This Day in History – April 19

1770: Thomas Cook sighted Australia 
Thomas Cook, the famous British explorer first sighted the mainland of Australia on this day in 1770.

1772: David Ricardo
The brilliant British Economist was born on this glorious day in history in 1772. The economist was responsible for introducing science into the study of economics and value theory into the study. He was also a prominent member of the British and Ireland Parliament.

1775: American Revolutionary War Started
On April 19, 1775, the American Revolution began as the tensions between the American colonies and the British government reached a tipping point. The war ended in 1783 as Americans emerged victoriously and declared their independence from the British Crown.  

1882: Charles Darwin Died
World-renowned naturalist, biologist and scientist who changed the scientific study of evolution, Charles Darwin died on this historic day in 1882.

1927: Mae West Found Guilty of Obscenity
Mae West, the American actress, was found guilty of obscenity for her play titled Sex and was sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment and ordered to pay a fine on April 19, 1927.

1932: Herbert Hoover suggested 5 day- working week
American President Herbert suggested a 5-day working week for the American public on April 19, 1932, to reduce the working hours.

1943: Warsaw Ghetto Revolt
The Warsaw Ghetto Revolt reportedly began on April 19, 1943, in the capital city of Nazi-occupied Poland. The imprisoned Jewish people revolted against the deportment of Jewish people to concentration camps. The event inspired similar revolts across East Europe.

1971: Salyut 1- Soviet Space Station Launched
On April 19, 1971, the world’s first Soviet Space Station called Salyut 1 was launched on this day. It was a part of a series of Soviet space stations launched into the low Earth orbit. 

1971: Sierra Leone Became a Republic
The West African country, Sierra Leone, became the Republic of Sierra Leone on April 19, 1971.

1987: First Simpsons Shorts Aired
The first-ever Simpsons Shorts was aired on this day in history- April 19, 1987, on the Tracy Ullman Show. The first Simpson short was titled GoodNight.  

1995: Oklahoma Bombings
US city Oklahoma witnessed a brutal mass murder and truck bomb attack by domestic terrorists on this day in history. The terrorist attack killed over 150 people, injured over a thousand and led to an estimated loss of 600 million dollars.

2018:  Swaziland to eSwatini
King Mswati III on April 19, 2018, officially changed the name of the African country from Swaziland to Kingdon of eSwatini on the fifth anniversary of the country’s independence. 

2021: New Zealand and Australia Open Borders
On April 19, 2021, New Zealand and Australia started a travel bubble to reunite families amidst the deadly pandemic.