Major Events of March 2007: Key Historical Moments from the Month
Each month is marked by defining moments that shape the course of history. Whether through political shifts, cultural movements, or world-changing events, these periods leave a lasting impression. Dive into the most important events from March 2007 and discover how they influenced the world both then and now.
Major Events of March 2007: Key Historical Moments from the Month
- 01 Mar 2007 Deadly Tornado Outbreak in Southern United States: A severe tornado outbreak struck multiple southern states, causing significant loss of life. The most tragic incident occurred at Enterprise High School in Alabama, where eight students were killed among at least 20 total fatalities across the region.
- 02 Mar 2007 US Develops New Nuclear Warhead Design: The Bush administration selected a design from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory for a new generation of nuclear warheads, potentially replacing Trident missiles on submarines by 2012.
- 03 Mar 2007 Cherokee Nation Citizenship Decision: The Cherokee Nation voted to exempt descendants of slaves from Cherokee citizenship, effectively reversing a previous Cherokee Nation Supreme Court decision and sparking discussions about tribal membership and historical injustices.
- 04 Mar 2007 Estonia's Groundbreaking Electronic Parliamentary Election: Estonia conducted a historic parliamentary election where Andrus Ansip's Reform Party won 27% of the vote, marking the world's first nationwide election with internet voting. Approximately 30,000 voters participated electronically, revolutionizing the democratic process.
- 05 Mar 2007 US-North Korea Diplomatic Talks Begin: The United States and North Korea initiate diplomatic talks in New York City, exploring potential normalization of relations contingent upon North Korea's abandonment of its nuclear weapons program.
- 06 Mar 2007 Deadly Suicide Bombing in Al Hillah, Iraq: Two suicide bombers attacked a group of Muslim pilgrims in Al Hillah, killing at least 115 people and injuring 150, highlighting the ongoing sectarian violence during the Iraq War.
- 07 Mar 2007 Suicide Bombing in Iraq: A devastating suicide bomber attacked a cafe in Balad Ruz, Diyala Governorate, Iraq, killing at least 30 Shia pilgrims who were traveling to Karbala for the Arbaeen commemoration, highlighting ongoing sectarian violence in the region.
- 08 Mar 2007 China Introduces Property Rights Legislation: During the 2007 National People's Congress, China enacted a landmark property law designed to protect individual property rights, signaling a significant shift in the country's economic and legal framework.
- 09 Mar 2007 FBI Patriot Act Audit Reveals Illegal Practices: The US Justice Department releases an internal audit exposing illegal practices by the FBI in using the USA Patriot Act to secretly obtain personal information about US citizens, raising significant civil liberties concerns.
- 10 Mar 2007 9/11 Attacks Confession: Khalid Shaikh Mohammed reportedly assumed responsibility for the attacks on the United States and acknowledged his role in the 9/11 terrorist attacks, a significant admission in the post-9/11 era.
- 11 Mar 2007 Political Suppression in Zimbabwe: Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of Zimbabwe's Movement for Democratic Change, and four other opposition members were arrested in Harare for attempting to organize protest rallies. During the incident, riot police fatally shot one activist, underscoring the intense political repression under President Robert Mugabe's regime.
- 12 Mar 2007 UN Criticizes Sudan over Darfur Atrocities: The United Nations strongly condemned Sudan for gross human rights violations in Darfur, including mass rape, murder, and kidnapping, drawing international attention to the humanitarian crisis.
- 13 Mar 2007 U.S. Attorney Firing Controversy: Attorney General Alberto Gonzales acknowledges mistakes in federal prosecutor dismissals. His top aide, Kyle Sampson, resigns after failing to inform senior officials about discussions regarding potential firings.
- 14 Mar 2007 Khalid Sheikh Mohammed's 9/11 Confession: Khalid Sheikh Mohammed confesses to being the mastermind behind the September 11th attacks during a closed military hearing at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
- 15 Mar 2007 US Senate Imposes Iran Sanctions: The US Senate unanimously voted to ban weapon sales and freeze assets of 15 Iranians and 13 groups, many associated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, in an effort to pressure Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment program.
