This Day In History — Laika goes into orbit

November 03

1839
The first Opium War between China and Britain broke out.

1903
Panama proclaimed its independence from Colombia.

1952
Clarence Birdseye marketed the first frozen peas.

1957
The Soviet Union sent the first animal, a dog named Laika, into space aboard the Sputnik II. Laika died in orbit.

1986
A Lebanese magazine broke the story of U.S. arms sales to Iran, leading to the Iran-Contra affair.

1992
Carol Moseley-Braun became the first black woman elected to the U.S. Senate.

2004
Hamid Karzai was declared the winner in Afghanistan’s first presidential election.

Birthdays

Walker Evans

1903–75, American photographer, b. St. Louis.

Stephen Fuller Austin

leader of colonization in Texas (1793)

William Bryant

poet, editor (1794)

Andre Malraux

man of letters and political figure (1901)

James Reston

journalist (1909)

Charles Bronson

actor (1921)

Michael Dukakis

politician (1933)

Dennis Miller

comedian (1953)

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