March 22
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Featured Event
Courtesy of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
Hugo Grotius is smuggled out of prison in a chest
On this day in 1621, the man who would later be called the âfather of international lawâ was smuggled out of prison disguised as a chest of books. That man, Hugo Grotius, had been arrested and sentenced to life in prison several years earlier. His crime? Religious tolerance during an era of political struggle. His guards grew careless during his imprisonment, which inspired his wife to plot his escape. [Read todayâs edition of Today in History > >]
Featured Biography
Featured Biography
© A.M.P.A.S.
Born this day in 1976, American actress Reese Witherspoon earned acclaim for her work in numerous genres but was perhaps best known for her romantic comedies, in which she often portrayed charming yet determined characters.
Famous Birthdays
More on March 22
© Shutterstock.com
2019
Special Counsel Robert Mueller delivered his report on Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election to the attorney general, William Barr; it stated that âwhile this report does not conclude that the President [Donald Trump] committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.â [Take our U.S. political scandals quiz.]
EncyclopĂŠdia Britannica, Inc.
1972
The U.S. Senate approved the Equal Rights Amendmentâwhich stated, âEquality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sexââbut it failed to be ratified by the requisite majority of 38 states before the deadline. [Test your knowledge of U.S. constitutional amendments.]
© V&A ImagesâHulton Archive/Getty Images
1963
The Beatles released their first album, Please Please Me, in the United Kingdom. Led by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, the band went on to become one of the most important rock groups of all time. [Test your knowledge of Rock ânâ Roll music.]
© Featureflash Photo Agency/Shutterstock.com
1948
English composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, whose works such as Evita, Jesus Christ Superstar, and The Phantom of the Opera helped revitalize British and American musical theatre in the late 20th century, was born. [Take our history of theatre quiz.]
EncyclopĂŠdia Britannica, Inc.
1945
The Arab League, a regional organization of Arab states in the Middle East, was organized in Cairo by Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Transjordan (now Jordan), Saudi Arabia, and Yemen. [Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about the Middle East.]
© James Fitzroy/Dreamstime.com
1934
The Augusta National Golf Club hosted the first Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia. [Test your knowledge of golf.]
Kirsty WigglesworthâAP/Shutterstock.com
1929
Japanese artist Yayoi Kusamaâwho achieved success as a self-described âobsessional artist,â known for her extensive use of polka dots and for her Infinity Mirror Roomsâwas born.
Image: EncyclopĂŠdia Britannica, Inc.
1908
American author Louis LâAmour, who was best known for highly popular westerns that offered well-researched portrayals of frontier life, was born. [How much do you know about famous novels?]
©Martin Ellis/Dreamstime.com
1894
The Montreal Amateur Athletic Association won ice hockeyâs first Stanley Cup. [Take our quiz about ice hockey.]
Courtesy of the Bayerische StaatsgemÀldesammlungen/Bavarian State Painting Collections, Neue Pinakothek (WAF 1048)
1832
German author and philosopher Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, who was considered the greatest German literary figure of the modern era, died in Weimar, Saxe-Weimar. [How much do you know about German literature?]
U.S. Navy photo
1820
U.S. Navy Commissioner Stephen Decatur was killed in a duel. [Read about eight famous duels and one almost duel.]
© North Wind Picture Archives
1765
British Parliament passed the Stamp Act, which placed taxes on various printed papers in the colonies; highly unpopular, the legislation was particularly contentious in America.
Little Journeys to the Homes of Great Reformers Memorial Edition by Elbert Hubbard, 1916
1638
Anne Hutchinson was banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony after her liberal religious beliefs ran afoul of officials; she later helped found Rhode Island. [Test your knowledge of early American history.]
© Sean PavoneâiStock Editorial/Getty Images
1622
Opechancanough, brother of Chief Powhatan and his successor as the leader of the Powhatan Indian empire, led an attack on the Jamestown Colony, killing at least 347 colonists and initiating the Powhatan War.
Courtesy of Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh. Purchased with assistance from the Art Fund and the Pilgrim Trust 1974
1599
Anthony van Dyck, the most prominent Flemish painter of the 17th century after Peter Paul Rubens, was born in Antwerp. [Sort fact from fiction in our artists and painters quiz.]