October 24: This Day in History
Five events that founded nations, crashed markets, and connected a continent.
1901 – Annie Edson Taylor Goes Over Niagara Falls
On her 63rd birthday, Annie Edson Taylor, a schoolteacher from Michigan, became the first person to survive a trip over Niagara Falls in a barrel. Seeking fame and financial security, Taylor commissioned a custom barrel made of oak and iron, padded with a mattress. She and her barrel were towed into the rapids of the Niagara River, and she was set adrift. She plunged over the 167-foot Horseshoe Falls, and rescue crews recovered her from an eddy 17 minutes later. Aside from a small gash on her head, she was largely unharmed, stating, “I would not advise anyone to try it.”
Historical Context
At the turn of the 20th century, Niagara Falls was a major tourist destination, and “stunt jumpers” or “daredevils” were a popular, if morbid, form of public entertainment. Many had tried to survive the falls using various contraptions, but all had failed before Taylor. She saw the stunt as a way to escape poverty.
Significance
Taylor’s daring feat was an international sensation, proving that a human could survive the tremendous power of the falls. However, the fame she achieved did not translate into the wealth she had hoped for. She spent much of her later life posing for photographs with her barrel at a souvenir stand, struggling financially, and warning others not to repeat her stunt. She remains a unique and peculiar figure in the history of public spectacle.
1929 – “Black Thursday” Triggers the Great Crash
The American stock market, which had been a symbol of roaring twenties prosperity, experienced its first major shock, an event that became known as “Black Thursday.” Panic selling began as soon as the market opened. The ticker tape, unable to keep up with the massive volume of trades, ran hours behind, increasing the confusion and fear. Top Wall Street bankers intervened, pooling their money to buy large blocks of stock in an attempt to stabilize the market. Their efforts caused a temporary rally, but the confidence of investors was shattered.
Historical Context
The 1920s had seen a prolonged bull market fueled by speculation and investors buying stocks “on margin” (with borrowed money). By 1929, the market was dangerously overvalued, and the economy was showing signs of weakness, such as slowing production and rising consumer debt.
Significance
Black Thursday was the beginning of the end. While the market briefly stabilized, the panic returned and culminated in “Black Tuesday” five days later, when the market completely collapsed. This crash wiped out billions of P in investor wealth, caused thousands of banks to fail, and is considered the primary trigger for the Great Depression, the worst economic downturn in modern history.
1945 – The United Nations is Founded
The United Nations officially came into existence as its founding charter was ratified by a majority of its original 51 member states, including the five permanent members of the Security Council: China, France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The organization was established in the aftermath of World War II with the explicit goal of preventing future global conflicts and promoting international cooperation, peace, and security. The UN Charter was drafted at a conference in San Francisco earlier that year, setting out the organization’s purposes and structure.
Historical Context
The catastrophic failure of the League of Nations to prevent World War II created a strong international consensus that a new, more effective global body was needed. The UN was designed to address the League’s weaknesses, giving more power to its leading members via the Security Council.
Significance
The founding of the United Nations created the primary framework for international law and diplomacy in the post-war world. For over 75 years, the UN has served as a critical forum for member states to discuss disputes, provide humanitarian aid, conduct peacekeeping missions, and address global issues like climate change, human rights, and public health. October 24 is now celebrated annually as United Nations Day.
1961 – First Transcontinental Telegraph Line is Completed
The final link in the first transcontinental telegraph line across the United States was completed in Salt Lake City, Utah. This technological marvel, constructed by the Western Union Telegraph Company, connected a network from the East Coast to one on the West Coast, allowing for instantaneous communication across the continent for the first time. The final message, sent from San Francisco to President Abraham Lincoln in Washington D.C., affirmed California’s loyalty to the Union.
Historical Context
Before the telegraph, communicating with the West Coast was a slow and arduous process. Messages had to be carried by ship, stagecoach, or, most recently, the Pony Express, a mail service that took a (then) speedy 10 days. The telegraph’s construction was a massive engineering feat, requiring crews to string thousands of miles of wire across plains, mountains, and deserts.
Significance
The completion of the transcontinental telegraph line made the nation significantly smaller. It was a revolutionary leap in communication, providing vital and instant links for the military, government, and commerce, especially during the ongoing Civil War. The new technology rendered the two-day-old Pony Express obsolete; the famous mail service was officially terminated just two days after the telegraph’s completion.
1964 – Zambia Gains Independence
The British protectorate of Northern Rhodesia officially became the independent Republic of Zambia, with Kenneth Kaunda as its first president. This event marked the end of 73 years of British rule in the territory. Zambia’s independence was a significant moment in the wave of decolonization sweeping across Africa during the 1950s and 60s. The transition to independence was celebrated with joyous ceremonies in the new capital, Lusaka.
Historical Context
The path to independence was driven by a growing African nationalist movement, which had protested colonial rule and the federation with Southern Rhodesia (modern Zimbabwe) and Nyasaland (modern Malawi). This federation was seen as a way to entrench white minority rule. After years of political campaigning, strikes, and negotiations, Britain agreed to dissolve the federation and grant Northern Rhodesia its independence.
Significance
Zambia’s independence was a major victory for the decolonization movement in Southern Africa. However, the new nation faced immediate challenges, as it was a landlocked country whose economy was almost entirely dependent on its copper mines. As president, Kenneth Kaunda would rule Zambia for 27 years, navigating the complex politics of the Cold War and the regional conflicts caused by the remaining white-minority-ruled states of Rhodesia and South Africa.
