A man in the UK legally changed his name to 'Bacon Double Cheeseburger' to win a free burger
Sam Smith went through the entire legal process of changing his name for a fast food promotion, though he later admitted he regretted it when applying...
September 11 in History
Significant events that happened on this day.
Historical Events
2012
1998
The International Court ruled that wearing a sword as part of religious dress is a human right
The case involved Sikh motorcycle riders in Britain who wanted to wear turbans instead of helmets and carry ceremonial kirpans (swords). The ruling es...
1997
Scotland voted to establish its own parliament after 290 years of direct rule from London
In a historic referendum, 74% of Scottish voters approved the creation of a devolved Scottish Parliament with tax-varying powers. This represented the...
1985
Pete Rose broke Ty Cobb's all-time hits record with his 4,192nd career hit
Playing for the Cincinnati Reds, Rose singled to left field against the San Diego Padres, surpassing a record that had stood for 57 years. The game wa...
1973
A CIA-backed military coup overthrew Chile's elected president Salvador Allende, installing Augusto Pinochet's 17-year dictatorship
MajorChilean armed forces bombed the presidential palace while Allende was inside, leading to his death. The coup ended decades of democratic rule in Chile...
1962
The Beatles recorded their first single 'Love Me Do' at Abbey Road Studios in London
This historic recording session marked the beginning of the Beatles' studio career, though they had to re-record it a week later with a session drumme...
1950
A man broke into the U.S. Capitol and accidentally locked himself in a broom closet for three days
The would-be intruder managed to evade security but then got trapped in a small storage room with no food or water. He was discovered only when janito...
1941
Construction began on the Pentagon, which would become the world's largest office building
Ground was broken for the massive five-sided headquarters of the U.S. Department of Defense in Arlington, Virginia. Completed in just 16 months due to...
1933
A farmer in Australia discovered a strange glowing boulder that turned out to be radioactive and worth millions
The rock was found to contain high concentrations of uranium at a time when radioactive materials were extremely valuable for research. The farmer bec...
1926
A man swimming in the Mediterranean Sea accidentally swam from Europe to Africa without realizing it
During a recreational swim near the Strait of Gibraltar, the swimmer became disoriented and ended up crossing international boundaries underwater. He...
1922
The British Mandate for Palestine officially began, setting the stage for decades of Middle Eastern conflict
MajorThe League of Nations granted Britain administrative control over Palestine with a mandate that included support for establishing a Jewish homeland. T...
1789
Alexander Hamilton was appointed as the first Secretary of the Treasury of the United States
MajorPresident George Washington chose his former aide-de-camp to establish America's financial system from scratch. Hamilton would go on to create the Fir...