Dates That Made History

Being a Christian is to believe that God is a man who came to Earth to deliver us from our sins, preaching and performed miracles, that he died on the cross and was resurrected. But for historians, the crucifixion is the least unreliable indicator of the Jesus’ existence.

The catastrophe led to a vast interdisciplinary project. Volcanology reveals the force of the eruption, archeology and the study of texts uncover new objects of daily life found in the remains of buildings and roadways, including graffiti on the walls… The eruption of Mount Vesuvius froze the town of Pompeii forever. But can one be sure that all of these discoveries date back to the eruption?

Mahomet’s first year in Medina, in the year 622 of the Christian era, marks the beginning of the Muslim era and the birth of a new religion, civilization, empire and calendar. The Hegira, Mahomet’s visit to the Mecca in Medina, also marks a major change. From then on, believers will pray in the direction of this new sacred place and no longer in the direction of Jerusalem.

Did the first outbreaks occur in China or in the Caspian Sea? Experts still argue. But how did the plague actually spread? After many controversies, it seems that the rat flea was the major carrier of this disease.

The fascinating discovery of Angkor’s ruins conveys images of magnificence and splendor. We'd like to believe in the idea of a lost civilization, as was the case for the Roman Empire. Yet, the study of the ruins of these monumental temples gives no sign of any brutal disappearance.

In our collective memory, 1492 is the year that divides the Middle Ages from Modern times. Why is this?

The Tennis Court Oath was the key tipping point of the French Revolution, both from a symbolic and legal standpoint. On June 20, 1789, the deputies of the Third Estate gathered in the Hall of the Jeu de Paume at Versailles, and swore not to separate until having written a constitution to France. What happened that day? Who are these men who made the people the sovereign of the French nation?

As opposed to the official discourse, the United States viewed the Hiroshima operation as a large-scale scientific experiment to force the Japanese to capitulate and avoid a Russian invasion of Japan. The first mass bombing in history: maybe 70.000 sustained fatal injuries.

I stand here before you not as a prophet, but as a humble servant of you, the people.” Those are the first words pronounced by Nelson Mandela after his release from prison, after 27 years of incarceration. The event struck a chord worldwide, reminding us that South Africa, historically, was not only the first country to be colonized, but also the last country to be decolonized.