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This week we remember the events of September 11 that rocked America to its core while changing the course of history. Also, this week are events ranging from sports history to one of the greatest archeological finds of the 20th century.
September 10, 2008: CERN Collider Started
On September 10, 2008, the CERN large hadron collider was powered up for the first time. The collider includes 17 miles of underground circular tunnels outside Geneva, Switzerland. The purpose of the structure is to send subatomic particles through the tunnels at high speeds and monitor what happens when they collide with one another. This allows scientists to test a wide range of theories in the field of particle physics and led to the discovery of the theorized Higgs boson particle in 2012.
September 11, 2001: 9/11
This week we remember a terrible day in American history while contemplating what it means to be an American. On September 11, 2001, terrorists attacked the United States, hijacking four airplanes and crashing them into iconic structures in New York and Washington, D.C. Nearly 3,000 people lost their lives, including over 400 heroic firefighters and law enforcement personnel who rushed into the World Trade Center buildings to save lives, only to have the skyscrapers collapse with them still inside.
The United States and its allies dramatically shifted their foreign policy agendas after 9/11. President George W. Bush initiated a massive expansion of the federal government with the new focus being homeland security. The United States invaded Afghanistan to hold accountable the terrorists who planned the 9/11 attacks. Perhaps most memorable of all, Americans from all walks of life banded together in solidarity after the incomprehensible attacks.
September 8-15, 2023, during Patriot Week, three thousand flags will fly for the 11th year at the Prescott Valley Civic Center. Visit the Healing Field of Northern Arizona and attend the Patriot Week remembrance events happening around town. Click here for more information.
September 12, 1940: Lascaux Cave Paintings Discovered
Vezere Valley, France – April 22, 2017 Images of animals, wall painting in the Lascaux Cave (UNESCO World Heritage List, 1979), Vezere Valley, France. (Shutterstock)
On September 12, 1940, 18-year-old Marcel Ravidat discovered the Lascaux Cave in southern France when his dog investigated a hole in the ground left by an uprooted tree. He and three friends entered the cave through a vertical shaft in the ground. They investigated the caves network, giving the rooms names like Hall of Bulls and Chamber of Felines. Later Marcel returned with the curator of a local natural history museum, introducing the wider world to the Lascaux Cave.
The Lascaux Cave’s walls and ceilings are covered in over 600 paintings, most of them large animals. The painters used red, yellow, black, brown, and violet pigments derived from local minerals. Archaeologists estimate the paintings were made around 17,000 years ago and are the result of several generations of people contributing to them.
The caves were opened to the public in 1948 but closed in 1963. The change in atmospheric gasses, heat, and humidity were causing damage to the paintings. The paintings were restored to their original condition while extensive replicas were produced and displayed across France.
September 12, 1995: Harlem Globetrotters Win Streak Snapped
On September 12, 1995, the Harlem Globetrotters winning streak of 8,829 games came to an end. While most games the Globetrotters play are scripted, many are not. The loss happened in Vienna, Austria, against a team of retired NBA all-stars led by Karem Abdul-Jabbar. The Globetrotters had not lost a game since 1971 before being beaten by Karem’s All-Stars.
September 15, 1978: Muhamed Ali Wins Boxing Title
On September 15, 1978, boxing legend Muhamed Ali defeated Leon Spinks to win the world heavyweight boxing title for a third time. Ali first won the title by defeating Sonny Liston in 1964, but the title was stripped from him in 1967 when he refused to serve in the Vietnam War. He regained the title in 1974 by knocking out George Foreman. Ali successfully defended his title 19 times before losing to Leon Spinks in February of 1978, only to reclaim it later that same year.
September 16, 1620: Mayflower Departs England
Mayflower II replica at sunset, Massachusetts (Shutterstock)
On September 16, 1620, the Mayflower left the English port city of Plymouth, bound for the New World. Nearly half the 102 passengers were Protestant Separatists seeking freedom to worship as they saw fit, rather than join the Church of England.
The Mayflower was bound for Virginia and the British colony was already established there. Stormy seas made their two-month voyage difficult, and the ship landed in modern-day Massachusetts. They named their new colony Plymouth after the city they departed from and drafted the Mayflower Compact to establish a system of laws and governance.
The first year in Plymouth was exceptionally harsh. Eventually, the colonists struck an alliance with the local Wampanoag tribe, and they were taught how to hunt local game and cultivate crops. In the fall of 1621, 100 Wampanoags joined the colonists in a three-day festival of Thanksgiving. Later, the colony of Plymouth was absorbed into the growing Puritan Massachusetts Bay Colony.
Your obscure holidays of the week:
This week we celebrate Scooby Doo Day on the anniversary when he first appeared on television in 1969. Stay Away From Seattle Day was created by Seattleites to push back against the rapid population growth and urbanization the city has dealt with for decades. Dot Day is an international holiday celebrating creativity, courage, and collaboration. Finally, Drive Your Studebaker Day gives Studebaker owners a chance to show off their piece of automotive history.
September 10: Banana Day, Drive Your Studebaker Day, TV Dinner Day, Swap Ideas Day, Prairie Day, Responsible Dog Ownership Day, Grandparents Day, Pet Memorial Day, Sewing Machine Day
September 11: Grandparents Day, Hug Your Hound Day, Libraries Remember Day, Remember Freedom Day / 911 Remembrance, Make Your Bed Day, No News is Good News Day
September 12: Boss/Employee Exchange Day, Encouragement Day, Video Games Day, Chocolate Milkshake Day
September 13: Chocolate Day, Programmers Day, Ants on a Log Day, Peanut Day, Kids Take Over The Kitchen Day, Scooby-Doo Day, Defy Superstition Day, Fortune Cookie Day
September 14: Live Creative Day, Crab Fest Day, Cream-Filled Donut Day
September 15: 8-Track Tape Day, Felt Hat Day, Greenpeace Day, International Day of Democracy, Dot Day, Day of Listening, On-line Learning Day, Cheese Toast Day
September 16: Stay Away From Seattle Day, Tattoo Story Day, Guacamole Day, Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, Play-Doh Day, Collect Rocks Day, Red Panda Day, Step Family Day, Working Parents Day
What was happening in history Sept3-9, 2023?
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