What Happened in 1993?
For some of us, 1993 feels as though it were only yesterday. Yet, for others, it was a time we simply never knew and couldn’t possibly begin to guess as to why it mattered so much! Yes, we’re sorry to report to some of you that 1993 was over 30 years ago – we’ll give you a moment!
1993 was a year of intrigue and drama, both politically and in entertainment. And, while there have been plenty of dramatic years before and since, there are plenty of reasons to appreciate 1993 on its own.
So, whether you are refreshing your memory or learning something new, here are some of the biggest events from 1993.
In this year
January
Czechoslovakia was no more! The Czech Republic and Slovakia separated in the Dissolution of Czechoslovakia and became two separate nations – and remain so to this day. The dissolution took place at the head of the year, on January 1st, 2993.
February
In New York City, on February 26th, a strategic van bomb parked below the World Trade Center’s north tower exploded. In doing so, it killed six people and injured over one thousand more. Tragically, it wouldn’t be the last terrorist attack to befall the towers.
March
Janet Reno was officially confirmed by the United States Senate. She was sworn in the next day and became the first-ever female Attorney General in the US – an incredible moment for gender equality in government and politics.
April
Tennis player Monica Seles was stabbed during a match at the 1993 Citizen Cup in Hamburg, Germany. She was attacked by an obsessed fan of her rival in the match and rushed to hospital. She survived her wounds and even returned to the professional tennis world – incredible, given the circumstances.
May
During a rally held on May 1st for May Day, then-Sri Lankan President, Ranasinghe Premadasa, was brutally assassinated by a suicide bomber, reportedly representing the militants of the LTTE, or Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. He was succeeded by Prime Minister Dingiri Banda Wijetunga.
June
Andrew Wiles, a British mathematician, carved out his own place in the history books on June 24th, 1994, after presenting his proof of Fermat's Last Theorem. It was a problem that had gone unsolved for more than 300 years!
July
Hurricane Calvin had the dubious honor of becoming only the second hurricane born out of the Pacific to land in Mexico on a July date – it arrived on July 7th, 1993, and tragically claimed the lives of 34 people.
August
Ong Teng Cheong became Singapore’s first-ever President to be formally elected by the people. He remained in power until August 31st, 1999.
September
Portugal took a big stride into the space race as of September 26th, 1993, when their satellite – the PoSAT-1 – officially launched into the stratosphere. It was launched via France’s Ariane 4 rocket, and stopped transmitting data in 2006. It’s thought to re-enter our atmosphere in 2043!
October
Canada’s Progressive Conservative Party not only suffered a defeat in the 1993 federal election, but one for the history books – as the previously governing party would lose all but two seats in what was effectively an electoral drubbing! The Liberal Party, led by Jean Chrétien, claimed power from Kim Campbell, and would remain in office until February 2006. Jean Chrétien, however, would finish his term as of December 2003.
November
As part of the London Convention, marine dumping of radioactive waste officially became illegal as of November 12th, 1993. This was a huge milestone for the convention, which had been in place since the 1970s.
December
In the US, then-President Bill Clinton signed the North American Free Trade Agreement into law. The agreement was signed by Mexico, Canada, and the US, and it superseded the Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement. It remains one of the major points of Clinton’s Presidential legacy.
1993 was the year of the…
…rooster!
Like 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 2005, and 2017, 1993 had people crowing at dawn – as according to the Chinese zodiac, any people born this year are referred to as Roosters. People born in Rooster years tend to be pretty picky, and they can be quite aggressive! However, they are also very hard-working and reliable. The next Rooster year won't be until 2029.
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This page was last modified on February 2, 2024. Suggest an edit
Celebrity Births in 1993
Jodie Comer, British actor, born March 11th, 1993
Chance the Rapper, American rapper, born April 16th, 1993
Ariana Grande, American singer, born June 26th, 1993
Elizabeth Gillies, British actor, born July 26th, 1993
Keke Palmer, American actor, born August 26th, 1993
Famous People We Lost in 1993
Audrey Hepburn, British actor, died aged 63
Andre the Giant, French professional wrestler, died aged 46
Arthur Ashe, American professional tennis player, died aged 49
Vincent Prince, American actor, died aged 82
River Phoenix, American actor, died aged 23
