Prototype Showcase

5. Tank Prototype Showcase

Before tanks rolled into battlefields like heavyweight party crashers, they had to make their grand debut in front of some very important guests: On March 30th, 1916, the British Army tested their spanking new tank prototype, affectionately called "Big Willie" (later "Mother"), at Hatfield Park. Venerable figures like Lord Kitchener and Lloyd George bore witness to its triumph, leading to an initial order of 100 tanks that eventually swelled to 150 – cementing their reputation as game-changers in World War I.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

6. Alaskan Real Estate Bargain

In a move that would make the Monopoly man green with envy: On March 30th, 1867, the United States snagged the ultimate real estate deal, purchasing Alaska from Russia for a mere $7.2 million, which translates to less than 2 cents an acre and a whopping 600,000 square miles of frosty frontier, initially deemed "Seward's Folly" or "Seward's Icebox" before striking gold – literally – in 1896.
Source => archives.gov

7. BBC's Regional Expansion

Before Netflix stepped onto the scene and revolutionized our binge-watching habits, trusty ol' BBC was busy expanding its "buffet of bulletins": On March 30, 1959, the BBC North East and Cumbria region was established, introducing local news from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and coinciding with the commencement of regional broadcasting in Wales and Northern Ireland.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

8. Socializing Space Rocks

It turns out, comets aren't the only space rocks to cruise by popular planetary pit stops: On March 30, 1981, the asteroid 1981 Midas was spotted rubbing shoulders with Venus and Mars, chit-chatting as it swung by Earth just to say hi. If you're worried about uninvited guests, relax; this potentially hazardous asteroid had RSVP'd way back on March 6, 1973, and still has no plans to crash our little blue party anytime soon.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

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