October 7, 2001 - Afghanistan War begins as a result of the 9/11 attacks; the US begins its invasion of Afghanistan with an air campaign on Taliban targets. The campaign, made up of the CIA and US and British special forces, saw the start of Operation Enduring Freedom, the first stage of the war and the Global War on Terrorism. - https://www.britannica.com/event/Afghanistan-War

 

 

October 8, 1871 - The Great Chicago Fire begins in a barn and burns for two days, killing around 300 people, destroying 17,450 buildings, and causing around $200 million in damage. The confirmed cause of the fire is unknown, but it is largely believed to have been started by a cow that knocked over a lantern in the barn. - https://www.britannica.com/event/Chicago-fire-of-1871

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October 9, 2012 - Malala Yousafzai is shot in the head by the Taliban on her way to school in Pakistan. A children's and women's rights activist from an early age, this event and her subsequent writings and speeches on the experience gave her more attention worldwide. - https://www.britannica.com/topic/I-Am-Malala

 

 

October 11, 1962 - The Second Vatican Council begins, considered one of the most fundamental events in the history of Catholicism. The council, announced by Pope John XXIII, produced 16 documents that focused on the 'modernization' of Christianity. Highlights include a rejection of anti-Semitism and the recognition of Judaism. - https://www.britannica.com/event/Second-Vatican-Council

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October 12, 1492 – Columbus makes landfall in the Bahamas in the Americas. Though other Europeans touched in the Americas (most notably Lief Erickson) earlier than he, Columbus is generally accepted as the “founder” of the “New World”. While considered a flashpoint for both sides of the historical debate, Columbus’ relevance to the Americas is certainly quite notable. His “discovery” opened up a new era of exploration and colonization of the Americas. What Happened on October 12 | HISTORY

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October 14, 1066 – The Quintessential Battle of Hastings is fought on the coast of England 70 miles southeast of London. October 14, 1066 -  When William of Normandy (of Norse descent) was promised the throne by heirless William the Confessor in 1051, this set off a chain of events that would eventually lead to this fateful battle pitting Harold Godwinson against William 15 years later. Immortalized in the Bayeaux Tapestry, the battle established the House of Normandy on the throne in England and, for the future, complicated the English monarchy. Edward would be the last Anglo-Saxon to serve as king of England.   See the larger context that year here.  

 

October 15, 1966 - The Black Panther Party is founded by college students Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale. While originally founded to serve as a patrol group to protect black neighborhoods from police presence and brutality, it developed into a Marxist revolutionary group centered around ideologies of black nationalism, socialism, armed self-defense, and reparations. Although the party was only active until the early 80s, their influence can still be seen in radical movements today. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Black-Panther-Party

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October 16, 1793 - Marie Antoinette is executed by way of guillotine after being found guilty of high treason, marking one of many deaths that began the violent Reign of Terror of the French Revolution. https://www.worldhistory.org/article/2099/trial-and-execution-of-marie-antoinette/

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October 17, 1814 - The London Beer Flood occurs, killing at least 8 people and causing severe property damage in an already poverty-stricken area. The flood was a result of a broken hoop that secured vats of beer at a brewery. The explosion of this vat subsequently knocked over other surrounding it, resulting in the weight of around 570 tons of liquid to explode out of the brewery and into city streets. https://www.history.com/news/london-beer-flood