| March 20, 1815 Switzerland was declared neutral by the great powers of Europe at the Vienna Congress following the defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte. The confederation of 22 cantons (member states) had its current borders established with its neighbors France, Germany, Austria and Italy. Switzerland’s history |
| March 20, 1852 Harriet Beecher Stowe’s influential novel about slavery, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, or Life Among the Lowly, was first published in book form by J.P. Jewett of Boston. The text had previously been serialized in the anti-slavery newspaper, the National Era. 10,000 copies were sold in the first week, 300,000 within the first year. The many different editions published in Europe sold an aggregate of one million copies in the first year. It was the second best-selling book of the 19th century after the Bible. Uncle Tom’s Cabin was soon published in dozens of languages.  How Harriet Beecher Stowe was Inspired to Write Uncle Tom’s Cabin |
| March 20, 1983 In Australia 150,000 (1% of population) demonstrated in anti-nuclear rallies.  Sydney anti-uranium protest. April 7, 1979 Australia’s anti-nuclear movement: a short history |
| March 20, 1998 Despite the efforts of thousands of anti-nuclear demonstrators, a train hauling 60 tons of nuclear waste arrived in the north German town of Ahaus from Walheim in the south. Twice the train was stopped by protestors chained to the tracks; 300 were arrested with police using water cannon in response to rocks and sticks being thrown at them. The size of the security deployment, outnumbering the protestors ten to one, necessitated the postponing of ten days of football (soccer) matches. A similar shipment the previous year provoked several days of rioting. |
| March 20, 2010 5:32 PM GMT The first day of spring (the vernal equinox) is the day for celebrating NoRuz [no-rooz], the Persian New Year. More on NoRuz and other Persian celebrations |
| March 20, 2011 The nuclear reactor crisis created in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami on the northeast coast of Japan began to spread health risks to the surrounding area. Elevated levels of radiation were found in spinach and milk in the nearby prefectures (counties). As a result of pumping seawater to keep the reactors cool after loss of electricity and damage wiped out all the cooling systems, radiation was found in the ocean waters. Fukushima today |
https://www.peacebuttons.info/E-News/peacehistorymarch.htm#march20
Scottie's Playtime 