November 21 marks a day of pioneering firsts, tragic conflicts, scientific revelations, and diplomatic breakthroughs. Below is a curated timeline of key events drawn from global history, highlighting some of the most impactful moments across the centuries.
First Manned Hot-Air Balloon Flight – 1783
On November 21, 1783, Pilâtre de Rozier and the Marquis d’Arlandes lifted off from the centre of Paris in a Montgolfier hot-air balloon. They flew for 25 minutes, travelled roughly 9 km, and reached an altitude of about 900–1,000 metres while King Louis XVI and a huge crowd watched in awe. This was the first documented, free, manned flight in human history.
Pilgrims Sign the Mayflower Compact – 1620
On November 21, 1620 (November 11 Old Style), 41 adult male passengers aboard the Mayflower signed the Mayflower Compact while anchored off Cape Cod. Written because they had landed outside the Virginia Company’s jurisdiction, it established the first framework for self-government in the New World and is regarded as an early seed of American democracy.
North Carolina Ratifies the U.S. Constitution – 1789
After rejecting the Constitution in 1788, North Carolina’s second convention in Fayetteville voted overwhelmingly on November 21, 1789, to ratify it (194–77), making North Carolina the 12th state to join the Union and removing the last major obstacle before Rhode Island finally ratified.
U.S. Congress Meets in Washington, D.C. for the First Time – 1800
On Monday, November 21, 1800, the 6th United States Congress convened for the first time in the unfinished Capitol building in the new federal city of Washington. Lawmakers complained of cold, damp rooms and muddy streets, but the session officially transferred the seat of government from Philadelphia.
Sinking of HMHS Britannic – 1916
At 08:12 on November 21, 1916, the hospital ship HMHS Britannic (Titanic’s larger sister) struck a German mine in the Kea Channel, Aegean Sea. She sank in 55 minutes – the largest ship lost in World War I. Thanks to open portholes and more lifeboats than Titanic had, only 30 of the 1,066 aboard died.
Bloody Sunday in Dublin – 1920
On the morning of November 21, 1920, Michael Collins’ IRA squad killed 14 British intelligence officers across Dublin. That afternoon, British Auxiliaries fired into the crowd at a Gaelic football match in Croke Park, killing 14 civilians (including one player) and wounding 65+. The day became one of the defining atrocities of the Irish War of Independence.
Birmingham Pub Bombings – 1974
On the night of November 21, 1974, two Provisional IRA bombs exploded minutes apart in the Mulberry Bush and Tavern in the Town pubs in central Birmingham. The attacks killed 21 people and injured 182 the deadliest terrorist incident on British soil during the Troubles and led to the wrongful conviction of the Birmingham Six.
MGM Grand Hotel Fire in Las Vegas – 1980
Shortly after 7:00 a.m. on November 21, 1980, an electrical fire started in a restaurant at the MGM Grand and spread rapidly through the casino. Toxic smoke killed 87 people (85 from smoke inhalation) and injured more than 700. The disaster triggered nationwide changes to high-rise fire-safety codes.
“Who Shot J.R.?” Episode of Dallas Airs – 1980
On Friday, November 21, 1980, CBS aired the episode revealing that Kristin Shepard shot J.R. Ewing. An estimated 83–90 million Americans watched, giving it a 53.3 Nielsen rating and making it the highest-rated single primetime telecast in U.S. television history until 2010.
Dayton Agreement Initialled – 1995
On November 21, 1995, after 21 days of negotiations at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, the presidents of Bosnia, Croatia, and Serbia initialled the Dayton Agreement. The accord ended the 3½-year Bosnian War, created the current political structure of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and was formally signed in Paris on December 14.
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