The Massachusetts Bay Colony passed a law making it illegal to not believe in the divine origin of the Bible 370 years ago today. The punishment for this crime was death by hanging. The law also established a fine of five shillings for failing to attend church on Sunday.

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Presidents of the United States elected on November 4: James Buchanan, Grover Cleveland (1884; a campaign button from that election is at top), Calvin Coolidge, Dwight D. Eisenhower (1952), Ronald Reagan (1980), Barack Obama (2008).

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Howard Carter found the steps that led down to KV62, the tomb that contained the remains of pharaoh Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings, on this date in 1922.

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On this date in 1963, The Beatles appeared at the Queen’s Royal Variety Performance (the group was the seventh out of nineteen acts), and John Lennon won royal favor with a somewhat cheeky joke: “For our last number, I’d like to ask your help. The people in the cheaper seats, clap your hands. And the rest of you, if you’d just rattle your jewelry.”

Brian Epstein, the band’s manager, was relieved that Lennon had not repeated the quip he had promised Epstein backstage: “Rattle your (unprintable) jewelry.”

They launched into “Twist and Shout.”

 
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Wilfred Owen died on this date in 1918. Grover Cleveland Alexander died on this date in 1950. Cy Young died on this date in 1955. Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated 21 years ago today.

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Walter Cronkite was born 100 years ago today. Art Carney was born on this date in 1918. Martin Balsam was born on this date in 1919. C. K. Williams was born 80 years ago today. Robert Mapplethorpe was born 70 years ago today.

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Loretta Swit is 79 today. Markie Post is 66. Charles Frazier is 66. Kathy Griffin is 56. Ralph Macchio is 55. Matthew McConaughey is 47. Sean Combs is 47.

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