On this day: March 14
March 14, 44 BC: Assassination of Julius Caesar
On this day in 44 BC, Julius Caesar, the dictator of Rome, was assassinated by a group of Roman senators led by Marcus Junius Brutus. The assassination took place in the Theatre of Pompey, during a meeting of the Senate. The conspirators believed that Caesar’s growing power and popularity posed a threat to the Roman Republic, and they plotted to eliminate him. The death of Caesar marked the end of the Roman Republic and the beginning of the Roman Empire under the rule of Caesar’s adopted son, Octavian, who later became Emperor Augustus.
March 14, 1900: Gold Standard Act Signed Into Law
On this day in 1900, the Gold Standard Act was signed into law by President William McKinley. The act established gold as the sole standard for redeeming paper currency in the United States, effectively ending the bimetallic standard that had been in place since the Coinage Act of 1792. The Gold Standard Act was seen as a way to stabilize the economy and prevent inflation by tying the value of the dollar to a fixed amount of gold. However, the act would later be criticized for its inflexibility and its role in exacerbating the Great Depression in the 1930s.
March 14, 1964: Malcolm X Leaves Nation of Islam
On this day in 1964, civil rights leader Malcolm X announced that he was leaving the Nation of Islam, the controversial black nationalist organization that he had been a prominent member of for over a decade. Malcolm X’s departure from the Nation of Islam was prompted by growing tensions within the organization, as well as his evolving views on race and religion. After leaving the Nation of Islam, Malcolm X founded his own organization, Muslim Mosque, Inc., and continued to be a vocal advocate for black empowerment and civil rights until his assassination in 1965.
March 14, 1990: Lithuanian Independence Declared
On this day in 1990, the Republic of Lithuania declared its independence from the Soviet Union, becoming the first Soviet republic to do so. The declaration of independence followed months of political unrest and protests in Lithuania, as the Baltic country sought to break away from the Soviet Union and establish its own democratic government. The Soviet Union initially attempted to suppress the independence movement through military force, but ultimately recognized Lithuania’s independence in September 1991. The declaration of independence marked the beginning of the end of the Soviet Union, which would officially dissolve later that year.
March 14, 2018: Stephen Hawking Passes Away
On this day in 2018, renowned theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking passed away at the age of 76. Hawking was best known for his groundbreaking work on black holes, cosmology, and the nature of the universe. Despite being diagnosed with a rare form of motor neuron disease at the age of 21, Hawking continued to make significant contributions to the field of theoretical physics and became a popular science communicator. His work and his life story inspired millions around the world and cemented his legacy as one of the greatest scientific minds of his generation.
