History for October 24

History for October 24 - On-This-Day.com

Rafael Trujillo (Rafael Leónidas Trujillo Molina) 1891

• 1632 - Scientist Anthony van Leeuwenhoek was born in Delft, Holland. He created the first microscope lenses that were powerful enough to observe single-celled animals.
• 1648 - The Holy Roman Empire was effectively destroyed by the Peace of Westphalia that brought an end to the Thirty Years War.
• 1929 - In the U.S., investors dumped more than 13 million shares on the stock market. The day is known as "Black Tuesday."
• 1948 - The term "cold war" was used for the first time. It was in a speech by Bernard Baruch before the Senate War Investigating Committee.
• 1962 - During the Cuban Missile Crisis, U.S. military forces went on the highest alert in the postwar era in preparation for a possible full-scale war with the Soviet Union. The U.S. blockade of Cuba officially began on this day.