In 1955 West Germany became a member of NATO.
After World War II tougher restrictions were put on Germany compared with the First World War. Part of the restrictions included the country being put under the control of the major powers of the ‘Allies’ (United Kingdom, United States, France and Russia) with each country controlling a section. On the 23rd of May 1949 the Western areas were united as the Federal Republic of Germany (Bundesrepublik Deutschland, or BRD) and shortly after, on the 7th of October 1949, the Soviet controlled side or Eastern side became the German Democratic Republic (Deutsche Demokratische Republik, or DDR) with control of the capital city of Berlin was also split accordingly. East Germany was under much stricter control from Russia and the economy had much slower growth making life harder for the people. West Germany enjoyed economic growth and on this day became a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation or NATO (an intergovernmental military alliance).
In 1901 Australia’s Federal Parliament met for the first time.
In the 1890’s the six self-governing colonies of Australia would meet to decide how to form a new federal government. They decided how this new government would control Australia as a whole and how this would affect the individual states. Once they had a proposal it was voted on by the Australian people who voted for this new constitution. It was then sent to the British Parliament and Queen Victoria who agreed and signed the Australian Constitution Act 1901 which came into effect on the 1st of January 1901. On this day in 1901 the newly formed Australian Parliament met for the first time at the Victorian Parliament House in Melbourne where they continued to meet until 1927. It was not until 1909 that the new capital and site for Parliament was decided which was in southern New South Wales know known as Canberra. But due to World War I the building of the new parliament building (known as “old Parliament House”) was delayed and not completed until 1927.
In 1877 Romania declares its Independence from the Ottoman Empire.
On the 9th of May (old Julian calendar or 21st May using modern Gregorian calendar) Mihail Kogalniceanu declared Independence on behalf of the Romanian people and this declaration was signed by Prince Carol I of Romania. Romania joined Russia in their fight against the Ottoman Empire in the Russo-Turkish War (1877-1878). Romania, Serbia, Montenegro and Bulgaria fought along side Russia against the Turkish and won on the 3rd of March 1878. At the end of the war Russia attempted to claim several of its ally’s provinces including Romania but it under the treaty of Berlin in 1878 Russia recognised Romania’s independence.
