in World & History

November 18: Fun Facts about Today in History

by James updated April 20, 2022, 2:37 am

Today in History

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On November 18, learn about the most interesting historical events and facts that occurred throughout history. The 322nd day of the Gregorian calendar is November 18th. The annual Aggie Bonfire at Texas A&M University fell on this day, killing 12 students and ending a tradition; 21 political parties in South Africa ratified a new constitution; and the first push-button telephone went into service.

The 18th of November falls under the sign of Scorpio. Actor Owen Wilson and baseball slugger David Ortiz both have November 18th birthdays. Mickey Mouse Day and National Princess Day are also celebrated today.

Event
(November 01, 1928) Steamboat Willie was the first animated picture with sound to feature Mickey Mouse; the cartoon's tremendous success helped make Mickey an iconic character and led to the Disney Company's supremacy in the animation business.
Advertisements (November 18, 1959) The global premiere of the American drama film Ben-Hur, perhaps the best of Hollywood's biblical epics; it went on to win an astounding 11 Academy Awards. photo source: wikimedia.org
(November 18, 1963) In the United States, the first push-button (Touch-Tone) telephones were introduced, gradually displacing most rotary-dial types. photo source: wikimedia.org
(November 18, 1978) On this day in 1978, in Guyana, Jim Jones, the leader of the Peoples Temple religious community that he founded in the 1950s, and over 900 of his followers died in a mass murder-suicide known as the Jonestown massacre. photo source: wikimedia.org
(November 18, 2015) Jonah Lomu, a New Zealand rugby union footballer who was perhaps the sport's first global icon, died of a heart attack at the age of 40 following a long struggle with kidney disease. photo source: wikimedia.org

Written by James

James has always been intrigued by dinosaurs, the universe, technology, and animals. With a Bachelor of Computer Science and years of writing expertise, he joined World Amazing Facts in 2021 as a staff writer.

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