William Caxton, an English merchant, printer, and writer, publishes his first book, "The Dictes or Sayengis of the Philosophers," in London.
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What Happened Today in History on November 28
Explore the historical events that shaped our world on November 28th. From major milestones to cultural achievements, see what happened on this day in history. Dates for earlier events may be approximate.
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Ferdinand Magellan, the Portuguese navigator sponsored by Spain becomes the first European explorer to reach the Pacific Ocean from the Atlantic by sailing through the dangerous straits which separate the South American mainland from the Tierra del Fuego archipelago.
The strait connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans is named the Strait of Magellan. From there Magellan headed toward what is now the Philippines where he was killed before completing the trip. The first European to complete the circumnavigation was Magellan's second-in-command, Juan Sebastian de Elcano, who took over after his death. More
William Shakespeare marries Anne Hathaway in Stratford-upon-Avon, England.
The British Royal Society was founded on November 28, 1660, by a group of 12 men inspired by a lecture from Christopher Wren at Gresham College in London.
The group who met on this date are considered the "Founder Fellows" of the society. King Charles II granted a royal charter in 1662, officially naming the organization the "Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge" in 1663.
A severe cold wave, known as the Great Frost, begins in Europe and continues into January 1710, causing widespread suffering and hardship.
The Times of London makes newspapers available to a mass audience by using automatic, steam powered presses built by German inventors Friedrich Koenig and Andreas Friedrich Bauer. More
The first auto race in the U.S. is held in Chicago on Thanksgiving Day. The race was promoted by H. H. Kohlsaat, the publisher of the Chicago Times-Herald. the Duryea, built and driven by J. Frank Duryea crossed the finish line first, 7 hours and 53 minutes later, with an average speed of 7 miles per hour. The official distance was 54.36 miles, and this was accomplished on 3.5 gallons of gas. More
Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh is assassinated near Tehran, leading to tensions in the region.