ON THIS DAY

EVENTS FROM THIS DAY IN HISTORY VISUALISED BY AI

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OCTOBER 16

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During the French Revolution, Marie Antoinette, the former Queen of France, was executed by guillotine in Paris. Convicted of treason, she faced public resentment due to her lavish lifestyle and perceived indifference to the suffering of the people. Her execution marked the monarchy's downfall and intensified the Reign of Terror, a period of political purges and mass executions during the revolution.

1793 – Execution of Marie Antoinette

arie Antoinette’s solemn expression as she glances toward the executioner

Abolitionist John Brown led a raid on the federal armory at Harpers Ferry, Virginia, with the goal of inciting a slave uprising. His forces seized the armory but were quickly overwhelmed by U.S. Marines led by Robert E. Lee. Brown was captured, tried for treason, and executed. His raid deepened the divide between North and South, pushing the nation closer to civil war.

John Brown’s raiders storming the federal armory

1859 – John Brown's Raid on Harpers Ferry

John Brown gripping a Sharps rifle, Harpers Ferry, 1859

Capture of John Brown, Harpers Ferry, 1859

Margaret Sanger opened the first birth control clinic in Brooklyn, New York, offering contraceptive information and advice to women. The clinic was shut down by authorities after just ten days, and Sanger was arrested. Despite this, her efforts helped ignite the birth control movement in the U.S., ultimately leading to greater reproductive rights and the eventual creation of Planned Parenthood.

1916 – Opening of First U.S. Birth Control Clinic

Margaret Sanger sitting at a wooden desk, carefully explaining contraception to a working-class moth

Brothers Walt and Roy Disney established the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, laying the foundation for what would become The Walt Disney Company. Beginning with animated shorts like Steamboat Willie, the company expanded into feature films, television, and theme parks. Disney transformed entertainment, creating beloved characters and pioneering animation techniques that continue to shape global pop culture today.

Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio." Walt Disney, dressed in a button-up shirt and suspender

1923 – Founding of The Walt Disney Company

Close-up of Walt Disney’s hands carefully inking the outline of an early cartoon character

Walt Disney presenting an animation reel to a group of producers in a small screening room

U.S. intelligence discovered Soviet nuclear missile installations in Cuba, sparking the Cuban Missile Crisis. President John F. Kennedy demanded their removal, leading to a tense 13-day standoff that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war. The crisis ended with a negotiated agreement in which the USSR withdrew the missiles in exchange for a U.S. pledge not to invade Cuba.