- 16 Mar 2007 Chlorine Gas Suicide Attacks in Iraq: Three suicide attacks using chlorine gas in Anbar province, Iraq, resulted in the deaths of two police officers and caused numerous injuries and illnesses, demonstrating the complex and dangerous security situation in the region.
- 17 Mar 2007 Zimbabwe Political Crisis Escalates: Three opposition activists, including Arthur Mutambara, leader of a Movement for Democratic Change faction, were detained while attempting to flee to South Africa, reflecting the ongoing political tensions in Zimbabwe.
- 18 Mar 2007 Death of Bob Woolmer: Bob Woolmer, the renowned Pakistan cricket coach, tragically died in Kingston, Jamaica, following Pakistan's unexpected early elimination from the 2007 Cricket World Cup after losing to Ireland. His sudden death shocked the international cricket community.
- 19 Mar 2007 Supreme Court Hears Landmark Free Speech Case: The United States Supreme Court heard the case of 'Morse v. Frederick', involving an Alaskan high school student who claimed free speech rights after displaying a banner reading 'Bong Hits 4 Jesus' during a school event. This case raised significant constitutional questions about student expression.
- 20 Mar 2007 U.S. Attorneys Dismissal Controversy: In a significant political development, the Bush administration agreed to allow Karl Rove (Deputy White House Chief of Staff) and Harriet Miers (former White House Counsel) to testify under oath regarding the controversial dismissal of U.S. Attorneys, which raised questions about potential political interference in the judicial system.
- 21 Mar 2007 Iran's Nuclear Development Stance: Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khan Khamenei, warned that Iran would continue its nuclear development program without adhering to international regulations if the UN Security Council imposed sanctions.
- 22 Mar 2007 Maputo Arms Depot Explosion: A catastrophic explosion at an arms depot in Maputo, Mozambique, resulted in at least 93 fatalities and hundreds of injuries. The incident highlighted significant safety and security vulnerabilities in military infrastructure.
- 23 Mar 2007 US House Votes for Iraq Troop Withdrawal: The United States House of Representatives voted in favor of withdrawing all U.S. forces from Iraq by August 2008, a bill President Bush planned to veto. Simultaneously, Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Salam al-Zaubai was injured in a bomb blast, and a report by Special Inspector General Stuart Bowen described Iraq's reconstruction program as 'chaotic' and 'wrongly managed'.
- 24 Mar 2007 UN Security Council Sanctions Iran: The United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 1747, imposing additional economic sanctions on Iran's Islamic Republic in response to its controversial nuclear program, escalating international tensions.
- 25 Mar 2007 50th Anniversary of the Treaty of Rome Celebration: 27 European ministers gathered in Berlin, Germany to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, a pivotal moment in European integration that established the European Economic Community, a precursor to the modern European Union.
- 26 Mar 2007 Northern Ireland Peace Process Historic Meeting: Members from the Democratic Unionist Party, led by Ian Paisley, and Sinn Fein, led by Gerry Adams, meet for the first time and agree on a timetable to implement the St. Andrews Agreement, marking a significant milestone in the Northern Ireland peace process.
- 27 Mar 2007 US Senate Votes on Iraq War Withdrawal: The United States Senate voted 48 to 48 regarding setting a date for withdrawal from the Iraq War, as part of a continuing funding measure, reflecting the complex political debate surrounding the conflict.
- 28 Mar 2007 Iranian Navy Seizes British Sailors: Iranian Navy seized 15 British sailors and marines in the disputed Shatt Al-Arab waterway between Iran and Iraq, escalating international tensions and creating a diplomatic crisis.
- 29 Mar 2007 U.S. Senate Votes for Iraq Troop Withdrawal: The U.S. Senate voted 51-47 to support a bill calling for U.S. military withdrawal from Iraq by March 31, 2008, while maintaining war funding through 2009 and allowing up to 80,000 troops to remain.
- 30 Mar 2007 Iranian Seizure of British Navy Personnel: Iran seized British Navy personnel, sparking an international diplomatic incident and tensions between the United Kingdom and Iran.
- 31 Mar 2007 Iranian Seizure of British Navy Personnel: Iranian forces seized 15 British Royal Navy sailors, triggering a significant diplomatic tension between Iran and the United Kingdom.