April 30

Today in History
• 1492 - Columbus is given royal commission to equip his fleet
• 1562 - 1st French colonists in US: Jean Ribaut and Hugenots at Parris Is NC
• 1563 - Jews are expelled from France by order of Charles VI
• 1598 - 1st theater performance in America (Spanish comedy-Rio Grande)
• 1722 - John Clais patents 1st scale
• 1803 - U.S. doubles in size through Louisiana Purchase
• 1808 - 1st practical typewriter finished by Italian Pellegrini Turri
• 1812 - Eastern Louisiana admitted as 18th U.S. state


Holidays - Traditional and Obscure
• Day of the Child
• International Jazz Day
• National Animal Advocacy Day
• National Mahjong Day
• National Military Brats Day
• National Raisin Day
• Turkmen Racing Horse Festival
• Walpurgis Night

Birthdays
• 1245 - Philip III "the Bold", King of France (1270-85)
• 1309 - Kazimierz III de Great, King of Poland, 1333-70
• 1651 - Jean-Baptiste de la Salle, French priest/theorist/saint
• 1662 - Mary II, Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland (1689-94)
• 1777 - Carl Friedrich Gauss, world's great mathematician
• 1823 - George JD Campbell, Scottish/British Minister to Indies, 1868-74/80-85
• 1858 - Mary Scott Lord Dimmick Harrison, 1st lady, 1889-1893
• 1909 - Juliana, Queen of Netherlands, 1948-80