September 21
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1765
The day a âBeast of GĂ©vaudanâ was killed
On this day in 1765, villagers in southern France breathed a collective sigh of relief: The kingâs emissary announced that he had killed the BĂȘte du GĂ©vaudan (âBeast of GĂ©vaudanâ), a large wolf that had terrorized locals for a year. But two months later more attacks occurred, and an additional 30 deaths followed. Finally a local man shot a large wolf with an unusual mane, and the killings stopped. Scientists still debate what was responsible for the attacks. The popular theory is that several wolves were involved.
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According to the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Moroni was an angel or resurrected being who appeared to Joseph Smith on this day in 1823 and instructed him to restore Godâs church on earth.
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Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, who oversaw an empire extending across Europe but faced hostility from the pope and pressure from Turkey, France, and Protestants before abdicating his claims in 1556, died this day in 1558.
Famous Birthdays
More on September 21
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2013
Al-Shabaab militants launched a terrorist attack on the Westgate shopping centre in Nairobi, which ended three days later and left more than 65 people dead, including Ghanian poet and novelist Kofi Awoonor.
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2004
The American band Green Day released its iconic American Idiot, which later won a Grammy Award for best rock album and was adapted into a rock opera. [Test your knowledge of rock and roll.]
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2001
In stock market trading in the United States, the Dow Jones industrial average posted its largest weekly loss (14.3 percent) since the Great Depression. [Take our economics quiz.]
EncyclopĂŠdia Britannica, Inc.
1981
Belize gained its independence from the United Kingdom. [Take our quiz about Latin American history.]
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1972
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos imposed martial law in the Philippines, beginning a period of harsh authoritarian rule. [Sort fact from fiction in our Southeast Asia quiz.]
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1957
The American TV series Perry Mason, which was based on a mystery series by Erle Stanley Gardner, debuted and became hugely popular, especially noted for Raymond Burrâs portrayal of the title character. [Test your knowledge of pop culture.]
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1950
American comedian and actor Bill Murray, best known for his trademark deadpan humour on televisionâs Saturday Night Live and for his film roles, was born. [Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about A-list actors.]
AP Images
1937
English writer J.R.R. Tolkienâs The Hobbit, a coming-of-age fantasy that became a classic, was published. [Take our quiz about the life and works of English authors.]
© youlian/Shutterstock.com
1931
The Bank of England dropped the gold standard, and the pound sterling promptly lost 28 percent of its value, undermining the solvency of countries in eastern Europe and South America. [Test your knowledge of macroeconomics.]
Giles/Black Star
1867
Henry L. Stimson, an American statesman who exercised a strong influence on U.S. foreign policy in the 1930s and â40s and served in the administrations of five presidents between 1911 and 1945, was born. [Take our quiz about famous people in history.]
The Mansell Collection/Art Resource, New York
1840
While experimenting with gallic acid, a chemical he was informed would increase the sensitivity of his prepared paper, William Henry Fox Talbot discovered that the acid can be used to develop a latent image on paper, leading to a revolution in photography. [How many famous photographers can you name?]
Courtesy of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
1435
In the French kingdom, the Treaty of Arras was signed, ending the long quarrel between Duke Philip of Burgundy and King Charles VII. [Take our quiz about French history.]
© Peter Robinson/stock.adobe.com
19 bce
The Roman poet Virgil, best known for his national epic the Aeneid, died. [Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about famous poets.]