Historical Events in March || Listed by Year

Julius Caesar’s crossing of the Rubicon ignited a Roman civil war, battles for medieval England shifted crowns and kingdoms, and Emperor Charles V issued the Edict of Worms declaring Martin Luther a heretic—cementing the Reformation’s course. March proves how ambition, faith, and power repeatedly altered the destiny of nations.

The modern era added its own defining moments in March. Franklin D. Roosevelt took office as the 32nd U.S. President, declaring, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." World War II ended, Alcatraz Federal Prison closed, and Pioneer 10 launched toward Jupiter. The month also brought Mikhail Gorbachev’s election as the Soviet Union’s first president, Japan’s devastating 9.0 earthquake and tsunami, and the World Health Organization’s declaration of COVID-19 as a global pandemic. Explore historical events in March, listed by year, and uncover stories that continue to shape our world.