Sir Thomas Warner founds the first British colony in the Caribbean, on the island of Saint Kitts.

Saint Kitts, officially known as Saint Christopher Island, is part of the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis in the Caribbean. The history of Saint Kitts is rich and spans centuries, involving indigenous people, European colonization, and the complex legacy of slavery. Here’s an overview:

Indigenous Peoples:
The island was originally inhabited by the Kalinago people, who called it “Liamuiga,” meaning “fertile land.” The Kalinago were skilled in agriculture and fishing and had a complex social structure.

European Colonization:
Christopher Columbus is believed to have sighted Saint Kitts in 1493 during his second voyage to the Americas. However, European colonization did not begin until the early 17th century when the English and the French established settlements on the island. The first English settlement was established in 1623, and the first French settlement followed in 1625.

Colonial Conflicts:
The island became a focal point of conflicts between European powers, particularly the English and the French, who sought control over its valuable sugar-producing land. The Treaty of Paris in 1783 ultimately awarded Saint Kitts to the British, solidifying their control.

Sugar Plantations and Slavery:
Like many Caribbean islands, Saint Kitts became a hub for sugar production. The development of large-scale sugar plantations led to the importation of enslaved Africans to work on these plantations. The institution of slavery played a significant role in shaping the island’s demographics and cultural landscape.

Emancipation and Post-Slavery Era:
Slavery was abolished in the British Empire in 1834. After emancipation, Saint Kitts faced economic challenges as the sugar industry declined. The island underwent social and economic changes, and former slaves sought to establish their own communities and livelihoods.

Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis:
Saint Kitts and Nevis gained independence from British rule on September 19, 1983, becoming one of the smallest independent countries in the Western Hemisphere. The two islands form a federal state with a shared government.

Modern Economy and Tourism:
In recent years, Saint Kitts has diversified its economy beyond agriculture, with a focus on tourism and offshore financial services. The island has become a popular tourist destination, attracting visitors with its beautiful beaches, historical sites, and vibrant culture.

Historical Sites:
Saint Kitts has preserved some of its historical sites, including Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park. Brimstone Hill, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a well-preserved fortress that showcases the island’s colonial history. It played a strategic role in the defense of the island during periods of European conflicts.

Sir Horace Walpole coins the word serendipity in a letter to a friend.

Supergroup USA for Africa (United Support of Artists for Africa) records the hit single We Are the World, to help raise funds for Ethiopian famine relief.

The Lego company patents the design of its Lego bricks, still compatible with bricks produced today.

Japanese forces attack Shanghai.

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Japanese forces attack Shanghai.

This article is about the 1937 battle. For the 1932 Japanese attack on Shanghai, see January 28 incident. For other uses, see Battle of Shanghai.
The Battle of Shanghai was the first of the twenty-two major engagements fought between the National Revolutionary Army of the Republic of China and the Imperial Japanese Army of the Empire of Japan at the beginning of the Second Sino-Japanese War. It was one of the largest and bloodiest battles of the entire war, described as “Stalingrad on the Yangtze”.

Since the Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1931 followed by the Japanese attack of Shanghai in 1932, there had been ongoing armed conflicts between China and Japan without an official declaration of war. These conflicts finally escalated in July 1937, when the Marco Polo Bridge Incident triggered the full invasion from Japan. Dogged Chinese resistance at Shanghai was aimed at stalling the rapid Japanese advance, giving much needed time for the Chinese government to move vital industries to the interior, while at the same time attempting to bring sympathetic Western powers to China’s side. During the fierce three-month battle, Chinese and Japanese troops fought in downtown Shanghai, in the outlying towns, and on the beaches of the Yangtze River and Hangzhou Bay, where the Japanese had made amphibious landings.

The Chinese soldiers had to rely primarily on small-caliber weapons in their defense of Shanghai, against an overwhelming Japanese onslaught of air, naval, and armored striking power. In the end, Shanghai fell, and China lost a significant portion of its best troops, while also failing to elicit any international intervention. The resistance of Chinese forces, however, shocked the Japanese, who had been indoctrinated with notions of cultural and martial superiority, and dramatically demoralized the Imperial Japanese Army.

The battle can be divided into three stages, and eventually involved nearly one million troops. The first stage lasted from August 13 to August 22, 1937, during which the NRA attempted to eradicate Japanese troop presence in downtown Shanghai. The second stage lasted from August 23 to October 26, 1937, during which the Japanese launched amphibious landings on the Jiangsu coast and the two armies fought a Stalingrad-type house-to-house battle, with the Japanese attempting to gain control of the city and the surrounding regions. The last stage, ranging from October 27 to the end of November 1937, involved the retreat of the Chinese army in the face of Japanese flanking maneuvers, and the ensuing combat on the road to China’s capital, Nanjing.

The Space Shuttle Challenger explodes after liftoff. All all seven astronauts on board are killed.

In India, the Battle of Aliwal is won by British troops.

The final episode of the British radio comedy programme The Goon Show is broadcast.