22 fun facts for November, 2
Discover dozens of fun facts for this special day. Read the summary for a quick recap on what happened.
Summary
November 2nd is rich in historical events and quirky celebrations. From the first radio broadcast in the United States to the beginning of the European Union, as well as North and South Dakota becoming U.S. states, there's no shortage of fun facts to commemorate on this day. So take a moment to appreciate everything from All Souls' Day and the Spice Girls to deviled eggs and circles on this unique day in history.
22 Fun facts
- In 1889, North Dakota became the 39th state of the United States on this day. The state's admission to the Union was followed by a close statehood of South Dakota.
- November 2nd is All Souls' Day or Dia de los Muertos, a traditional Mexican holiday where people honor the lives of departed loved ones with specially prepared meals, parades, and decorated altars.
- On this day in 2000, astronaut Bill Shepherd and cosmonauts Sergei Krikalev and Yuri Gidzenko boarded the International Space Station (ISS), marking the beginning of continuous human habitation in space.
- In 1920, KDKA, America's first commercial radio station, made its first broadcast on November 2nd, announcing the results of the U.S. presidential election between Warren G. Harding and James Cox.
- The iconic candy, Milky Way, was introduced by Mars Incorporated in 1923, sharing the same birth date as this enjoyable chocolate bar.
- November 2nd is National Deviled Egg Day in the United States, celebrating these savory treats that have been a staple of American gatherings and parties for decades.
- The Spice Girls released their debut single, "Wannabe," in the United States on this day in 1996. The song quickly became a worldwide hit and marked the beginning of the girl group's massively successful career.
- In 1947, billionaire aviation mogul and film producer Howard Hughes piloted the Spruce Goose on its one and only flight on this day.
- Marie Antoinette, the former queen of France, was laid to rest in the Basilica of St. Denis alongside other French royalty on November 2nd, 1815, following the end of the Napoleonic wars.
- In 1922, Australian archeologist Howard Carter discovered the entrance to King Tutankhamun's tomb in the Valley of the Kings, initiating one of the most significant archeological finds in history.
- The Maastricht Treaty, a foundational document for the European Union, took effect on November 2, 1993.
- On November 2, 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed a bill establishing Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a federal holiday, honoring the civil rights leader's legacy.
- In 1889, South Dakota became the 40th state of the United States, following the statehood of North Dakota on the same day.
- Benjamin Guggenheim, one of the Titanic's most famous passengers, was born on this day in 1865. He was a prominent businessman and philanthropist in the United States.
- November 2nd is National Look for Circles Day, a lesser-known holiday celebrating circles, encouraging people to observe their surroundings and appreciate the geometric beauty all around us.
- In 1990, the population of Armenia voted overwhelmingly for independence from the Soviet Union in a referendum held on November 2nd.
- On this day in 1960, Harper Lee's classic novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, solidifying its status as a classic work of American literature.
- Nell Gwyn, the famous actress and mistress of King Charles II of England, was born on November 2nd, 1650.
- On this day in 2004, the European Space Agency's SMART-1 satellite was launched into space to study the Moon using pioneering ion engine propulsion.
- In 1922, the American novel "Ulysses" by author James Joyce, was banned in the United States due to its explicit content.
- On November 2nd, 1917, the Balfour Declaration was issued by the United Kingdom, stating support for the establishment of a "national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine.
- In 1959, Charles Van Doren, a quiz-show contestant on the popular U.S. television program "Twenty-One," admitted to cheating by receiving answers in advance, sparking the quiz-show scandals of the late 1950s.