March 31
March 31 is the 91st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 275 days remain until the year's end. It falls in spring (northern hemisphere) and under the astrological sign of Aries.
External references
Curated jump-off points to the major almanacs, encyclopaedias and primary sources for this date.
Astronomy
On March 31 the Sun's declination is approximately +4.0°. At this latitude the Sun is north of the celestial equator, giving the Northern Hemisphere longer days than nights.
For specific rise/set times at your location, see the U.S. Naval Observatory, or the NASA APOD archive for any imagery published on a March 31.
Position in the year
Holidays & observances
No widely-observed holidays catalogued for this day in our base set. See the external almanacs above for region-specific observances.
Events
A selection of widely-documented historical events that took place on this date. Years marked BCE follow standard astronomical convention.
1854 — Commodore Matthew Perry signed the Convention of Kanagawa, opening Japan to American trade. ↗(172 years ago)more
The Convention of Kanagawa, also known as the Kanagawa Treaty or the Japan–US Treaty of Peace and Amity , was a treaty signed between the United States and the Tokugawa Shogunate on March 31, 1854. Signed under threat of force, it effectively meant the end of Japan's 220-year-old policy of national seclusion by opening the ports of Shimoda and Hakodate t...
1889 — The Eiffel Tower was officially opened in Paris. ↗(137 years ago)more
The Eiffel Tower is a lattice tower on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France. It is named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower from 1887 to 1889.
1909 — Construction began on the RMS Titanic at Belfast. ↗(117 years ago)more
RMS Titanic was a British ocean liner that sank in the early hours of 15 April 1912 as a result of striking an iceberg on her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City, United States. Of the 2,208 passengers and crew aboard, approximately 1,500 died, making the incident one of the deadliest peacetime sinkings of a single ship.
1959 — The 14th Dalai Lama crossed the border into India and was granted asylum. ↗(67 years ago)more
The 14th Dalai Lama is the incumbent Dalai Lama, the highest spiritual leader and head of Tibetan Buddhism. He served as the resident spiritual and temporal leader of Tibet before 1959, and subsequently led the Tibetan government in exile represented by the Central Tibetan Administration in Dharamsala, India.
Notable births
1596 — René Descartes, French philosopher and mathematician. ↗(430 years ago)more
René Descartes was a French philosopher, scientist, logician, and mathematician, widely considered a seminal figure in the emergence of modern philosophy and science during the Renaissance era. Mathematics was paramount to his method of inquiry, and he connected the previously separate fields of geometry and algebra into analytic geometry.
1732 — Joseph Haydn, Austrian composer. ↗(294 years ago)more
Franz Joseph Haydn was an Austrian composer of the Classical period. He was pivotal in the evolution of chamber music forms like the string quartet and piano trio. His contributions to musical form have led him to be called "Father of the Symphony", "Father of the String quartet" and "Father of Sonata form".
1948 — Al Gore, 45th U.S. Vice-President. ↗(78 years ago)more
Albert Arnold Gore Jr. is an American politician, businessman, and environmentalist who served as the 45th vice president of the United States from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously represented Tennessee in both houses of the U.S. Congress, first as a member of the U.S.
Notable deaths
1855 — Charlotte Brontë, English novelist (Jane Eyre). ↗(171 years ago)more
Charlotte Nicholls, commonly known by her maiden name Charlotte Brontë, was an English novelist and poet, and was the elder sister of Emily, Anne and Branwell Brontë. She is best known for her novel Jane Eyre, which was first published under the pseudonym Currer Bell.
Numerical & calendrical curiosities
| Day-of-year (91) | 7 × 13 · composite (no) |
|---|---|
| Days remaining (275) | 5^2 × 11 |
| Date code DDMMYYYY | 31032026 · no palindrome in next 200 years |
| Sun declination | +4.02° (Cooper approximation) |
| Distance from solstice | 81 days |