The Most Important Events That Changed History Forever

Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)

Also known as the October Crisis of 1962, the Cuban Missile Crisis was a 13-day confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union. The conflict was initiated by Soviet ballistic missile deployment in Cuba. The Cuban Missile Crisis is the closest the Cold War came to becoming a nuclear war.

Advertisement

Next Page →

The More You Know

  • Mr. and Mrs. came from the words master and mistress.
  • You can survive being in outer space without permanent damage for about half a minute.
  • A U.S. park ranger named Roy C. Sullivan held the record for being struck by lightning the most times, having been struck — and surviving — seven times between 1942 and 1977.
  • J.K. Rowling became the first person to become a billionaire by writing books. However, she also lost her billionaire status because she donated so much money to charity!
Next Page →