November 6: Remembering Catherine The Great (1796)

Princeton and Rutgers Play First Ever Football Game, Abraham Lincoln is Elected, Just For Fun, Birthdays and Deaths

AuthorAuthor

Cameron Bartkoski & Millet Gilmore
November 06, 2023

Good morning and welcome to The Most Interesting Thing. Explore the past to understand the present, one day at a time.

Read time ~4 min

  • Catherine The Great (1796)

  • Abraham Lincoln Elected President (1860)

  • First Ever Football Game is Played (1869)

  • Just For Fun

  • Birthdays & Deaths

Event

Expansion of Russia from 1462 to 1796

Setting The Scene

Today we’re traveling back 227 years, all the way back to 1796. France sits at the center of the world's attention, engaged in the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars. Napoleon Bonaparte is in the midst of expanding French influence throughout Europe. On the other side of the world, the United States, a mere 20 years old, is run by George Washington in his second term. Lewis and Clark are exploring uncharted territories while Eli Whitney introduces the cotton gin.


Now that you’re with me in 1796, we focus on Russia. At this point in time, Russia relies heavily on an agrarian society with the production of wheat at the heart of the economy. Having expanded south, Russia continues to grow, using its isolation from Western Europe as an advantage. Unfortunately, Russia has just lost its Empress of the past 34 years, Catherine the Great. 

What Happened?

One of history’s most formidable women, Catherine the Great was responsible for the modernization, expansion, and Westernization of Russia. Over her 34-year reign, Russia extended its borders over 200,000 square miles, building more than 29 provinces and 100 towns. 

Impact

Catherine the Great had a profound impact on Russia and the restructuring of Europe during this time. Her presence was felt the most at home though as she advocated for widespread education, religious tolerance, and freedom of the press, all the while raising Russia to become a world power, which has held true to this day.

What else happened?

U.S. Elections

White House in 1860

  • Abraham Lincoln is elected the 16th President of the United States (1860)

  • Tammy Balwin of Wisconsin becomes the first openly gay person to be elected into the U.S. Senate. (2012)

  • Barack Obama is re-elected to his second term as U.S. President, defeating Mitt Romney. (2012)

Sports

New Jersey (later called Princeton) vs. Rutgers in 1869

  • First U.S. college football game between Rutgers and Princeton is played. Rutgers wins 6 to 4. (1869)

  • Grete Waitz wins her record 9th women’s NYC marathon. (1988)

  • Owner of the Cleveland Browns Art Modell announces that the team is moving to Baltimore. (1995)

Just For Fun

The 1947 Debut of Meet the Press

  • Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, a Spanish conquistador, becomes the first known European to set foot in Texas after his ship wrecks. (1528)

  • Mahatma Gandhi is arrested in South Africa for leading the Indian miners’ march. (1913)

  • “Meet the Press”, the longest running television news show, makes its debut on NBC. (1947)

Birthdays

Deaths