This Day in History March 18 1766 After four months of widespread protest, the British Parliament repeals the Stamp Act 1834 Britain banishes six English agricultural laborers to a prison colony in Australia for trade union activities 1842 Hans Peter Hansen Munch, Mr. Seeley’s great-great-great- grandfather, dies in Aakirkeby, a small town on the island of Bornholm, Denmark, at the age of 59 1852 Henry Wells and William G. Fargo start a shipping and banking company in New York City, with the goal of capitalizing on the demand for cross- country shipping after the discovery of gold in California 1925 The worst tornado in U.S. history passes through Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana, killing 695 people and causing $17 million in property damage 1942 The War Relocation Authority is created to “take all people of Japanese descent into custody, surround them with troops, prevent them buying land, and return them to their former homes at the close of the war” 1962 France and the leaders of the Front de Liberation Nationale sign a peace agreement to end the seven-year Algerian War, opening the door for Algerian independence 1962 American singer- songwriter Irene Cara is born Irene Cara Escalera in the Bronx, New York—she is best known for her hit songs from the movies Fame and Flashdance 1967 “Penny Lane” by the Beatles reaches #1 in the U.S.—the song is about a real location in the band’s hometown of Liverpool, England 1969 During the Vietnam War, the U.S. begins Operation Menu, the bombing of communist base camps and supply areas in Cambodia 1972 Canadian rocker Neil Young’s single “Heart of Gold,” with backing vocals by James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt, goes to #1 in the U.S. 1979 Adam Levine, lead singer of Maroon 5 and former judge on NBC’s The Voice, is born in Los Angeles, California 2002 13-year-old Brittanie Cecil dies, two days after being struck in the head by a puck at an NHL hockey game in Columbus, Ohio, forcing the league to take new precautions for fan safety 2017 Chuck Berry, one of the pioneers of rock and roll, dies in his home state of Missouri at age 90—he is often considered the “Father of Rock and Roll” 2021 The Dallas Mavericks announced yesterday that former BYU and NBA basketball player Shawn Bradley is paralyzed after he was struck by a vehicle while riding his bike near his home in St. George, Utah, on January 20—Bradley is 7’6” and was the 2nd player chosen in the 1993 NBA draft 2021 A rare Chinese 15th century porcelain bowl sold at auction yesterday for $722,000—the bowl had been purchased at a Connecticut yard sale for $35 in 2020.