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.

During the French Revolution, the Reign of Terror (1793–1794) plunged France into chaos as fear, suspicion, and political purges ruled the nation. Thousands were executed by guillotine, including Marie Antoinette, while Robespierre’s grip on power tightened — until he, too, met the blade. A dark reminder of how revolutionary ideals can spiral into bloodshed.

On May 8, 1886, a curious new drink was served for the first time at Jacobs' Pharmacy in Atlanta, Georgia—Coca-Cola. What began as a...