This week in history

October 26, 1863 – The Football Association formed

The world’s oldest governing football body was created at the Freemasons' Tavern in London. The foundation was instrumental in creating and formalising rules of the game. Before this, every area and organisation playing football (soccer) made their own rules.


October 27, 1682 – City of Philadelphia founded

The historical city in the State of Pennsylvania was founded by English entrepreneur; William Penn. Penn received the land as a payment to fulfill a debt that King Charles II owed to Penn’s father. Philadelphia is the only UNESCO-declared World Heritage City in the United States and it was temporarily the capital of the United States in the 1800s.


October 28, 1918 – Czechoslovakia gains independence

The Central European country had been a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire since the late 1700s. At the end of the First World War, with the end of the Empire on the horizon, nationalists under the leadership of Thomas Masaryk pushed for independence. Masaryk became the country’s first president in November 1918. On January 1, 1993, Czechoslovakia peacefully broke up into two countries – the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic.


October 29, 1998 – Oldest person to fly in space

John Glenn flew on the Discovery shuttle at the age of 77 years, making him the oldest person to fly in space.


October 30, 1908 – First cross-country flight in Europe

French aviator Henri Farman flew from Bouy to Reims in France. The 14-mile journey took him about 20 minutes. Farman was also the co-founder of the Farman Aviation Works, an airline and engine manufacturing company.


October 31, 2011 – Day of seven billion

The world's official population reached seven billion on approximately this day. The United Nations population fund designated it as the day of seven billion.


November 1, 1894 – Nicholas II became Tsar of Russia

The last Tsar of Russia took over the reign of the empire after his father, Alexander III died. Nicholas was forced to abdicate in 1917 and was executed a year later along with his family.

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