This Day in History – 6th June

This Day in History is DUE’s daily dose of trivia for all the history buffs out there. So sit back and take a ride to all the fascinating things that happened today!

People are trapped in history and history is trapped in people, and hence, every day has been a significant one in the foibles of History. Let’s take a tour of “This Day in History – 6th of June”.

1816 Eruption of Mount Tambora

The eruption of Mount Tambora was the largest ever witnessed. Its Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) was 7, the only known eruption on that scale since the eruption of Lake Taupo in about 180 AD. The eruption blew 150 cubic km into the atmosphere, killing 10,000 people initially. The eruptions’ column was so high it reached the stratosphere at an altitude of more than 43 kilometers.

1844 Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) formed by George Williams in London

On 6 June 1844, Sir George Williams founded the first YMCA in London, England. The first meeting was held in Williams’ drapery shop in St Paul’s Churchyard and included 12 young men in total.

1932 The Revenue Act of 1932 is enacted

This very act managed to create the first gas tax in the United States, at a rate of 1 cent per US gallon (1/4 ¢/L) sold.

1946 The Basketball Association of America is formed in New York City

The Basketball Association of America (BAA) was a professional basketball league in North America, founded on this day in History. Following its third season, 1948–49, the BAA absorbed most of the National Basketball League (NBL) and got rebranded as the National Basketball Association (NBA). However, this rebranding was a catch-22. Read more here.

1967 Israeli troops occupy Gaza during the second day of the Six-Day War

There had been a long period of tensions between Israel and its Arab neighbours after the 1948 war following Israel’s declaration of independence. However, on this day in history, Israel’s success stunned the world. The aftermath was led to weeks of national euphoria and saw a global renewed interest in the country. Many Jews were expelled from Arab countries in response.

1974 A new “Instrument of Government” is promulgated making Sweden a parliamentary monarchy

The Instrument of Government adopted on 6 June 1809 by the Riksdag of the Estates and King Charles XIII was one of the fundamental laws that made up the constitution of Sweden from 1809 to the end of 1974. The Act was finally replaced by the Instrument of Government of 1974, which formally enshrined democracy and the will and equality of the people, exercised through a unicameral parliament. In this regard, the 1809 Act more closely adhered to the principles of separation of powers and dualism and remains, with 55 years between the enactment of women’s suffrage in 1919 and its abolition of 1974, the most prolific constitutional arrangement of Swedish democracy.

1984 1,200 dies in Sikh “Golden Temple” uprising India

The figure of casualties reported during Operation Blue Star emerges as a thunderclap, on this day in History. Above all, the operation led to the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and ensued 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

1984 Video game Tetris is first released in the Soviet Union by Alexey Pajitnov

Tetris, a video game created by Russian designer Alexey Pajitnov on this day in history, allowed players to rotate falling blocks strategically to clear levels. Pajitnov claimed he created the name of the game by combining the Greek prefix tetra, which refers to the four squares contained in each block, with the word tennis. The game had got immensely popular.

2019 Amir Ohana becomes the first openly gay minister in Israel as acting justice minister

On this day in History, Amir Ohana creates history by becoming the first openly gay minister in Israel as acting justice minister. He belongs to Netanyahu’s Likud party.

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