Did you know
In 1903, The first of a series of auctions of sheep farming land in southern Patagonia takes place impacting established settlers. This featured entry focuses on the immediate decision and its direct historical impact.
March 20 in History
1903 — The first of a series of auctions of sheep farming land in southern Patagonia takes place impacting established settlers
March 20 spans 48 recorded events across recorded history, from 1206 to 2021. Below is a curated digest of the most significant moments tied to this date.
By thisDay.info Editorial Team · — Wikipedia
Historical Events
48 events
1206 – 2021
Today in history
More major events on March 20
The featured story and these ranked highlights form a quick summary. Every recorded event remains available in the chronology below.
Did you know
In late 19th and early 20th centuries, sheep farming expanded across the Patagonian Steppe making the southern regions of Argentina and Chile one of the world's foremost sheep farming areas. This helps explain why the event mattered beyond the initial announcement.
Did you know
The sheep farming boom attracted thousands of immigrants from Chiloé and Europe to southern Patagonia. This clarifies the institutional and public response around the event.
Did you know
Early sheep farming in Patagonia was oriented towards wool production but changed over time with the development of industrial refrigerators towards meat export. This shows how the event shaped policy and public communication in the same period.
Did you know
Besides altering the demographic and economic outlook of Southern Patagonia the sheep farming boom also changed the steppe ecosystem. This helps explain why the event mattered beyond the initial announcement.
1206
Michael IV Autoreianos is appointed Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.
Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from 1208 to 1212
Michael IV Autoreianos Ancient Greek: Μιχαὴλ Αὐτωρειανός; died 26 August 1212) was the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from 1208 to his death in 1212.
1600
The Linköping Bloodbath takes place on Maundy Thursday in Linköping, Sweden: five Swedish noblemen are publicly beheaded in the aftermath of the War against Sigismund (1598–1599).
1600 public execution of Swedish nobles
The Linköping Bloodbath on 20 March 1600 was the public execution by beheading of five Swedish nobles in the aftermath of the War against Sigismund (1598–1599), which resulted in the de facto deposition of the Polish…
1602
The Dutch East India Company is established.
1602–1799 Dutch trading company
The United East India Company, commonly known as the Dutch East India Company, was a chartered trading company and one of the first joint-stock companies in the world.
1616
Sir Walter Raleigh is freed from the Tower of London after 13 years of imprisonment.
English statesman and explorer (1552–1618)
Sir Walter Raleigh was an English statesman, soldier, writer and explorer.
1760
The Great Boston Fire of 1760 destroys 349 buildings.
Fire which destroyed much of downtown Boston, Massachusetts
The Great Boston Fire of 1760 was a major conflagration that occurred on March 20, 1760, in Boston in the Province of Massachusetts Bay.
1815
After escaping from Elba, Napoleon enters Paris with a regular army of 140,000 and a volunteer force of around 200,000, beginning his "Hundred Days" rule.
Mediterranean island in Tuscany, Italy
Elba is a Mediterranean island in Tuscany, Italy, 10 km (6.2 mi) from the coastal town of Piombino on the Italian mainland, and the largest island of the Tuscan Archipelago.
1848
German revolutions of 1848–49: King Ludwig I of Bavaria abdicates.
German part of the Revolutions of 1848
The German revolutions of 1848–1849, the opening phase of which was also called the March Revolution, were initially part of the Revolutions of 1848 that broke out in many European countries.
1852
Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin is published.
American abolitionist and author (1811-1896)
Harriet Elisabeth Beecher Stowe was an American author and abolitionist.
1854
The Republican Party of the United States is organized in Ripon, Wisconsin, US.
Political party in the United States
The Republican Party, also known as the Grand Old Party (GOP), is a right-wing populist and neo-nationalist political party in the United States, sitting on the right-wing to far-right of the political spectrum.
1861
An earthquake destroys Mendoza, Argentina.
Violent earthquake in Argentina
The 1861 Mendoza earthquake occurred in the province of Mendoza, Argentina on 20 March at 11:30 PM. It had an estimated magnitude of 7.2 on the Ms scale and an intensity of IX–X on the Mercalli scale.
1883
The Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property is signed.
1883 intellectual property treaty still in force today
The Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property, signed in Paris, France, on 20 March 1883, is one of the first intellectual property treaties.
1888
The premiere of the very first Romani language operetta is staged in Moscow, Russia.
Genre of Romani-language theatre in Russia
Romen Theatre in Moscow, Russia, is the oldest and the most famous of Romani theatres in the world.
1890
Chancellor of the German Empire Otto von Bismarck is dismissed by Emperor Wilhelm II.
Chancellor of Germany from 1871 to 1890
Otto Eduard Leopold, Prince of Bismarck, Count of Bismarck-Schönhausen, Duke of Lauenburg, was a German statesman and diplomat who oversaw the unification of Germany and served as its first chancellor from 1871 to 1890.
