119 things happened on 20 October, from AD 888 to 2024. UK stories come first, then the rest of the world.
1910 · 116 years ago
The British ocean liner RMS Olympic was launched, which means she slid into the water for the first time. She was the lead ship of three sister liners built for the White Star Line. Her sisters were the Titanic and the Britannic, which both had short lives. O…
UK history first: stories from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
UK story
The British ocean liner RMS Olympic was launched, which means she slid into the water for the first time. She was the lead ship of three sister liners built for the White Star Line. Her sisters were the Titanic and the Britannic, which both had short lives. Olympic sailed for 24 years, from 1911 to 1935, and even carried troops in the First World War.
UK story
Liz Truss stepped down as Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party, during a political crisis. She had been in the job for only 49 days. That made her the shortest-serving prime minister in British history. The prime minister is the head of the UK government and chooses the other ministers.
UK story
Top Gear, the revived popular British TV motoring magazine, premieres on BBC.
Maria Theresa became ruler of the Habsburg monarchy, which included Austria, Hungary, Bohemia and many other lands. This was possible because of a special law, the Pragmatic Sanction, which allowed a daughter to inherit. She was the only woman to hold this position in her own right. She ruled for 40 years, until her death in 1780.
Leaders of the American colonies, meeting as the First Continental Congress in Philadelphia, adopted the Continental Association. It was an agreement to stop buying from and trading with British merchants. A boycott like this means refusing to buy things to make a point. It was one step in the American Revolution against British rule.
The United States and the United Kingdom signed the Convention of 1818. It fixed most of the border between Canada and the United States along the 49th parallel. A parallel is an imaginary line around the globe that runs from east to west. The Canada–US border is now the longest international border in the world.
Ships from Britain, France and Russia defeated an Ottoman and Egyptian fleet in Navarino Bay, off the west coast of Greece. At the time, the Greeks were fighting for independence from the Ottoman Empire. The victory made Greek independence much more likely. It was also the last major battle fought with wooden sailing ships.
Roger Patterson and Robert Gimlin filmed an unidentified figure in a forest in northern California. They said it was Bigfoot, also known as Sasquatch. Bigfoot is a large, hairy creature from North American folklore, said to live in the forests. People have tried for many years to prove the short film is either real or fake.
Scientists at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center in California published the results of their experiments. They showed that protons are made of even smaller particles, giving the first evidence of quarks. Protons are tiny particles found in the centre of every atom. The centre's particle accelerator is about 3.2 kilometres long.
The Sydney Opera House in Australia was opened by Queen Elizabeth II, after 14 years of building work. It stands on the edge of Sydney Harbour and has several different spaces for shows and concerts. It is one of the most famous buildings in the world. Many people see it as a masterpiece of 20th-century architecture.
The Spanish Duke of Alba defeats a Dutch rebel force under William the Silent.
Eighty Years' War: Three thousand Spanish soldiers wade through fifteen miles of water in one night to effect the relief of Goes.
The Patent of Toleration, providing limited freedom of worship, is approved in Austria.
The United States Senate ratifies the Louisiana Purchase.
Peru and Chile sign the Treaty of Ancón, by which the Tarapacá province is ceded to the latter, bringing an end to Peru's involvement in the War of the Pacific.
Chile and Bolivia sign the Treaty of Peace and Friendship, delimiting the border between the two countries.
The Long March, a mammoth retreat undertaken by the armed forces of the Chinese Communist Party a year prior, ends.
Pope Pius XII (pictured) published his first encyclical, Summi Pontificatus, which critiqued ideologies such as racism, cultural superiority and totalitarianism.
World War II: The Soviet Red Army and Yugoslav Partisans liberate Belgrade.
World War II: Fulfilling a promise he made two years previously, General Douglas MacArthur landed on Leyte to begin the recapture of the Philippines.
Cold War: The House Un-American Activities Committee begins its investigation into Communist infiltration of the Hollywood film industry, resulting in a blacklist that prevents some from working in the industry for years.
The Soviet Navy performs the first armed test of a submarine-launched ballistic missile, launching an R-13 from a Golf-class submarine.
China launches simultaneous offensives in Ladakh and across the McMahon Line, igniting the Sino-Indian War.
Space Shuttle Columbia launches on STS-73.
The Sloan Great Wall, once the largest cosmic structures known to humanity, is discovered by students at Princeton University.
The general conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) passes the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.
Syrian civil war: The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) declare victory in the Raqqa campaign.
Protests broke out across Chad after President Mahamat Déby (pictured) declared his intentions to extend his rule by another two years.
Prabowo Subianto and Gibran Rakabuming Raka were sworn in as president and vice president of Indonesia, becoming the oldest and the youngest person to assume respective offices.
Every answer is somewhere on this page. Have a go, then check!
In which year did this happen: “Liz Truss steps down after 49 days as Prime Minister”?
C: 2022. 2022 — that’s 4 years ago. Find it on the page
In which year did this happen: “The ocean liner RMS Olympic is launched”?
B: 1910. 1910 — that’s 116 years ago. Find it on the page
Which of these happened first?
A: Maria Theresa becomes ruler of the Habsburg lands. 1740: Maria Theresa becomes ruler of the Habsburg lands · 2022: Liz Truss steps down after 49 days as Prime Minister · 1910: The ocean liner RMS Olympic is launched Find it on the page
“James Chadwick” happened in 1891. How many years ago was that?
C: 135 years. 2026 − 1891 = 135. Find it on the page
Famous people whose birthday is 20 October.
UK story
The British physicist James Chadwick was born. He discovered the neutron, one of the tiny particles found in the centre of atoms. For this discovery he won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1935. He was later knighted, becoming Sir James Chadwick.
UK story
The Welsh footballer Ian Rush was born. He played as a forward for Liverpool from 1980 to 1987, and again from 1988 to 1996. He scored 346 goals for the club in all competitions, more than any other Liverpool player. He is seen as one of the greatest Welsh footballers ever.
Well-known people who died on 20 October.
Festivals, holidays and saints’ days celebrated on 20 October somewhere in the world.
In the Czech Republic, 20 October is Arbor Day. Arbor Day is a special day when people are encouraged to plant trees. Many countries have one, and it is usually held in spring. However, the date changes from place to place, depending on the climate and the best season for planting.
Content note: these entries mention things like war, violence, deaths, disasters or crime. They are part of history, but they can be upsetting. Grown-ups and teachers: you may want to read them first. They come straight from Wikipedia and have not been rewritten for children.
Stories with a heading have been written for young readers by A Day in the Past, using the linked articles as sources. Other entries show text from Wikipedia’s “October 20” page and its “On this day” feed, written by Wikipedia contributors and shared under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 licence. Each “Read more” link goes to the article an entry is based on. Photos are credited under each picture. Spotted a mistake? Please tell us.