On this date in history, a magnitude 8.6 earthquake struck the western coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, in 2005, resulting in approximately 1,000 deaths and widespread destruction. Other notable events on March 28th include the merging of Barnum & Bailey circuses in 1881 and the sentencing of FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried to 25 years in prison in 2024.
Historical Events
In 1881, P.T. Barnum and James A. Bailey combined their circuses to create The Greatest Show on Earth. The circus later became Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, which concluded its performances for five years beginning in 2017.
Madrid surrendered to the forces of Generalissimo Francisco Franco in 1939, marking the end of the Spanish Civil War.
The counterculture musical Hair premiered on Broadway in 1968.
Dwight D. Eisenhower, a World War II hero and the 34th president of the United States, died in Washington in 1969 at the age of 78.
A near meltdown occurred at the nuclear power plant on Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania in 1979 due to a failure in the cooling system. This incident was the most significant accident at a U.S. civilian nuclear facility.
Bob Irsay relocated the Baltimore Colts NFL team to Indianapolis in 1984 without prior announcement. Subsequently, two longtime fans of the team filed a lawsuit against the owner, alleging severe emotional distress.
In 1991, former U.S. President Ronald Reagan endorsed a seven-day waiting period for handgun purchases, reversing his previous stance, just days before the 10th anniversary of an assassination attempt on his life.
Russian President Boris Yeltsin survived an impeachment vote by the Congress of People’s Deputies in 1993.
The U.S. Congress approved the presidential line-item veto in 1996.
In 2005, an 8.6-magnitude earthquake jolted the western coast of Sumatra, killing about 1,000 people and destroying hundreds of buildings.
Lobbyist Jack Abramoff, linked to several members of Congress, was sentenced to six years in prison in 2006 after being convicted on fraud charges. He was released from prison in 2010.
The space shuttle Discovery landed at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida in 2009 after a 13-day mission to the International Space Station, completing the installation of its fourth set of solar wings and bringing the ISS to full power.
U.S. President Barack Obama made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan in 2010 to meet with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and address U.S. troops.
A fire during a riot at a police station in Valencia, Venezuela, claimed the lives of 68 people in 2018. Prisoners ignited a mattress in an attempt to escape.
FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried received a 25-year prison sentence in 2024 after being convicted of fraud related to the collapse of the cryptocurrency exchange.
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