1926

In the early twentieth century, American physicist Robert H. Goddard pursued rocket propulsion theories while most dismissed space travel as fantasy. After years of experiments with solid fuels and mathematical modeling, Goddard shifted to liquid propellants for greater efficiency and control. On March 16, 1926, at his aunt's farm in Auburn, Massachusetts, he successfully launched a 10-foot rocket powered by liquid oxygen and gasoline. The modest flight lasted 2.5 seconds, reached 41 feet in altitude, and traveled 184 feet. Though initially met with skepticism, the test proved liquid-fuel rocketry viable and opened pathways for future aerospace development.

Event Detail America 250 Atlas

1926

Politics Born On 20th Century Latin America & Caribbean

Fidel Castro Born in Birán

Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz was born on August 13, 1926, in Birán in eastern Cuba. He studied at Jesuit schools and later earned a law degree at the University of Havana, where he became involved in political activism. After opposing the government of Fulgencio Batista, Castro led the July 26 Movement and a guerrilla campaign that contributed to Batista's departure from Cuba at the beginning of 1959. Castro then became the dominant leader of the new revolutionary government. His administration nationalized industries, aligned Cuba closely with the Soviet Union, established a one-party socialist state, expanded public health and education programs, and sharply restricted political opposition and independent media. Cuba became a major Cold War flashpoint during events including the Bay...

Event Detail Cuba Explained

1926 Timeline

Goddard Launches World's First Liquid-Fueled Rocket

Fidel Castro Born in Birán