The List of Presidential Assassination Attempts Is Shockingly Longer than Anyone Thought

Article: Historical Attempts to Steal Documents

The link below is to an article that looks at six examples of attempts to steal famous documents.

For more visit:
http://mentalfloss.com/article/50503/6-people-who-tried-steal-famous-documents

Video: Early Flight Attempts

Article: Historical Attempts to Ban Coffee

The link below is to an article that looks at five attempts in history to ban coffee.

For more visit:
http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/143678

Article: Origin of “Let the Cat out of the Bag”

The link below is to an article that attempts to track down the origin of the saying, ‘let the cat out of the bag.’ What do you think the origin of the saying is? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

For more visit:
http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/133559

Today in History: 09 May 1671

England: Thomas Blood Attempts to Steal the Crown Jewels

 

 

On this day in 1671, Thomas Blood attempted to steal the Crown Jewels of England from the Tower of London.

 

 

For more, visit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Blood

Book:
Colonel Thomas Blood – Crown-Stealer 1618-1680, by Wilbur Cortez Abbott

Today in History: 02 March 1855

Russia: Alexander II Becomes Tsar

On this day in 1855, Alexander II Nikolaevich, became the Tzar of Russia. Alexander II was born in Moscow on the 29th April 1818 and died (assassinated) in Saint Petersburg on the 13th March 1881. His reign was ended in a series of bomb blasts that assassinated the Tsar, an assassination that followed a number of failed attempts in previous years.

For more, visit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_II_of_Russia

Today in History – 9 May 1671

England: Thomas Blood Attempts to Steal the Crown Jewels

On this day in 1671, Colonel Thomas Blood attempted to steal the crown jewels of England in a daring robbery that went wrong very quickly. The attempted robbery took place in the Tower of London where the jewels were on public display.

The whole of Blood’s life is interesting, as he continually pops up in the chronology of England’s history during the period of his life (1618-1680). He plays a role in the civil war, was a major player during an Irish revolt against Charles II, was involved in an attempted assassination or two and his attempted theft of the crown jewels.

An account of his life can be found at the Internet Archive:
http://www.archive.org/details/remarksonlifedea00londrich

 

Today in History – 30 April 1492

Christopher Columbus: Receives His Commission of Exploration from Castile (Spain)

Christopher Columbus was born between the 22nd August and the 31st October 1451, in Genoa (now in Italy). Contrary to common belief Columbus did not discover America, but he did greatly increase European awareness of the New World.

The maritime career of Christopher Columbus began when he was 10 years old. In the years that followed he undertook a number of journeys on the open sea in various roles on various ships. In 1485 he began looking for an opportunity to explore and discover a western route to Asia. He presented his ideas to the king of Portugal and was ultimately frustrated after several attempts. He also tried England, Genoa, Venice and then Spain (Castile) in 1486. He was frustrated in all these attempts (England eventually agreed, but by that time Columbus was already in league with Castile), but the king and queen of Castile (Ferdinand II and Isabella I) retained his services and after many attempts he finally gained the support of Ferdinand II and Isabella I on this day in 1492.

In all, Columbus would make four voyages between Castile and America. His life would end in great disappointment, having been jailed and having the terms of his contract with Castile overturned due to various claims and convictions of abuse of power and mismanagement of the domains over which he governed in the New World. Columbus died on the 20th May 1506 in Valladolid, Crown of Castile (now in Spain).