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1804 .....FRANCE ..... the FIRST complete codification of French Civil Law, the Code Napoleon, was promulgated. It was based on the democratic concept of a rational set of laws free from the constraints of prejudice, class and ecclesiastical control before which all men were deemed equal.  It had an enormous influence on the legal systems of other European countries and particularly those of Central America.   Liberty, equality and fraternity or the rights of man was something that Napoleon did not ascribe to but he paid lip service to the Republic by recognising individual civil rights and the lay character of the state 

1834 ..... U.K ..... the Grand Lodge of Women held its FIRST meeting which acknowledged the rights of women to express their views and participate in the great trade union ferment and provided them with a means of doing so 

1896 ..... U.K ..... the FIRST cinema opened in Britain. The Kineopticon was at 2 Piccadilly Mansions in London and was owned by Birt Acres, a famous photographer of the time 

1908 ..... FRANCE ..... Henri Farman made the FIRST aeroplane flight with a passenger. A French pioneer aviator and manufacturer he worked with his brother Maurice and together they manufactured the Farman biplane and built the FIRST long distance passenger plane, the Goliath , in 1919 

1997 ..... U.K ..... for the FIRST time ever a cigarette company admitted that smoking cigarettes could cause cancer, heart disease and emphysema.  The company was Liggetts  who were the makers of Chesterfield cigarettes

2007 ..... U.K ..... Paul McCartney became the FIRST artist to sign to Starbucks' record label Hear Music. The coffee chain planned to promote his new album in thousands of outlets worldwide

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