The Almanac
September 21, 2004

UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL

On this date in history:

In 1792, the Legislative Assembly of revolutionary France voted to abolish
the monarchy and establish the First Republic, stripping King Louis XVI of
most of his power.

In 1893, the first successful American-made, gasoline-operated motorcar
appeared on the streets of Springfield, Mass. It was designed and built by
Charles and Frank Duryea.

In 1921, following the sex scandal caused by the arrest of comedian Fatty
Arbuckle, Universal announced it would require its actors to sign a
“morality clause” in their contracts.

In 1938, an estimated 600 people were killed by a hurricane that battered
the coast of New England.

In 1977, President Carter defended budget director Bert Lance as he
announced Lance’s resignation. Lance had been accused of a series of illegal
acts in banking.

In 1985, Western intelligence estimates said the Iran-Iraq war in five years
had cost nearly one million lives.

In 1991, Armenia became the 12th Soviet republic to declare independence.

In 1993, Russian President Boris Yeltsin suspended the parliament and
announced parliamentary elections would be held in December.

In 1996, President Clinton signed into law the Defense of Marriage Act,
which allows states to disregard “same sex marriages” that might be official
in other places.

And in 1996, John F. Kennedy, Jr., son of the late U.S. president and
described by tabloids as the world’s most eligible bachelor, wed Carolyn
Bessette.

In 1998, President Clinton’s videotaped grand jury testimony, during which
he admitted to an inappropriate relationship with former White House intern
Monica Lewinsky, was shown on television. It ran more than four hours.

Also in 1998, Hurricane Georges began its deadly rampage through the
Caribbean, killing more than 600 people.

In 1999, at least 2,300 people were killed when an earthquake measuring 7.6
on the Richter scale struck Taiwan.

In 2001, a telecast by top movie stars and musicians raised more than $500
million for survivors of the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

In 2002, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon reportedly told the Bush administration
Israel would strike back if attacked by Iraq. Israel made no response to
Iraqi Scud missile attacks during the Persian Gulf War.

In 2003, the spacecraft Galileo approached the fringes of Jupiter’s
atmosphere and then was directed to destroy itself in a high-speed plunge.