This Day in History: March 25

1436: Florentine Cathedral Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore consecrated

The cathedral, which began construction in 1296, boasts the largest dome in the world, designed by Filippo Brunelleschi with support from Cosimo de' Medici. It was consecrated by Pope Eugene IV on this day.

1807: British Parliament abolishes slave trade

The Slave Trade Act, which prohibited the trading of slaves throughout the British Empire, was passed by the British Parliament. The act introduced a fine of £120 per slave for ship captains who violated the ban.

1895: Italian troops invade Abyssinia

In an attempt to expand their colonial empire, Italian troops invaded Abyssinia (now Ethiopia). The conflict resulted in the Italian conquest of Abyssinia in 1936.

1949: Soviet Union begins deporting Baltic nationals

Operation Priboi, also known as the March deportation, was a Soviet campaign designed to weaken the Baltic nationalist movement. About 90,000 Estonians, Latvians, and Lithuanians were forcibly deported to some of the most inhospitable areas of Russia. The majority of the deportees were women and children, and they were labeled "enemies of the people" by Soviet authorities.

1957: Six countries found the European Economic Community

The Treaty of Rome was signed by six European countries, Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and West Germany, establishing the European Economic Community (EEC). The EEC was a precursor to the European Union, which was created in 1993.

1960: First guided missile launched from nuclear-powered submarine

The USS Halibut successfully launched the first guided missile from a submarine powered by a nuclear reactor. This achievement marked a significant advancement in submarine warfare capabilities.

1975: King Faisal of Saudi Arabia assassinated

Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, King of Saudi Arabia, was assassinated by his nephew, Faisal bin Musaid. Despite the king's dying wish that the life of his assassin be spared, Faisal bin Musaid was publicly executed on June 18, 1975.

1988: First peaceful demonstrations against communist regime in Czechoslovakia

The Candle Demonstration, a peaceful protest against the communist regime in Czechoslovakia, took place in Wenceslas Square, Prague. The protest was brutally dispersed by police, but it was a significant step towards the Velvet Revolution, which resulted in the establishment of democracy in the country.

1995: World's first wiki launched

The world's first wiki, WikiWikiWeb, was launched by Ward Cunningham. A wiki is a user-editable website, and today, Wikipedia is the most well-known and widely used wiki.