On March 30, 1981, US President Ronald Reagan was seriously wounded in an assassination attempt outside a hotel in Washington, DC. The attack was not politically motivated, but rather the result of 25-year-old John Hinckley Jr.’s obsession with Hollywood actress Jodie Foster.
In another historical event, on this day in 1867, the United States signed a Treaty of Cession with Russia to purchase Alaska, which was then known as Russian America. Additionally, on March 30, 1971, Starbucks, the largest coffee shop chain in America, opened its first store in Seattle, according to firstpost.com.
The Assassination Attempt on Ronald Reagan
On January 20, 1981, Ronald Reagan was sworn in as the 40th President of the United States. Just two months later, on March 30, he was shot while returning to his motorcade after giving a speech at the Hilton Hotel in Washington. The short distance between the hotel and his limousine meant that neither Reagan nor his security detail wore bulletproof vests, firstpost reported.
Hinckley, using a Röhm RG-14 .22 LR revolver, fired six shots. The explosive “Devastator” rounds struck several members of Reagan’s entourage. Police officer Thomas Delahanty was hit in the neck, White House press secretary James Brady was shot in the head, and Secret Service agent Tim McCarthy was struck in the stomach. Reagan himself was injured when the final bullet hit him in the rib, puncturing his lung.
James Brady sustained a severe brain injury and was left with lifelong disabilities, passing away in 2014 as a result of his injuries. Despite losing around 40% of his blood, Reagan maintained his composure, joking with his doctors, “I sure hope all of you out there are Republicans.” His doctors replied, “Today, Mister President, we are all Republicans.”
Hinckley was later found not guilty by reason of insanity and spent several years in a psychiatric facility before being released under supervision in 2016.
The Treaty of Cession and the Purchase of Alaska
On March 30, 1867, the US and Russia signed the Treaty of Cession, with Russia selling its territory, known as Russian America, to the US for $7.2 million (about two cents per acre). The deal was finalized on October 18, 1867, after the US Senate approved it.
Alaska had been under the control of the Russian American Company, a government-chartered entity, but Russia struggled to maintain and defend the distant colony. Negotiations between Russian officials and US representatives began in 1859, and the US formally took control in 1867. Alaska became a US state on January 3, 1959, making it the 49th state.
Starbucks Opens Its First Store
On March 30, 1971, Starbucks opened its first store at Seattle’s Pike Place Market. With only one employee, the company began selling freshly brewed coffee and premium roasted beans. Founded by Gordon Bowker, Zev Siegl, and Gerald Baldwin, Starbucks was named after a character from Moby Dick in honor of Seattle’s maritime history. Despite considering other names, such as “Pequod,” they chose Starbucks for its more appealing sound.
Starbucks quickly became known for its premium coffee, growing into a major player in the global coffee market and a symbol of Western consumer culture.
(Source: firstpost.com)
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