 |
 |
 |
 |
| World's Tallest Roller Coaster Opens in New Jersey (2005) |
| Reaching a height of 456 feet (139 m) and with a top speed of 128 mph (206 km/h), the Kingda Ka roller coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure theme park in Jackson, New Jersey, became the tallest and the fastest roller coaster in the world when it opened in 2005. It took both titles from Cedar Point park's Top Thrill Dragster, which was designed by the same company and is nearly identical. Kingda Ka lost its title as the world's fastest roller coaster in 2010 to what attraction? Discuss |
| Read More...(Source: This Day in History - Mon, 21 May 2012 05:00:00 GMT) |
| Cartographer Abraham Ortelius Issues the First Modern Atlas (1570) |
| Prior to 1570, maps were often unreliable, illegible, and unwieldy. When Ortelius published his Theatrum orbis terrarium, it was the first comprehensive, easy-to-use, and fairly up-to-date collection of world maps. It drew from the works of 87 cartographers, all of whom were credited. Demand was immediate and persisted for decades, during which time dozens of editions were published in several languages. In addition to practical contemporary maps, Ortelius published what? |
| Read More...(Source: This Day in History - Sun, 20 May 2012 05:00:00 GMT) |
| Catherine of Aragon Married by Proxy to Arthur, Prince of Wales (1499) |
| Catherine of Aragon is known as the first of King Henry VIII's six wives, but before they were wed, she was married to his older brother Arthur. Catherine was the youngest daughter of Spain's Ferdinand II and Isabella I, and her marriage to Arthur was primarily political. In fact, Arthur and Catherine were married by proxy before they had even met, in a ceremony attended by their representatives. The marriage was short-lived, as Arthur died young. When did Arthur and Catherine finally meet? |
| Read More...(Source: This Day in History - Sat, 19 May 2012 05:00:00 GMT) |