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27th April’s history- Tea,Beethoven & Explorer

27th April’s history- Tea,Beethoven & Explorer

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27th April's History

This episode highlights significant historical events from the 27th of April’s history which includes the Tea Act, the composition of “Für Elise”, the laying of the foundation stone for the new Palace of Westminster in London, and the successful launch of Explorer 11 by NASA. The text also includes an interesting news piece about the launch of the first water metro in Kochi on April 25th.

This is a series where I try to bring to you the history of the day. I shall share the 27th of April’s history with you, but before that let me share some news from the present time.

From before the time men walked upon the earth, in the heart of Gondwana, as this globe worked out under heat and pressure, the plateaus thrust upwards, while water flowed from the rocks to form the landscape known to us today as Chhattisgarh. It was here where we witnessed the biggest attack carried out by Maoists on the security forces yesterday. Ten jawans from the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and their driver were killed when an IED planted by Maoists exploded. This brings me to the question of why would the citizens of a country revolt against their own country. Somewhere something is wrong as we still have not been able to find a solution to the Maoist movement for the last 60 years. 

Sad, isn’t it so now let me share some news which will make you happy. A piece of fascinating news from the Queen of Arabian Sea – Kochi. On the 25th of April, the residents of Kochi were gifted the first water metro in India. This new form of transportation will connect 10 islands around the city of Malabar cost through battery-operated electric hybrid boats. The project is funded by the Government of Kerala and German firm KfW. So Bon Voyage Keralites.

Well for the rest of us let us travel through time and go to England in the year 1773.

BOSTON TEA PARTY

27th April’s history takes us to the year 1773. It was this day when the British Parliament passed the Tea Act, which granted the British East India Company a monopoly on tea sales in the American colonies. This law was intended to help the struggling East India Company by increasing their sales of tea in America and reducing the surplus of tea in Britain.

However, the American colonists saw this as yet another attempt by the British government to assert their control over the colonies and were outraged. The colonists saw the Tea Act as a violation of their rights to representation in the British government and saw the monopoly granted to the East India Company as a threat to their economic freedom.

The Tea Act led to the famous Boston Tea Party, where colonists, disguised as Native Americans, boarded British tea ships and dumped hundreds of chests of tea into Boston Harbor in protest against the Tea Act.

The British government responded harshly to the Boston Tea Party, passing a series of laws known as the Coercive Acts or Intolerable Acts, which further restricted the colonists’ freedoms and led to increased tensions between Britain and the colonies, ultimately leading to the American Revolutionary War.

Talking of revolts I come to my second story, another revolution but of a different kind. But before that why don’t you listen to this and see if you can identify the same…

 

FUR ELISE

I am sure many of you are familiar with this tune, but did you know it was on the 27th of April 1810 when this historical tune was composed by Ludwig van Beethoven which revolutionized the music industry? Interestingly Für Elise remains one of his most famous piano pieces to date. The piece is a solo piano work in the key of A minor and is believed to have been written for one of Beethoven’s students, a woman named Therese Malfatti.

The exact identity of “Elise” remains a mystery, as Beethoven’s original manuscript was discovered decades after his death, without any dedication or inscription to indicate who the piece was intended for. However, “Für Elise” remains one of Beethoven’s most popular and recognizable compositions, and has been featured in countless films, TV shows, and other media over the years.

The piece is notable for its playful, light-hearted melody and relatively simple structure, which has made it a favorite of pianists and music lovers of all ages. Despite its popularity, however, “Für Elise” was not published until several years after Beethoven’s death, and even then, it was largely forgotten until the 20th century.

Today, “Für Elise” remains a beloved part of Beethoven’s legacy and a testament to his enduring talent as a composer.

That brings me to the third story for today which will take you to the year 1840 the same year when the Bank of Bombay was established.

THE PALACE OF WESTMINSTER

On April 27th, 1840, a significant event took place in London, as the foundation stone for the new Palace of Westminster was laid by Sarah Barry, the wife of the building’s architect, Charles Barry. This momentous occasion marked the beginning of a project that would take over 30 years to complete and would become one of the most iconic buildings in the world.

The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament, had been destroyed by a fire in 1834, and a competition was launched to find a suitable replacement design. Charles Barry’s proposal was chosen, and he worked closely with Augustus Pugin, who designed many of the interiors and decorative elements.

The laying of the foundation stone was a grand affair, with a procession of dignitaries and musicians making their way to the construction site. Sarah Barry, dressed in white, was presented with a silver trowel by the Lord Mayor of London and used it to lay the first stone.

See Also
History of 12th September

The new Palace of Westminster was designed in the Gothic Revival style, which was popular at the time and aimed to evoke the grandeur of medieval architecture. It is characterized by its intricate stonework, pointed arches, and soaring spires.

Despite numerous setbacks, including the death of both Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin before the building was completed, the Palace of Westminster was finally finished in 1870. Today, it remains an iconic symbol of British democracy and a must-see destination for visitors to London.

From tea to music to the palace and now let us go to space my next story…

Explorer 11

27th April’s history takes us to the year 1961 when NASA successfully launched Explorer 11, a satellite designed to study gamma rays from Earth’s orbit. The satellite was launched from the Eastern Test Range in Cape Canaveral, Florida, and was the third in a series of satellites aimed at studying Earth’s magnetic field and radiation belts.

Explorer 11 was equipped with several scientific instruments, including a gamma-ray detector that was used to study the intensity and distribution of gamma radiation in the Earth’s atmosphere. The satellite was also equipped with a cosmic ray detector, which was used to study the energetic particles that constantly bombard Earth from space.

During its mission, Explorer 11 helped to confirm the existence of two previously unknown radiation belts surrounding Earth. The satellite also discovered a third belt, which was later named the “inner belt” and is now known to be composed of high-energy protons.

Overall, the mission of Explorer 11 was a great success and paved the way for future research into Earth’s radiation environment. Its findings continue to inform our understanding of space weather and its potential effects on technology and human health.

That’s all dear readers. Adios till we meet again tomorrow.

 

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