Firsts
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Firsts
Flamboyance (See ELEGANCE.)
Adamin the Bible, the first man. [O.T.: Genesis 1:26–5:5]
the first man. [Gk. Myth.: Zimmerman, 14]
first standardized, comprehensive editions of the classics (16th century). [Ital. Hist.: Plumb, 267]
(1930–) first person to set foot on the moon (July 20, 1969). [Am. Hist.: NCE, 172]
(1929–) first runner to break the four-minute mile. [Sports: EB, I: 795]
first book published in U.S. (1640). [Am. Hist.: Van Doren, 784]
(1850–1917) first U.S. saint; tirelessly helped new Italian Americans. [Christian Hagiog.: Attwater, 135–136]
(b. 671) earliest English Christian poet. [Br. Hist.: Grun]
first all-professional baseball team (1869). [Am. Hist.: Van Doren, 260]
first true opera (Florence, 1597). [Ital. Opera: Wester-man, 17]
(b. 1587) first English child born in New World. [Am. Hist.: Jameson, 131]
first colony to ratify the Constitution; thus, “the first state.” [Am. Hist.: NCE, 738]
in the Bible, the first woman. [O.T.: Genesis 1–5]
(1934–1968) first man in space (1961). [Russ. Hist.: Wallechinsky, 116]
first book of the Old Testament. [O.T.: Genesis]
first substantial animated cartoon (1909). [Am. Hist.: Van Doren, 362]
the first industrial exhibition, promoted by Prince Albert and held in Hyde Park in Crystal Palace. [Br. Hist.: Payton, 285]
considered the first “real” movie. [Am. Cinema: Griffith, 10]
(1397–1468) German printer, supposedly the first European to print with movable type (c. 1436). [Ger. Hist.: NCE, 1166]
the first American college (1636). [Am. Hist.: NCE, 1200]
first talking film (1927) featured Al Jolson. [Am. Cinema: Halliwell, 213]
first European settlement in New World (1492). [Am. Hist.: Van Doren, 2]
(1902–1974) U.S. aviator; made the first solo, nonstop transatlantic flight (1927). [Am. Hist.: NCE, 1586]
prototype of the department store. [Am. Hist.: Van Doren, 217–218]
(Joseph, 1740–1810) (Jaques, 1745–1799) first to make practical, manned balloon flight (1783). [Fr. Hist.: NCE, 1821]
first college to admit Negroes and to give women degrees. [Am. Hist.: Hart, 612]
(1919–1972) professional American baseball player; first Negro to play in the major leagues. [Am. Sports: NCE, 2335]
first animated cartoon with sound (Disney). [Am. Cinema: Van Doren, 431]
first American steam locomotive. [Am. Hist.: Van Doren, 141]
first of the Thirteen Colonies. [Am. Hist.: NCE, 289]
(1732–1799) first United States president. [Am. Hist.: Hart, 897]
(Wilbur, 1867–1912) (Orville, 1871–1948) made the first controlled, sustained flight in a power-driven airplane (1903). [Am. Hist.: NCE, 3012]
Allusions—Cultural, Literary, Biblical, and Historical: A Thematic Dictionary. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.