March 31st What Happened on the day you were born on This day in History
1959 India Dalai Lama
31st March, 1959: The spiritual leader of Tibet, the Dalai Lama, has crossed the border into India after a 15 day journey on foot from the Tibetan capital, Lhasa, over the Himalayan mountains seeking asylum. This follows the Chinese repression of the rebellion by Tibetans in Lhasa. The Dalai Lama, is granted political asylum in India.
31st March, 1959: The spiritual leader of Tibet, the Dalai Lama, has crossed the border into India after a 15 day journey on foot from the Tibetan capital, Lhasa, over the Himalayan mountains seeking asylum. This follows the Chinese repression of the rebellion by Tibetans in Lhasa. The Dalai Lama, is granted political asylum in India.
1940 England Winston Churchill Warns Against German Invasion
31st March, 1940: The first sea lord of the admiralty Winston Churchill has warned that a million German troops are massed on the borders of Luxembourg, Belgium and Holland ready to strike and that England and it's allies must be prepared to protect other countries in the forthcoming conflict.
31st March, 1940: The first sea lord of the admiralty Winston Churchill has warned that a million German troops are massed on the borders of Luxembourg, Belgium and Holland ready to strike and that England and it's allies must be prepared to protect other countries in the forthcoming conflict.
1949 Canada Newfoundland Joins Confederation
31st March, 1949 : Newfoundland and Labrador entered the Canadian confederation as the 10th province. The years each province joined the Canadian Confederation
1867 Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick
1870 Manitoba, Northwest Territories
1871 British Columbia
1873 Prince Edward Island
1898 Yukon
1905 Saskatchewan, Alberta
1949 Newfoundland
1999 Nunavut
31st March, 1949 : Newfoundland and Labrador entered the Canadian confederation as the 10th province. The years each province joined the Canadian Confederation
1867 Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick
1870 Manitoba, Northwest Territories
1871 British Columbia
1873 Prince Edward Island
1898 Yukon
1905 Saskatchewan, Alberta
1949 Newfoundland
1999 Nunavut
1943 U.S.A. Oklahoma!
31st March, 1943 : The musical "Oklahoma!" debuts on Broadway. This play, written by the famed duo Rodgers and Hammerstein, was originally titled "Away We Go" and continues to be produced by theaters across the country.
31st March, 1943 : The musical "Oklahoma!" debuts on Broadway. This play, written by the famed duo Rodgers and Hammerstein, was originally titled "Away We Go" and continues to be produced by theaters across the country.
1964 Brazil Brazilian coup d'état
31st March, 1964 : A military coup d'état in Brazil led by Gen. Humberto Castello Branco ousted Pres. Joao Goulart.
31st March, 1964 : A military coup d'état in Brazil led by Gen. Humberto Castello Branco ousted Pres. Joao Goulart.
1966 England Harold Wilson
31st March, 1966: Harold Wilson wins sweeping victory as the Labour party wins the general election with a majority of about 100 seats in the House of Commons.
31st March, 1966: Harold Wilson wins sweeping victory as the Labour party wins the general election with a majority of about 100 seats in the House of Commons.
1968 U.S.A. Johnson Announces He Will Not Run
31st March, 1968 : President Johnson announces on nationwide television he would not run for another term of office saying "I shall not seek and I will not accept the nomination of my party as your President.".
31st March, 1968 : President Johnson announces on nationwide television he would not run for another term of office saying "I shall not seek and I will not accept the nomination of my party as your President.".
1972 England CND March
31st March, 1972: The CND ( Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament ) organizes a four day demonstration against nuclear arms including a march to Aldermaston .
31st March, 1972: The CND ( Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament ) organizes a four day demonstration against nuclear arms including a march to Aldermaston .
1973 U.S.A. Mississippi Floods
31st March, 1973: The Mississippi River reaches its peak level in St. Louis during a record 77-day flood. During the flooding 33 died and and millions of acres of farm land were unusable for a full year following the flood, also because the area's affected were in a known flood plain many residents had no insurance and lost everything they had worked for, this is also why the 33 died as they refused to evacuate the area.
31st March, 1973: The Mississippi River reaches its peak level in St. Louis during a record 77-day flood. During the flooding 33 died and and millions of acres of farm land were unusable for a full year following the flood, also because the area's affected were in a known flood plain many residents had no insurance and lost everything they had worked for, this is also why the 33 died as they refused to evacuate the area.
1986 Great Britain Greater London Council Abolished
31st March, 1986: The GLC or Greater London Council is abolished after 97 years of local rule in London, England.
31st March, 1986: The GLC or Greater London Council is abolished after 97 years of local rule in London, England.
1990 England Poll Tax Demonstrations
31st March, 1990 : The worst violence seen so far in the series of Anti Poll Tax demonstrations erupted in London during the largest rally when nearly 100,000 people take to the streets in protest at the new government levy. More than 400 were arrested and property was damaged with repairs estimated at £400,000 after the demonstration .
The Poll Tax ( Community Charge ) was introduced by Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government in 1989 (Scotland) and 1990 (England and Wales) and was a single flat rate per person tax on every working adult, at a rate set by the local authority. It was designed to replace the rating system of taxes ( which was based on valuation and rent value ) to fund local government. The tax was believed by many to move the tax burden from the rich to the poor, under earlier local taxes ( Rateable Value "Rates" ) those who owned the largest and most expensive property paid the most but under "Poll Tax" the tax was moved to the number of people living in the house.
