This Month in History
March 2022
Abigail Guy
Embedded Files
March 4th, 1918: The First Cases of the Spanish Flu Reported in the USA
As people who have been living through a pandemic for the past two years, this is a story we’ve heard before. A handful of soldiers in Fort Riley, Kansas, fell ill to a mysterious flu that would grow to an unimaginable scale—a pandemic. The Spanish Flu was a pandemic which lasted throughout World War I, causing heavy losses on both sides of the battlefield. The number of soldiers moving around meant that this incurable influenza could spread worldwide. Even after the war ended, the pandemic did not. This led municipal and provincial governments in Canada to enact quarantine laws and enforce wearing a mask in public (sound familiar?). Once the spread of the Spanish Flu died down, it had already killed between 20-100 million people, 50,000 of them Canadians.
People wear masks to prevent getting the flu. Cred. Imagno/Getty Images. Via History.com
The original Barbie doll. Cred. Joel DeGrand; Attic Dolls and Toys. Via Encyclopedia Britannica
February 9th, 1959: The Barbie Doll Makes Its Debut
Barbara Millicent Roberts (more commonly known as Barbie) has been a childhood staple of many. Starting as a doll in the late 50s, she has since grown into an entire franchise—appearing in books, movies, and everything in-between. Ruth Handler created the toy and produced it through Mattel, the toy company she co-founded with her husband. Right from the get-go, Barbie’s body image was controversial. There’s still a lot of this controversy today, although the dolls are steadily becoming more diverse. Today, Barbie is also seen as a symbol of empowerment for young girls, showcasing many different careers while advocating for the “I can be anything” slogan. Whether she’s being used as a collector's item or a daycare toy, Barbie has grown to become a household name.
March 15, 44 BC: The Ides of March
While the date of the Ides of March was a harmless time marker on the ancient Roman calendar, it has a more negative connotation today. This is because, on March 15 of 44 BC, Caesar was assassinated. Caesar was the dictator of the Roman Republic who extended the Roman sphere of influence far past Rome itself. However, while the public loved him, the members of the Senate did not. They feared he would continue to grow uncontrollably powerful, so they assassinated him. A group of 60 carried out the plan, stabbing Caesar 23 times on the Senate floor during their meeting. Ultimately, this brought about the end of the Roman Republic and gave birth to the Roman Empire. The next leader of Rome was Caesar’s adopted son, Octavian (also known as Augustus), who named himself Emperor.
March 27, 1977: The Tenerife Airline Disaster
Poor visibility, a crowded runway, and severe miscommunication were all contributing factors of the disaster at the Los Rodeos Airport (now known as the Tenerife North Airport). Found on the Canary Islands, this airport was full of diverted flights on March 27, 1977, because of a terrorist bombing at the Las Palmas airport on the nearby island of Gran Canaria. Tenerife Airport only had one runway, forcing the planes to taxi down it, turn and go down it again, or to take off. KLM Flight 4805 was gaining speed to take off when it crashed into another Boeing 747, Pan Am Flight 1736, which was taxiing down the runway at the same time. The foggy conditions meant that by the time the two planes could see each other, it was already too late to dodge. The crash resulted in both planes going up in flames. Everyone on the KLM flight, plus 330 others from the Pan Am flight, were killed. In total, 583 people died while only 61 survived, making this the deadliest aviation accident in history.
February 31, 1949: Newfoundland and Labrador Join Canada
Not many people, Newfoundlanders included, wanted their British colony to join the Canadian Confederation between the 1860s-1930s. They voted on staying separate in 1869, wanting to keep their independence and thinking they could prosper on their own. It wasn’t until the Great Depression that things became rocky, and their government began to fall apart. At this point, Canada was considering the advantages of having Newfoundland be a part of the Confederation. Another vote was taken, and this time Newfoundlanders agreed that becoming part of Canada was a good idea. After a transition period, Newfoundland and Labrador became the 10th province of Canada, and all its residents became Canadian citizens.
The Newfoundland coat of arms. Cred. Karen E. Bailey; Library and Archives Canada. Via The Canadian Encyclopedia
Works Cited
Dickin, Janice, et al. "1918 Spanish Flu in Canada." The Canadian Encyclopedia, Historica Canada, 13 May 2021, www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/1918-spanish-flu-in-canada. Accessed 15 Mar. 2022.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "Tenerife airline disaster." Encyclopedia Britannica, 20 Mar. 2021, www.britannica.com/event/Tenerife-airline-disaster. Accessed 14 Mar. 2022.
History.com Editors. "First cases reported in deadly 1918 flu pandemic." History, A&E Television Networks, 3 Mar. 2021, www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-cases-reported-in-deadly-influenza-epidemic. Accessed 15 Mar. 2022.
Lord, M.G. "Barbie." Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 June 2021, www.britannica.com/topic/Barbie. Accessed 15 Mar. 2022.
"Mar 15, 44 BCE: Julius Caesar Assassinated." National Geographic Society, www.nationalgeographic.org/thisday/mar15/julius-caesar-assassinated/. Accessed 14 Mar. 2022.
Stezano, Martin. "Beware the Ides of March. But Why?" History, A&E Television Networks, 14 Mar. 2022, www.history.com/news/beware-the-ides-of-march-but-why. Accessed 14 Mar. 2022.
"The Story Of The Tenerife Airport Disaster." YouTube, uploaded by Long Haul by Simple Flying, 7 Oct. 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxo0TBjIRIw. Accessed 14 Mar. 2022.
Tattrie, Jon, and Andrew McIntosh. "Newfoundland and Labrador and Confederation." The Canadian Encyclopedia, Historica Canada, 7 June 2021, www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/newfoundland-and-labrador-and-confederation. Accessed 16 Mar. 2022.
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