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Beethoven's Birth
Ludwig van Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany to his parents, Johann van Beethoven and Maria Magdalena Keverich. His family originated from Brabant in Belgium. Ludwig was the oldest of seven children, but only three, including him, survived from birth. His father and grandfather were also famous musicians ("Ludwig van Beethoven Biography") -
James Cook's Antarctic Trip
As captain of the ship 'Resolution' James Cook was one of the first known Europeans to visit the waters of Antarctica. He would have gone farther that year but the packed ice of the area down south prevented him to. Later within the next year Cook had gotten beyond that point but he ran into trouble with ice once again. Still though this was the furthest south and closest to the South Pole that any known person had ever been (http://adb.anu.edu.au). -
Boston Tea Party
This protest was brought on by american patriots that were resisting the monopoly that was set on American tea importation from the East India Company. This was one of the patriots more important revolts because they began to work together as a stronger force. On this night they threw over 342 chests of tea into the ocean as a symbol for Parliament that they are not afraid to revolt.(www.history.com) -
Articles of Confederation
This document was created by the Continental Congress in the United States. It was serving as their 'constitution' before it actually existed in 1789. The Articles were ratified by all 13 states, and it made it so each state had one vote in Congress, bringing them closer together. (www.history.com) -
Immense Promise
His talent for the piano was soon realized and he gave his first public performance at the age of eight. Young Ludwig was often pulled out of bed in the middle of the night and ordered to perform for his father's drinking companions, suffering beatings if he protested. (David Even, Beethoven) -
First Work
Beethoven had gotten a new teacher by the name of Gottlob Neefe. This musician thought that if Ludwig continued to go where he was headed he would be the new Mozart. Beethoven's first work was written when he became twelve. He called this piece,"9 Variations in C Minor for Piano".(http://www.lvbeethoven.com) -
Vienna
Beethoven traveled to Vienna, Austria, apparently to seek out Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart as a teacher.When he met Mozart, he deeply impressed him and he thought Ludwig would be quite successful in his music. Eventually Beethoven settled down in Vienna.(www.its.caltech.edu) -
George Washington's Presidency
George Washington took office on this date as our first president of the United States. Since it all started with him he had to set up the precedence that would fall down the line to our current presidents today. Also he was not only just our first real leader but he also spent much of his time in government and the army.(www.mountvernon.org) -
Father's Passing
Even though their relationship in Beethoven's early years was rocky, his father was really the one who started his musical career off. His father taught him piano and violin which helped Beethoven create the most beautiful pieces to date. -
Beethoven's First Symphony
After making his first public appearence in Vienna, Beethoven had organized and composed his first symphony too.This symphony was said to be a debt to Haydn and Mozart for their great teachings. Yet Beethoven had already started to push the boundaries to music because symphonies were thought to be strange or out of the ordinary at the time.This is also around the time when Beethoven admitted he was going deaf. (http://www.lvbeethoven.com) -
Beethoven's Start of Deafness
At the same time as Beethoven was composing some of his most immortal works, he was struggling to come to terms with a shocking and terrible fact, one that he tried desperately to conceal: He was going deaf. By the 19th century, Beethoven struggled to make out the words spoken to him in conversation. This also made it extremely hard to hear out notes and make musical pieces. If someone can't hear the notes that they are creating then it is hard to do anything musical. (www.its.caltech.edu) -
Louisiana Purchase
On this day the current president was Thomas Jefferson, and he bought 828,000 square miles of land west of the Mississippi River from France. This cost roughly about $283 million in the present day's dollars. By doing this America got more land that could potentially serve as more farming/town areas that earn more money for the country. (www.history.com) -
Louis & Clark
On this date the two famous frontiersman that set foot out from St. Louis to the new wilderness of the Louisiana Purchase that Thomas Jefferson had just a year ago purchased. By sending them out the president hoped that Lewis and Clark would find a water route linking the Columbia and Missouri rivers. This way leaving them with good port towns for the country. (www.history.com) -
Complete Deafness
This is most likely the most detrimental thing to happen in Beethoven's musical career. Because he went deaf he could no longer hear the notes he was composing or writing down. The cause of his deafness is unknown, but has variously been attributed to typhus, auto-immune disorders, and even his habit of immersing his head in cold water to stay awake.(http://www.lvbeethoven.com) -
Beethoven's Last Work
The Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 is Ludwig van Beethoven's final complete symphony. Completed in 1824, the symphony is one of the best-known works in classical music.The symphony was remarkable for several reasons. The most unique feature of “The Ninth” was that Beethoven included chorus and vocal soloists in the final movement. (www.its.caltech.edu) -
Beethoven's Death
Beethoven died on March 26, 1827, at the age of 56. An autopsy revealed that the immediate cause of death was post-hepatitic cirrhosis of the liver. The autopsy also provided clues to the origins of his deafness. While his quick temper, chronic diarrhea and deafness are consistent with arterial disease, a competing theory traces Beethoven's deafness to contracting typhus in the summer of 1796. (www.biography.com)
