Amazon rainforest fires reached a record high, with over 2,500 fires burning simultaneously
Satellite data showed the fires were the worst in nearly a decade, prompting international outcry and accusations that Brazilian government policies w...
August 24 in History
Significant events that happened on this day.
Historical Events
2019
2016
A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck central Italy, destroying the town of Amatrice and killing 299 people
The quake hit at 3:36 AM while most residents were sleeping, causing widespread devastation. The medieval town of Amatrice, famous for inventing the p...
2006
Pluto was officially downgraded from planet status to 'dwarf planet' by the International Astronomical Union
After 76 years as the ninth planet, Pluto was reclassified due to new definitions requiring planets to clear their orbital path. The decision sparked...
1992
Hurricane Andrew struck southern Florida as a Category 5 storm, causing $27 billion in damage
With sustained winds of 165 mph, it was the most destructive hurricane in U.S. history at the time. The storm completely obliterated entire neighborho...
1991
Mikhail Gorbachev resigned as head of the Communist Party, effectively ending Soviet control
MajorHis resignation came just three days after a failed coup attempt by hardline Communists. Within months, the Soviet Union would officially dissolve, en...
1989
Pete Rose was banned from baseball for life for gambling on games
The all-time hits leader in Major League Baseball was permanently banned after an investigation found he bet on games while managing the Cincinnati Re...
1960
A temperature of 136.4°F (58°C) was recorded in El Azizia, Libya, setting what was believed to be the world's hottest temperature
For over 50 years, this reading held the record for the highest temperature ever recorded on Earth. In 2012, the World Meteorological Organization inv...
1954
President Eisenhower signed the Communist Control Act, effectively outlawing the Communist Party in the United States
At the height of McCarthyism, this controversial law stripped the Communist Party of its rights and privileges. However, it was rarely enforced due to...
1949
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) officially came into effect
MajorThe treaty created a military alliance among 12 Western nations to counter the Soviet threat during the Cold War. What began with 12 members has since...
1932
Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly nonstop across the United States
She flew from Los Angeles to Newark, New Jersey in just over 19 hours, covering approximately 2,448 miles. This was just one of many aviation records...
1891
Thomas Edison filed a patent for the motion picture camera, calling it the Kinetograph
MajorEdison's invention could capture moving images on film, revolutionizing entertainment forever. While he wasn't the only inventor working on motion pic...
1814
British forces burned down the White House and the U.S. Capitol during the War of 1812
MajorIn retaliation for the American burning of York (Toronto), British troops set fire to many government buildings in Washington, D.C. President Madison...