In 1605, the Gunpowder Plot was foiled — a daring plan by Guy Fawkes and his fellow conspirators to blow up the Houses of Parliament and assassinate King James I. Their discovery sparked nationwide relief and celebrations that continue today as Guy Fawkes Day, with fireworks and bonfires marking the night England narrowly escaped disaster.

Henry I wasn’t supposed to be king. As the youngest son of William the Conqueror, he was expected to pursue a life of learning—not power. But when opportunity knocked in 1100 after his brother’s sudden death, Henry seized the crown with remarkable speed. Known for his sharp mind and political skill, he issued reforms, defeated rivals, and ruled longer than any king since the Conquest.

In 1989, students gathered in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square to demand political reform, freedom of speech, and an end to government corruption. Their peaceful protest ended in a violent military crackdown, but the movement left a lasting mark on global history as a symbol of resistance and the fight for democracy.