The U.S. Congress passed a $700 billion bank bailout to prevent economic collapse
MajorThe Emergency Economic Stabilization Act gave the government authority to purchase toxic assets from failing financial institutions. The bill initiall...
October 3 in History
Significant events that happened on this day.
Historical Events
2008
1995
A jury awarded $81 million to a woman who spilled McDonald's coffee on herself
Actually, this is a common misconception—the actual verdict on this date was the O.J. Simpson acquittal. The McDonald's coffee case (which was legitim...
1990
East and West Germany officially reunified after 45 years of division
MajorThe German Democratic Republic ceased to exist as it joined the Federal Republic of Germany, ending the Cold War division. Thousands celebrated at the...
1969
The television show "Monty Python's Flying Circus" premiered on BBC
The surreal British comedy introduced sketches like the Dead Parrot and the Ministry of Silly Walks. Initially scheduled for a quiet Sunday night slot...
1967
The X-15 rocket plane reached a record altitude of 354,200 feet
Pilot Pete Knight flew the hypersonic aircraft to over 67 miles high, earning him astronaut wings. The X-15 program tested technologies later used in...
1955
"The Mickey Mouse Club" television show premiered on ABC
The variety show introduced the Mouseketeers and launched the careers of numerous child stars, including Annette Funicello. The show's theme song beca...
1952
The United Kingdom successfully tested its first atomic bomb
MajorOperation Hurricane detonated a 25-kiloton device in the Monte Bello Islands off Australia, making Britain the world's third nuclear power. The explos...
1942
Germany successfully launched the A-4 rocket, the world's first object to reach space
The test at Peenemünde sent the missile 53 miles high, crossing the Kármán line that defines the edge of space. This rocket became the V-2, which late...
1935
Italy invaded Ethiopia without declaring war, starting the Second Italo-Ethiopian War
Mussolini's forces crossed from Eritrea into Ethiopia in a blatant act of aggression that the League of Nations failed to stop. Ethiopia's Emperor Hai...
1929
The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes officially changed its name to Yugoslavia
King Alexander I renamed the country, meaning "Land of the South Slavs," in an attempt to foster unity among ethnic groups. The name lasted until the...
1863
President Lincoln proclaimed the first national Thanksgiving holiday
MajorAbraham Lincoln declared the last Thursday in November as a national day of thanksgiving, making it an official holiday for the first time. The procla...
1849
Edgar Allan Poe was found delirious on the streets of Baltimore
The famous writer was discovered in a tavern wearing clothes that weren't his, unable to explain what happened. He died four days later at age 40, and...