Events 100 Years Ago - Jan. and February 1916

The century mark, 100 years ago, your ancestors led very different lives from you in 2016. Yet, many times it was specific events that may have shaped their lives then and in the future.

January:

Look back 100 years, during the month of January:

Europe had been at war for two years already. The United States would enter that war by 1917.

Members of Pancho Villa’s revolutionary army from Mexico took 17 American mining engineers from a train and shoot 16 of them in cold blood.

The Professional Golfer Association (PGA) formed in New York City.

A 611 gram chondrite type meteorite strikes a house near the village of Baxter in Stone County, Missouri.

Louis Brandeis becomes the 1st Jewish Supreme Court justice, the appointment made by President Wilson. 

The German Zeppelins (air ships) began bombing the city of Paris in France.

February:

Germany and Austria-Hungary notify the U.S. that they will sink any armed merchant ships starting on March 1st.

Actor Charlie Chaplin signs a movie contract.

A list of unusual events that happened on January 1st on other years:

1902 -the first Rose Bowl game was held.

1907 – U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt shook a record 8,513 hands in 1 day.

1908 – First time the big ball marking the new year was dropped in Times Square, NYC.

1914 – the 1st scheduled airline flight, from St Petersburg, FL to Tampa, FL with Tony Jannus as the pilot. He made two daily flights across Tampa Bay.

Take time frame and look up the events that may have affected your ancestors, allows to better appreciate and understand their life.

Photos: Crater of a Zeppelin bomb in Paris, 1916; Pancho Villa; Judge Louis Brandeis and US President Theodore Roosevelt.

Related FamilyTree.com genealogy blogs:

Mixing in History

Historical Events and Your Ancestors

Genealogy and History – Together