Look back in time and examine the amazing events that happened on this day in history and which helped shape the world as we know it.
This Day in History: November
Look back in time and examine the amazing events that happened on this day in history and which helped shape the world as we know it.
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I always enjoy these bite-size knowledge nuggests. These October videos are great addition to the This Day in History series
Date published: 2025-06-29
01: November 9, 1989: The Berlin Wall Falls
More than just symbolizing the beginning of the end to the Cold War, when the Berlin Wall came down on November 9, 1989, it changed the world profoundly. And the most amazing part? It was due to an accident. Join Professor Vejas Gabriel Liulevicius to trace the circumstances and oversights that led to the downfall of the Iron Curtain.
5 min
02: November 21, 1887: Sherlock Holmes Makes His Debut
Travel back through the century to see why Sherlock Holmes has had such an impact on the mystery and suspense genre from the first moment of his unveiling in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s A Study in Scarlet.
4 min
03: November 25, 1491: The Treaty of Granada Ends the Spanish Reconquista
Join an esteemed history professor to discover how the signing of the Treaty of Granada came to be and how it shaped forthcoming events.
6 min
04: November 4, 1979: The Iranian Hostage Crisis Begins
Although US–Iranian relations showed signs of improving during the summer of 1979, on November 4 of that year, Iranian militants seized the US embassy in Tehran. Sixty-six US citizens in the embassy were taken hostage. Professor Wilford takes you through the tense, real-life details of a daring rescue, one which served the basis for the Academy Award-winning movie Argo.
6 min
05: November 9, 1922: Einstein Receives the Nobel Prize in Physics
This day in history, November 9, 1921 … The Nobel committee awarded Albert Einstein the Nobel Prize in Physics for his discovery of the photoelectric effect: the principle that light of a high enough frequency can cause certain objects to shed electrons. The outcome of this work—namely, that light exists as both a wave and a particle—is one of the most mind-boggling ideas in modern physics, yet it can be easily demonstrated by assembling some common household objects into a do-it-yourself electroscope.
7 min
06: November 23, 1963: Doctor Who Premieres
This Day in History, November 23, 1963 … the BBC airs the first episode of the now-classic science fiction series Doctor Who. Though it was originally designed to teach children about history through time travel adventures, over the next five decades the show would also tackle topics in ethics, sociology, psychology, cosmology, and—of course—the metaphysics of time travel.
10 min
07: November 1, 1897: Library of Congress Opens Its Doors
Join Richard Kurin to explore the history of the Library of Congress. Examine it’s immense—and still-growing—collections; see which U.S. presidents impacted the Library the most; and meet the first Librarian of Congress.
8 min
08: November, 22 1718: Blackbeard is Defeated
The legends about Blackbeard verge on unbelievable. Yet, the man himself was perfectly real, reportedly terrifying, and did sport a uniquely memorable beard. Enjoy a brief history of his dastardly deeds and learn how the Royal Navy finally defeated him on November 22, 1718.
7 min
09: November 11, 1675: Leibniz Demonstrates Calculus
Discover how Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, a German mathematician and polymath, demonstrated the now acclaimed method of integral calculus.
7 min
10: November 27, 1095: Pope Urban II Calls for the First Crusade
Professor Joyce Salisbury recounts how Byzantine Emperor Alexius Comnenus appealed to the pope to gain mercenaries to fill out the weakened Byzantine army. Although Emperor Comnenus simply wanted to keep the Turks away from his doorstep, he got way more than he bargained for: Pope Urban II giving rise to the Crusades.
5 min
11: November 3, 1839: The First Opium War Begins
Discover how the escalating British trade in opium sparked conflicts that crippled the Manchu dynasty. Track the Court's efforts to suppress widespread addiction, leading to the First Opium War and the humiliating Treaty of Nanking. Also, follow increasing foreign encroachments and violent reprisals, forcing a Second Opium War and the opening of multiple ports to Western commerce.
3 min
Overview Course No. 90053
