Significant events that happened on this day.
Hanssen sold thousands of classified documents to the Soviets and Russians while assigned to counterintelligence, making him one of the most damaging...
After spending 27 years in prison for fighting apartheid, Mandela became president in South Africa's first multiracial democratic election. His inaugu...
After spending 27 years in prison, Mandela became president in South Africa's first multiracial elections. His inauguration marked the official end of...
When a Brinks armored car crashed on the Santa Monica Freeway, bags of money spilled across all lanes during morning rush hour. Drivers abandoned thei...
Despite being technically superior, Betamax eventually lost to VHS in one of history's most famous format battles. Sony's decision to keep tighter con...
The nuclear-powered submarine traveled 41,500 miles underwater, following roughly the same route as Magellan's historic voyage around the world. The c...
The Triton surfaced after 84 days and 36,000 miles underwater, following roughly the same route as Magellan's expedition 440 years earlier. The crew n...
Churchill took office on the same day Germany invaded France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. His famous declaration that he had nothing to offer but 'b...
Churchill replaced Neville Chamberlain at Britain's darkest hour as German forces launched their Blitzkrieg across Western Europe. In his first speech...
Students and Nazi officials burned books by Jewish, communist, and other 'un-German' authors in 34 university towns. Works by Einstein, Freud, Helen K...
Students and Nazi officials threw books into bonfires in 34 university towns, targeting works by authors including Einstein, Freud, Hemingway, and Hel...
Hoover took control of what was then called the Bureau of Investigation, a scandal-ridden agency of about 650 employees. He immediately instituted ref...
Anna Jarvis organized the first Mother's Day service at Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church to honor her late mother, who had cared for wounded soldier...
In Nix v. Hedden, the Court unanimously decided that tomatoes should be classified as vegetables under tariff law despite being botanical fruits. The...
In Nix v. Hedden, the Court acknowledged that botanically tomatoes are fruits, but declared they should be classified as vegetables under customs law...
The declaration came during the Russo-Turkish War when Romania allied with Russia against the Ottomans. Though Romania had been functionally autonomou...
Woodhull ran decades before women even had the right to vote, with former slave Frederick Douglass as her running mate (without his consent or acknowl...
Nominated by the Equal Rights Party, Woodhull ran for president 48 years before women even had the right to vote. Her running mate was Frederick Dougl...
The ceremonial golden spike was driven by Leland Stanford to join the two rail lines, creating a continuous railway from the Atlantic to the Pacific O...
The Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads met at Promontory Summit, where a golden spike was ceremonially driven to mark the completion. This mo...
Davis was apprehended near Irwinville, Georgia, trying to flee the country after the Civil War's end. Union soldiers claimed he was wearing his wife's...
Banks suspended specie payments, triggering a financial crisis that led to a five-year depression. The panic was partly caused by President Andrew Jac...
The surprise dawn attack captured the fort without firing a shot, as the small British garrison was completely unprepared. Allen reportedly demanded s...
Franklin flew a kite during a thunderstorm with a metal key attached to the string, demonstrating that lightning is electrical in nature. This dangero...
Columbus encountered so many sea turtles around the islands that he named them after the creatures. The islands were later renamed 'Cayman' after the...
Vespucci claimed to have made four voyages to the Americas, but scholars argue he may have only made two, with this first voyage being fabricated or e...