1896
With the approval of Emperor Guangxu, the Qing dynasty post office is opened, marking the beginning of a postal service in China.
Emperor of China from 1875 to 1908
The Guangxu Emperor, also known by his temple name Emperor Dezong of Qing, personal name Zaitian, was the tenth and penultimate emperor of the Qing dynasty, and the ninth Qing emperor to rule over China proper.
1913
Sung Chiao-jen, a founder of the Chinese Nationalist Party, is wounded in an assassination attempt and dies 2 days later.
Chinese republican revolutionary (1882–1913)
Song Jiaoren was a Chinese republican revolutionary, political leader and a founder of the Kuomintang (KMT). Song Jiaoren led the KMT to electoral victories in China's first democratic election.
1914
In the Curragh incident, over 100 British Army officers threaten to resign if ordered to march against the Ulster Volunteers.
1914 threatened British mutiny in Ireland
The Curragh incident of 20 March 1914, sometimes known as the Curragh mutiny, occurred in the Curragh, County Kildare, Ireland.
1916
Albert Einstein submits his paper, "The Foundation of the General Theory of Relativity", which establishes his general theory of relativity, to the journal Annalen der Physik.
German-born theoretical physicist (1879–1955)
Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist best known for developing the theory of relativity. Einstein also made important contributions to quantum theory.
1921
The Upper Silesia plebiscite, mandated by the Versailles Treaty to determine a section of the border between Weimar Germany and Poland, is held.
Voting regarding the German–Polish border
The Upper Silesia plebiscite was a plebiscite mandated by the Versailles Treaty and carried out on 20 March 1921 to determine ownership of the province of Upper Silesia between Weimar Germany and the Second Polish…
1922
The USS Langley is commissioned as the first United States Navy aircraft carrier.
First United States Navy aircraft carrier
USS Langley (CV-1/AV-3) was the United States Navy's first aircraft carrier, converted in 1920 from the collier USS Jupiter , and also the US Navy's first turbo-electric-powered ship.
1923
The Arts Club of Chicago hosts the opening of Pablo Picasso's first United States showing, entitled Original Drawings by Pablo Picasso, becoming an early proponent of modern art in the United States.
Private club in Chicago, Illinois, US
Arts Club of Chicago is a private club and public exhibition space located in the Near North Side community area of Chicago, a block east of the Magnificent Mile, that exhibits international contemporary art.
1926
Chiang Kai-shek initiates a purge of communist elements within the National Revolutionary Army in Guangzhou.
Leader of the Republic of China from 1928 to 1975
Chiang Kai-shek was a Chinese military commander, revolutionary, and statesman who was the President of the Republic of China from 1948 to 1975 and the head of the Nationalist government from 1925 to 1948.
1933
Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler orders the creation of Dachau concentration camp as Chief of Police of Munich and appoints Theodor Eicke as the camp commandant.
German Nazi leader of the SS (1900–1945)
Heinrich Luitpold Himmler was a German Nazi politician, police administrator, and military leader. He was the 4th and longest serving Reichsführer of the Schutzstaffel, serving from 1929 to 1945.
1942
World War II: General Douglas MacArthur, at Terowie, South Australia, makes his famous speech regarding the fall of the Philippines, in which he says: "I came out of Bataan and I shall return".
Global conflict (1939–1945)
World War II, or the Second World War, was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers.
1948
With a Musicians Union ban lifted, the first telecasts of classical music in the United States, under Eugene Ormandy and Arturo Toscanini, are given on CBS and NBC.
North American trade union
The American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada (AFM/AFofM) is a 501(c)(5) labor union representing professional instrumental musicians in the United States and Canada.
1951
Fujiyoshida, a city located in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan, in the center of the Japanese main island of Honshū is founded.
City in Yamanashi (prefecture), Japan
Fujiyoshida is a city located in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 May 2019, the city had an estimated population of 48,782 in 19,806 households and a population density of 400 persons per km2.
1952
The US Senate ratifies the Security Treaty between the United States and Japan.
1952 treaty for US military presence in Japan
The Security Treaty between the United States and Japan was a treaty signed on September 8, 1951 in San Francisco, California by representatives of the United States and Japan, in conjunction with the Treaty of San…
1956
Tunisia gains independence from France.
Country in North Africa
Tunisia, officially the Republic of Tunisia, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa.
1964
The precursor of the European Space Agency, ESRO (European Space Research Organisation) is established per an agreement signed on June 14, 1962.
European organisation dedicated to space exploration
The European Space Agency is a 23-member international organisation devoted to space exploration. It has its headquarters in Paris and a staff of around 3,000 people globally as of 2025.
1969
A United Arab Airlines (now Egyptair) Ilyushin Il-18 crashes at Aswan International Airport, killing 100 people.
State-owned flag carrier of Egypt
EgyptAir is the state-owned flag carrier of Egypt. The airline is headquartered at Cairo International Airport, its main hub, operating scheduled passenger and freight services to 84 international and nine domestic…
1972
The Troubles: The first car bombing by the Provisional IRA in Belfast kills seven people and injures 148 others in Northern Ireland.
