January 17th: Today in 1746 Scottish troops under the command of Charles Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie) scored the last great victory of the Jacobites at the Battle of Falkirk. Three months later the Scottish* army was crushed at the Battle of Culloden and the Jacobite cause lost. * see correction in comments. Commenter is correct.
January 16th: Today in 1920 under the terms of the 18th Amendment to the United States Constitution banning the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors in the United States Prohibition began. The law spawned massive disobedience and was repealed thirteen years later by the 21rst Amendment. Interestingly, the 18th Amendment is the only constitutional [...]
January 15th: Today in 1759 the British Museum opened its doors to the public for the first time. The museum is truly awe inspiring to a history buff, it is overstuffed with things of tremendous historical import both from British and World history. Its admission is free, is should never be missed if one is [...]
January 14th: Today in 1898 Charles Dodgson, who wrote under the pen name of Lewis Carroll, died of pneumonia. He was most famous for writing Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, a work which continues to sell well and has been adapted to television, movies and stage.
January 13th: Today in 1842 Dr. William Brydon rode into Jalalabad in Afghanistan and was thought to be the sole survivor of an army of over sixteen thousand that set out from Kabul seven days earlier. The Army had been promised safe passage but was cut to pieces as it retreated through the many mountain [...]
January 12th: Today in 1879 the Anglo/Zulu War begins with British troops crossing into Zululand. The war began without approval from London and was to go badly for the British initially as they drastically underestimated the ability of the Zulus to resist their invasion.