This Day In History : October 6

2010 United States

Instagram, a social media photo-sharing application founded

Instagram was founded by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger in San Francisco, California, USA on October 6, 2010. The idea for the app came from Systrom's interest in photography and the popularity of photo-sharing on mobile devices. Instagram allowed users to upload and share photos and apply various filters to enhance their images. In 2012, Facebook acquired Instagram for approximately $1 billion in cash and stock, marking one of the largest acquisitions in tech industry history at that time.

Also on This Day in History October 6

Discover what happened on October 6 with HISTORY's summaries of major events, anniversaries,
famous births and notable deaths.

Births on This Day, October 6
  • 1729 Sarah Crosby

    English preacher who was the first female Methodist preacher

  • 1846 George Westinghouse

    American entrepreneur and engineer (air brakes, alternating current system) who was a pioneer of the electrical industry (Westinghouse Electric)

  • 1866 Reginald Fessenden

    Canadian-American physicist, engineer and inventor with 300 patents

  • 1831 Richard Dedekind

    German mathematician (Nature & Meaning of Numbers)

  • 1935 Bruno Sammartino (1935-2018)

    Italian-American strongman and professional wrestler

Deaths on This Day, October 6
  • 1981 Anwar Sadat

    Egyptian politician, 3rd President of Egypt, Nobel Prize laureate

  • 1880 Benjamin Peirce

    American astronomer, mathematician and educator who computed the general perturbations of the planets Uranus and Neptune

  • 1855 August Leopold Crelle

    German inventor and mathematician (1st Prussian Railway)

  • 1895 Lorenzo Langstroth

    American apiarist (invented modern beehive)

  • 1968 Phyllis Nicolson

    British mathematician (Crank-Nicolson method)

1683

Germantown, Pennsylvania is founded by immigrant families from Germany

Germantown, Pennsylvania, located northwest of Philadelphia, was founded by German Quaker and Mennonite families who immigrated to the area seeking religious freedom and economic opportunity. It was established as an independent borough on October 6, 1683, making it one of the earliest settlements in Pennsylvania. Today, Germantown is a historic neighborhood within the city of Philadelphia, known for its well-preserved colonial-era buildings and rich cultural heritage.
1995

First exoplanet orbiting a Sun-like star discovered

The first exoplanet orbiting a Sun-like star, known as 51 Pegasi b, was discovered on October 6, 1995. It orbits a star similar to our Sun located about 50 light-years away in the constellation Pegasus. This discovery marked a significant milestone in astronomy, confirming that planets exist beyond our Solar System and opening the door to the study of exoplanets and their characteristics.
1893

Nabisco Foods invents Cream of Wheat

Cream of Wheat was invented by Nabisco Foods in 1893. It was developed as a hot cereal alternative, known for its smooth texture and ease of preparation. The invention of Cream of Wheat provided a convenient and nutritious breakfast option that became popular among consumers for its quick cooking time and versatility in flavoring with various toppings such as fruit, sugar, or milk.
1980

Guyana adopts constitution

The Constitution of Guyana is the highest governing document in the Republic of Guyana. It came into effect on October 6, 1980, replacing the constitution enacted in 1966 upon its independence from the United Kingdom. The current Constitution of Guyana contains 12 chapters that are further divided into 232 articles.
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