What are the important events that happened on August 16? Here are historical events, facts, and some myths about this day.

August 16: Facts & Myths About This Day

August 16 is the 229^th day of the year 2024 in the Gregorian calendar. There are 137 days remaining until the end of this year. The day of the week is Friday.

Under the Julian calendar, this day is August 3, 2024 – a Friday. Both day of the week are the same but did you notice the difference with the Gregorian calendar?

When this day started, 478,824 hours has elapsed since midnight of January 1, 1970 – the Unix epoch.

Strange as it may, if we name this day after a polygon then it will be called ‘dihectaicosaenneagon’ day.

Leo is the zodiac sign of a person born on this day. Peridot is the modern birthstone for this month. Diamond is the mystical birthstone from Tibetan origin that dates back over a thousand years.

According to the lunisolar Chinese calendar, there are 166 days remaining before the start of the next Chinese New Year.

The ancient Maya civilization believes that the end of the world will happen on December 21, 2012. There are now 4,256 days since this fabled cataclysmic event.

August 16 Historical Events

• 1328 –
  The House of Gonzaga seizes power in the Duchy of Mantua, and will rule until 1708.
• 1777 –
  American Revolutionary War: The Americans led by General John Stark rout British and Brunswick troops under Friedrich Baum at the Battle of Bennington in Walloomsac, New York.
• 1819 –
  Seventeen people die and over 600 are injured in cavalry charges at a public meeting at St. Peter’s Field, Manchester, England.
• 1863 –
  The Dominican Restoration War begins when Gregorio Luperón raises the Dominican flag in Santo Domingo after Spain had recolonized the country.
• 1870 –
  Franco-Prussian War: The Battle of Mars-La-Tour is fought, resulting in a Prussian victory.
• 1891 –
  The Basilica of San Sebastian in Manila, the first all-steel church in Asia, is officially inaugurated and blessed.
• 1913 –
  Tōhoku Imperial University of Japan (modern day Tōhoku University) becomes the first university in Japan to admit female students.
• 1930 –
  The first color sound cartoon, called Fiddlesticks, is made by Ub Iwerks.
• 1945 –
  An assassination attempt is made on Japan’s prime minister, Kantaro Suzuki.
• 1972 –
  In an unsuccessful coup d'état attempt, the Royal Moroccan Air Force fires upon Hassan II of Morocco’s plane while he is traveling back to Rabat.

Who were born on August 16?

• 1820 –
  Andrew Rainsford Wetmore, Canadian politician (d. 1892)
• 1894 –
  George Meany, American labor union leader (d. 1980)
• 1904 –
  Wendell Meredith Stanley, American chemist, Nobel laureate (d. 1971)
• 1923 –
  Millôr Fernandes, Brazilian playwright
• 1930 –
  Frank Gifford, American football player and announcer
• 1945 –
  Suzanne Farrell, American ballet dancer
• 1954 –
  James Cameron, Canadian film director
• 1958 –
  Oscar Collodo, Swiss-born Italian rugby player and coach
• 1962 –
  Steve Carell, American actor and comedian
• 1984 –
  Matteo Anesi, Italian speed skater

Who died on August 16?

• 1445 –
  Margaret of Scotland, consort of Louis XI (b. 1424)
• 1921 –
  King Peter I of Serbia (b. 1844)
• 1978 –
  Jean Acker, American silent film actress (b. 1893)
• 1983 –
  Earl Averill, American baseball player (b. 1902)
• 1991 –
  Luigi Zampa, Italian film director (b. 1905)
• 2002 –
  Abu Nidal, Palestinian political leader (b. 1937)
• 2003 –
  Idi Amin, Ugandan dictator (b. 1928)
• 2005 –
  Frère Roger, Swiss monk and mystic (b. 1915)
• 2008 –
  Masanobu Fukuoka, Japanese sustainable farmer and author (b. 1913)
• 2010 –
  Bobby Thomson, American baseball player (b. 1923)