1960s–1998 conflict in Northern Ireland
The Troubles were an ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland that lasted for about 30 years from the late 1960s to 1998.
1985
Libby Riddles becomes the first woman to win the 1,135-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.
American dog musher (born 1956)
Liberty Clarissa "Libby" Riddles is an American dog musher, and the first woman to win the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.
1987
The Food and Drug Administration approves the anti-AIDS drug, AZT.
Federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is a federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
1988
Eritrean War of Independence: Having defeated the Nadew Command, the Eritrean People's Liberation Front enters the town of Afabet, victoriously concluding the Battle of Afabet.
1961–1991 conflict within Ethiopia
The Eritrean War of Independence was an armed conflict and insurgency aimed at achieving self-determination and independence for Eritrea from Ethiopian rule.
1990
Ferdinand Marcos's widow, Imelda Marcos, goes on trial for bribery, embezzlement, and racketeering.
President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr. was a Filipino lawyer, dictator, and kleptocrat who served as the tenth president of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986.
1993
The Troubles: A Provisional IRA bomb kills two children in Warrington, England.
It leads to mass protests in both Britain and Ireland.
The Troubles were an ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland that lasted for about 30 years from the late 1960s to 1998.
1995
The Japanese cult Aum Shinrikyo carries out a sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway, killing 14 and wounding over 6,200 people.
Japanese cult and terrorist organization
Aleph , better known by their former name Aum Shinrikyo , is a Japanese new religious movement and doomsday cult founded by Shoko Asahara in 1987.
1999
Legoland California, the first Legoland outside of Europe, opens in Carlsbad, California, US.
Theme park in Carlsbad, California
Legoland California Resort is a theme park in Carlsbad, California, United States, about 35 miles north of San Diego. Opening on March 20, 1999, it was the first Legoland park to open outside of Europe.
2000
Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin, a former Black Panther once known as H.
Rap Brown, is captured after murdering Georgia sheriff's deputy Ricky Kinchen and critically wounding Deputy Aldranon English.
The Black Panther Party was an American Marxist–Leninist and black power political and militant organization founded by Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale in 1966 which was active until 1982.
2003
Iraq War: The United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Poland begin an invasion of Iraq.
2003–2011 conflict in Iraq
The Iraq War, also referred to as the Second Gulf War, was a protracted armed conflict in Iraq from 2003 to 2011.
2006
Over 150 Chadian soldiers are killed in eastern Chad by members of the rebel UFDC.
The rebel movement sought to overthrow Chadian president Idriss Déby.
The Chadian National Army consists of the five Defence and Security Forces listed in Article 185 of the Chadian Constitution that came into effect on 4 May 2018.
2010
Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland begins eruptions that would last for three months, heavily disrupting air travel in Europe.
Glacier and volcano in Iceland
Eyjafjallajökull, sometimes referred to by the numeronym E15, is one of the smaller ice caps of Iceland, north of Skógar and west of Mýrdalsjökull.
2012
At least 52 people are killed and more than 250 injured in a wave of terror attacks across ten cities in Iraq.
Series of terrorist attacks throughout Iraqi cities during the 2011-13 insurgency
The 20 March 2012 Iraq attacks were the sixth simultaneous wave of bombings to hit Iraq during the insurgency and the second such major assault since the US withdrawal at the end of 2011.
2014
Four suspected Taliban members attack the Kabul Serena Hotel, killing at least nine people.
Afghan Islamist militant organization
The Taliban, officially known as the Islamic Movement of Taliban, also referring to itself by the name of the government it operates, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is the ruling government and religious…
2015
A solar eclipse, equinox, and a supermoon all occur on the same day.
Total eclipse
A total solar eclipse occurred at the Moon's descending node of orbit on Friday, March 20, 2015, with a magnitude of 1.0445.
2015
Syrian civil war: The Siege of Kobanî is broken by the People's Protection Units (YPG) and Free Syrian Army (FSA), marking a turning point in the Rojava–Islamist conflict.
2011–2024 armed conflict in Syria
The Syrian civil war was an armed conflict that began with the Syrian revolution in March 2011, when popular discontent with the Ba'athist regime ruled by Bashar al-Assad triggered large-scale protests and pro-democracy…
2019
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev is sworn in as acting president of Kazakhstan, following the resignation of long-time president Nursultan Nazarbayev.
President of Kazakhstan since 2019
Kassym-Jomart Kemeluly Tokayev is a Kazakh politician and diplomat who has served as the second president of Kazakhstan since 2019.
2021
La Plume noire, an anarchist bookstore in Lyon, is targeted by an attack of the far-right, provoking a shock in Lyon's far-left circles.
Anarchist bookstore in Lyon, France
La Plume noire is an anarchist bookstore and publishing house located at 8 Rue Diderot in Lyon, France.