Post #147183 by freddiefreelance on Wed, Mar 16, 2005 9:51 AM

On March 16, 1521, Ferdinand Magellan landed on the island of Homonhon in the Philippines. The fact that they had been "discovered" was a surprise to the Aetas, Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Southeast Asians & Arabs who were already in residence there.

Magellan was able to communicate with the native peoples because his Malay interpreter could understand their language. He was received in a friendly manner by the chief of the island of Cebú, who, after eight days, was baptized along with several hundred other natives. Magellan was killed by the forces of chief Lapu-Lapu (the Philippine horo, not the Grouper fish) while attempting to subdue the island of Mactan.

Other Historical Highlights:

• St. Urho's Day - the fictional patron saint of Finnish immigrants to the US, created by Richard Mattson in 1956.
• The first day of the Bacchanalia in ancient Rome
• 1903 - Judge Roy Bean, jurist, Old West pioneer, Died (b. c. 1825)
• 1906 - Henny Youngman, American comedian, was Born(d. 1998)
• 1926 - Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket, at Auburn, Massachusetts.
• 1926 - Jerry Lewis, American comedian was Born.
  
• 1940 - Chuck Woolery, game show host was Born.
• 1941 - Bernardo Bertolucci, Italian film director was Born

Rev. Dr. Frederick J. Freelance, Ph.D., D.F.S

[ Edited by: freddiefreelance on 2005-03-16 10:09 ]