1947
India and Pakistan gain independence
At midnight India awoke, as Nehru put it, to life and freedom, and so did the new Muslim state of Pakistan.
Transistor invented at Bell Labs
In a New Jersey lab, Bardeen, Brattain, and Shockley demonstrated a tiny germanium device that could amplify and switch electric current without vacuum tubes.
Dead Sea Scrolls discovered
A Bedouin shepherd boy, tossing stones into a cliffside cave near the Dead Sea, heard pottery break.
Indian Independence and Partition
At midnight, Nehru spoke of a tryst with destiny as India became free.
Truman Doctrine declares Cold War
In a speech asking Congress to aid Greece and Turkey against communist pressure, Harry Truman pledged that the United States would support free peoples…
Marshall Plan announced
Secretary of State George Marshall, in a fifteen-minute speech at Harvard's commencement, offered American aid to Europe for postwar reconstruction.
Jackie Robinson breaks baseball color line
The Brooklyn Dodgers put Jackie Robinson at first base on Opening Day, the first African American in the major leagues in the twentieth century.
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Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1947?
Saeculum lists 8 events from 1947. The most significant is India and Pakistan gain independence: At midnight India awoke, as Nehru put it, to life and freedom, and so did the new Muslim state of Pakistan.
What era was 1947 part of?
1947 falls within the Modern Era (1901-2000). World wars, cold war, and the splitting of the atom.
Which regions saw notable events in 1947?
The events from 1947 span South Asia, North America and Middle East.