The Poll Tax was formally abolished in 1993/1994 with the new The Council Tax which resembled the old rating system that the Poll Tax had replaced.
31st March, 1990 : The worst violence seen so far in the series of Anti Poll Tax demonstrations erupted in London during the largest rally when nearly 100,000 people take to the streets in protest at the new government levy. More than 400 were arrested and property was damaged with repairs estimated at £400,000 after the demonstration .
The Poll Tax ( Community Charge ) was introduced by Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government in 1989 (Scotland) and 1990 (England and Wales) and was a single flat rate per person tax on every working adult, at a rate set by the local authority. It was designed to replace the rating system of taxes ( which was based on valuation and rent value ) to fund local government. The tax was believed by many to move the tax burden from the rich to the poor, under earlier local taxes ( Rateable Value "Rates" ) those who owned the largest and most expensive property paid the most but under "Poll Tax" the tax was moved to the number of people living in the house.
The Poll Tax was formally abolished in 1993/1994 with the new The Council Tax which resembled the old rating system that the Poll Tax had replaced.
1991 Soviet Union The Warsaw Pact Ends
31st March, 1991: The Warsaw Pact a military alliance between the Soviet Union and its eastern European neighbors ends .
31st March, 1991: The Warsaw Pact a military alliance between the Soviet Union and its eastern European neighbors ends .
1992 Libya Sanctions Imposed On Libya
31st March, 1992: The U.N. Security Council voted to ban flights and arms sales to Libya, for shielding six men accused of blowing up Pan Am Flight 103 and a French airliner
31st March, 1992: The U.N. Security Council voted to ban flights and arms sales to Libya, for shielding six men accused of blowing up Pan Am Flight 103 and a French airliner
1995 U.S.A. Selena Quintanilla
31st March, 1995: Grammy award winning Mexican American singer Selena Quintanilla was shot and murdered in a motel room by the woman who founded her fan club
31st March, 1995: Grammy award winning Mexican American singer Selena Quintanilla was shot and murdered in a motel room by the woman who founded her fan club
1995 U.S.A. 1994 Major League Baseball Strike
31st March, 1995: Baseball players agreed to end a 232-day strike which had begun on August 12, 1994, after a judge granted a preliminary injunction against club owners.
The strike led to the cancellation of 938 games overall, including the entire 1994 postseason and 1994 World Series.
Like nearly all strikes the Baseball player strike revolved around money with club owners demanding a salary cap in response to the worsening financial situation in baseball.
31st March, 1995: Baseball players agreed to end a 232-day strike which had begun on August 12, 1994, after a judge granted a preliminary injunction against club owners.
The strike led to the cancellation of 938 games overall, including the entire 1994 postseason and 1994 World Series.
Like nearly all strikes the Baseball player strike revolved around money with club owners demanding a salary cap in response to the worsening financial situation in baseball.
2004 Iraq Four US Contractors Ambushed and Murdered
31st March, 2004: Four Blackwater Security Consulting (BSC) employees are ambushed and murdered in Fallujah, Iraq.
The four armed contractors, Scott Helvenston, Jerko Zovko, Wesley Batalona and Michael Teague, were dragged from their cars, beaten, and set ablaze.
Photos of the horrendous crimes were released to news agencies worldwide, causing indignation and outrage in the United States and other countries.
31st March, 2004: Four Blackwater Security Consulting (BSC) employees are ambushed and murdered in Fallujah, Iraq.
The four armed contractors, Scott Helvenston, Jerko Zovko, Wesley Batalona and Michael Teague, were dragged from their cars, beaten, and set ablaze.
Photos of the horrendous crimes were released to news agencies worldwide, causing indignation and outrage in the United States and other countries.
2005 U.S.A. Terri Schiavo
31st March, 2005: Terri Schiavo, the center of the most heavily litigated right-to-die dispute in U.S. history, died today, 13 days after her feeding tube was removed.
31st March, 2005: Terri Schiavo, the center of the most heavily litigated right-to-die dispute in U.S. history, died today, 13 days after her feeding tube was removed.
2005 UK Children Conceived Using Donor Eggs or Sperm Can Trace Parents
31st March, 2005: New laws in the UK now give the right to those born using donor eggs or sperm will have the option to ask for the identity of their donor will be when they turn 18. The new law is not retrospective, so people who have already donated will not be affected, but those donating from now and the children born through those donations will have the right to trace their biological parent in through the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority the same way as children who are adopted can ask adoption agencies. The new laws are causing some concern by infertility clinics about the future because the number of donors is expected to drop significantly.
31st March, 2005: New laws in the UK now give the right to those born using donor eggs or sperm will have the option to ask for the identity of their donor will be when they turn 18. The new law is not retrospective, so people who have already donated will not be affected, but those donating from now and the children born through those donations will have the right to trace their biological parent in through the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority the same way as children who are adopted can ask adoption agencies. The new laws are causing some concern by infertility clinics about the future because the number of donors is expected to drop significantly.
