Historical Events on March 8

On This Day in History: March 8

1. In 1702, Anne Stuart ascended the throne as Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland following the death of William III.
2. In 1817 the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) was officially founded, shaping the future of the global financial markets.
3. In 1855, the first train crossed the first American railway suspension bridge over Niagara Falls, marking a milestone in engineering and transportation.
4. In 1867, the British North America Act was passed in the House of Commons, serving as Canada’s constitution for over a century.
5. In 1902, Jean Sibelius’s Symphony No. 2, his most popular composition, was first performed by the Helsinki Philharmonic Society.
6. In 1917, the Russian February Revolution gained momentum, when protests and riots broke out in Saint Petersburg on International Women’s Day (old style: 23 February) over food shortages and war-related hardships.
7. In 1941, Hugh Mulcahy of the Philadelphia Phillies became the first Major League Baseball player to enlist in World War II.
8. International Women’s Day was first officially celebrated in 1945, giving global recognition to women’s rights and achievements.
9. In 1958, author William Faulkner criticized the American education system, arguing that schools had become mere child-care institutions.
10. In 1962, The Beatles, with Pete Best, made their BBC Radio debut with a cover of Roy Orbison’s Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream), recorded live at Manchester’s Playhouse Theatre the previous evening.
11. In 1966, legendary baseball player, manager, and coach Casey Stengel was unexpectedly elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in a surprise ceremony.
12. In 1971, Joe Frazier defeated Muhammad Ali in the Fight of the Century at Madison Square Garden, ending Ali’s 31-fight winning streak and retaining the heavyweight title by unanimous decision after 15 rounds.
13. In 1979, the first exovolcano was discovered on Jupiter’s moon Io, revolutionizing the understanding of volcanic activity beyond Earth.
14. In 1980, Greg Chappell made 235 and Graham Yallop made 172 and shared a partnership of 217 at Faisalabad.
15. In 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, carrying 239 people, disappeared without a trace, leading to the most expensive search operation in history and one of aviation’s biggest mysteries.