On September 27, 1928, the Republic of China was officially recognized by the United States.
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Drake’s Voyage
British pirate and subject of Queen Elizabeth I, Francis Drake, finished his circumnavigation of the globe when he returned to Plymouth, England, on September 26, 1580.
Ferdinand Magellan’s expedition (1519–1522) is often credited as the first circumnavigation of the globe, but Magellan himself died in 1521 in the Philippines, with Juan Sebastián Elcano completing the journey as captain. There are no well-documented cases of a captain completing a full circumnavigation before Drake, making the pirate’s circumnavigation (1577–1580) the first where the initial captain, Drake himself — survived to complete the entire journey.
Drake began his circumnavigation in 1577 with five ships: the Pelican (later renamed Golden Hind), Elizabeth, Marigold, Swan, and Christopher. By the time he returned to England in 1580, only one ship, the Golden Hind, completed the journey. The others were either lost, scuttled, or abandoned due to damage, crew issues, or strategic decisions during the voyage.
Nevertheless, the expedition was dubbed a success, for during his voyage, Drake raided Spanish ships and settlements, capturing vast amounts of gold, silver, jewels, and other valuables, particularly from Spanish colonies in the Americas and the treasure ship Nuestra Señora de la Concepción (known as the Cacafuego). The haul was so substantial that it reportedly filled the Golden Hind to capacity. Upon his return to England, Drake’s plunder was estimated to be worth around £600,000, an immense fortune at the time.
Such was “exploration” in the 16th century.
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Rome’s Last
For the final time in Roman history, Rome’s Senate chose an emperor, electing 75-year-old Marcus Claudius Tacitus on September 25th, A.D. 275. This is yet another milestone on the road to the collapse of republicanism in the much-discussed “decline and fall of the Roman Empire.”
Western civilization’s first passenger-carrying airship, the Giffard dirigible, traveled under its own power 17 miles, from Paris to Trappes, on September 24, 1852.
The image is of a model on exhibit in the London Science Museum.
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Sweden minus Norway
On September 23, 1905, Norway and Sweden signed the “Karlstad treaty,” peacefully dissolving the union between the two countries.
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At Salamis
On September 21, 480 BC, Greeks defeated Persian forces in the massive naval battle of Salamis.
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First U.S. budget
On September 19, 1778, the Continental Congress passed the first budget of the United States.
Congress last passed a budget in 1997.
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Cornerstone & Anti-Corn Law
On September 18, 1793, George Washington laid the cornerstone of the Capitol building.
On September 18, 1838, Richard Cobden established the Anti-Corn Law League, which eventually brought free trade to Britain.
On September 17, 1683, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek wrote a letter to the Royal Society describing “animalcules,” later known as protozoa.
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Hong Kong Liberation
On September 16, 1945, the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong came to an end.