This Day in History: March 23

1490: 1st dated edition of Maimonides "Mishneh Torah" is published

Maimonides' "Mishneh Torah" is a comprehensive code of Jewish religious law. The first dated edition of this influential work was published in the year 1490.

1775: Patrick Henry proclaims "Give me liberty or give me death" in speech

During the American Revolutionary War, Patrick Henry gave a passionate speech in support of Virginia joining the fight for independence. He famously declared, "Give me liberty or give me death!"

1888: The Football League meets for the first time

The Football League, featuring teams from England and Wales, held its inaugural meeting in the year 1888. This league is the oldest association football league in the world, and its top teams formed the Premier League in 1992.

1919: 8th Congress of the Russian Communist Party re-establishes Politburo

The Russian Communist Party's 8th Congress re-established the Politburo, a five-member committee that would become the center of political power in the Soviet Union. The original members included Vladimir Lenin, Leon Trotsky, Joseph Stalin, Lev Kamenev, and Nikolai Krestinsky.

1933: Enabling Act grants Adolf Hitler dictatorial powers in Germany

The Enabling Act of 1933 gave Adolf Hitler the legal right to issue laws without consulting the German parliament. This effectively made him a dictator and led to the establishment of Nazi rule in Germany.

1945: US Navy bombs Japanese island of Okinawa in preparation for invasion

The Battle of Okinawa was the largest battle of the Pacific War in World War II. In preparation for the Allied invasion, US Navy ships bombarded the Japanese island of Okinawa.

1980: Archbishop Óscar Romero calls for end to violence in El Salvador

Archbishop Óscar Romero was a prominent critic of the violence and human rights abuses committed by the Salvadoran government and military during the country's civil war. In a famous sermon, he called on members of the armed forces to stop killing their fellow Salvadorians. Sadly, he was assassinated by a death squad the next day.

2001: Russian space station Mir crashes into the sea

The Mir space station, which had been in orbit for 15 years, was intentionally crashed into the Pacific Ocean in 2001. This marked the end of an era for Russian space exploration.

2019: Syrian Democratic Forces announce defeat of Islamic State "caliphate"

The Syrian Democratic Forces declared victory over the Islamic State group in 2019, marking the end of the group's territorial control in Syria and Iraq. This followed a years-long military campaign by a coalition of forces against the extremist organization.