NOVEMBER: To paraphrase Shakespeare, What’s in a month? In November, there is quite a lot of history.

According to History.com, the month may be best known for historical events like the first official Thanksgiving, the Kennedy assassination or Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, but there are a few lesser-known November facts.

Only two U.S. presidents share a birthday. James Polk (1795) and Warren Harding (1865) were both born Nov. 2, exactly 70 years apart.

November is the only month of the year represented in the NATO Phonetic Alphabet. (Before 1956, the letter “N” was represented by “nectar.”)

On Nov. 3, 1957, a stray dog named Laika became the first animal to orbit Earth on the Soviet Sputnik 2 satellite. Sadly, the black-and-white mutt did not survive the flight.

Trailblazing journalist Nellie Bly began her record-breaking 72-day journey around the world on Nov. 14, 1890, inspired by Jules Verne’s Around the World in 80 Days.

Take Halloween’s trick-or-treating, add some songs about ale, throw in a little ironwork and you’ve got St. Clem’s Day, traditionally held Nov. 23 across England. The feast day, which began in the 16th century (and is only sparsely celebrated today), honors St. Clement, the fourth pope who was martyred by being tied to an anchor and thrown into the sea, thus becoming the patron saint of blacksmiths and seafarers. Traditionally, Clementide festivities included the dangerous tradition of anvil firing, where gunpowder caused loud explosions, and people sang boisterous songs while going door-to-door collecting apples and other treats. Blacksmiths feasted and toasted an effigy known as “Old Clem,” while bands played into the night. 

Each Nov. 25, Tudor villagers celebrated Cattern Day, to honor St. Catherine, the patron saint of lace and textiles.