These are some of many widely recognized historic events that occurred during the month of August, listed by year. Dates provided for earlier time events may be approximate. Select another month

3114 BCE, August 11- The mythical start date of the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar. A a non-repeating base-20 and base-18 calendar used by several pre-Columbian Mesoamerican cultures, most notably the Maya. The Long Count calendar identifies a day by counting the number of days passed since the mythical creation date of August 11, 3114 BCE in the proleptic Gregorian calendar or September 6 on the Julian calendar. The Long Count calendar was widely used on monuments. More

63 BCE, August - The Roman general Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (Pompey the Great) captures Jerusalem, bringing it under Roman control.

30 BCE, August 10 - Cleopatra VII, the last ruler of Ptolemaic Egypt, kills herself on either 10 or 12 August, in Alexandria, when she was 39 years old, following the defeat of her forces against Octavian, the future first emperor of Rome. According to popular belief, she died by allowing an Egyptian cobra to bite her, but others believe she either poisoned herself or was murdered. The location of Cleopatra's tomb is unknown. According to historians Suetonius and Plutarch, the Roman leader Octavian permitted their burial together after he had defeated them. Mark Antony, had stabbed himself with a sword, a few days before on August 1.

29 BCE, August - Octavian (later known as Augustus) celebrates three days of triumph in Rome, marking the end of the Final War of the Roman Republic.

70 CE, Augusr 29 - Jerusalem falls to Roman forces, marking the collapse of the Jewish state.

79, August 24 - Vesuvius, an active volcano in southern Italy, erupts and destroys the cities of Pompeii, Stabiae, Oplontis and Herculaneum and several other settlements. Although exact toll is unknown, more than 1,000 people are thought to have died in the eruption. The eruption ejected a cloud of stones, ashes and volcanic gases to a height of 21 miles (33 km). Vesuvius is the only volcano on Europe's mainland to have erupted in the last hundred years. It is regarded as one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world because 3 Million people live near enough to be affected by an eruption, with at least 600,000 in the danger zone. There has been Speculation that the eruption happened later than August, based on findings of autumnal fruits and heating braziers discovered in the ruins. More

325, August 25 - The First Council of Nicaea ends. The Council was a meeting of Christian bishops convened in the Bithynian city of Nicaea (now İznik, Turkey) by the Roman Emperor Constantine I. It was specifically called to make a decision about Arianism—the belief that God created Jesus, and that Jesus was not eternal or one with God. Arianism was growing in popularity, even among church leaders threatening to tear the church apart. More 

379, August 9 - The Visigoths defeat a large Roman army led by Valens, the Roman emperor of the East, at the Battle of Adrianople (also known as the Battle of Hadrianopolis), in present-day Turkey. The battle was an overwhelming victory for the Visigoths ending with two-thirds of the Roman army, including Emperor Valens overrun and slaughtered. More

410, August 24 - The Visigoths, led by King Alaric, sack the city of Rome, marking the first time in almost 800 years that the city falls to an enemy force.

1057, August 15 - Malcolm Canmore slains King Macbeth of Scotland at the Battle of Lumphananand. His father, King Duncan I, had been murdered by Macbeth 17 years earlier. Following the battle  Macbeth's stepson, Lulach, was crowned King, before being killed by Malcolm who then recovered the Scottish throne as Malcolm III.  All the kings of Scotland since Malcolm himself and all the kings of England since the accession of Henry II descend from Malcolm and his English wife Margaret, the grandchild of Edmund Ironside.  More

1204, August 1 - The Fourth Crusade concludes with the sack of Constantinople, leading to the division and weakening of the Byzantine Empire.

1209, August 15 - The Massacre at Béziers takes place during the Albigensian Crusade, where the Catholic Crusaders sack the city of Béziers in southern France.

1214, August 24 - The Battle of Bouvines occurs during the Fourth Crusade, where the forces of Philip II of France defeat an alliance of European powers led by Emperor Otto IV.

1227, August 15 - 31  - Genghis Khan, (actually named Borjigin Temujin), the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, dies in Mongolia some time in late August. 1227. At the time of his death, the Mongol Empire was 2.5 times larger by territory than the Roman Empire. A study published in 2003 in The American Journal of Human Genetics suggested that Genghis Khan DNA can be found in one in 200 men today. The cause of his death is shrouded in mystery and it is now believed that it was caused by the bubonic plague.

1248, August 15 - The Seventh Crusade, led by King Louis IX of France, reaches Egypt and begins the siege of Damietta.

1258, August 29 - The Mongol Empire, under the leadership of Hulagu Khan, captures and sacks the city of Baghdad, leading to the fall of the Abbasid Caliphate.

1261, August 15 - The Byzantine Empire recaptures the city of Constantinople from the Latin Empire, marking the end of the Fourth Crusade.

1270, August 25 - The Eighth Crusade, led by King Louis IX of France, departs from Aigues-Mortes, France, with the goal of conquering Tunis.

1281, August 15 - The Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty of China successfully repels a second invasion attempt by the Japanese forces in the Battle of Kōan.

1291, August 1 - Swiss National Day - Alliance against the Holy Roman Empire in 1291.

1291, August 20 - The Siege of Acre ends, resulting in the fall of the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem and the complete expulsion of European Christian forces from the Holy Land.

1305, August 7 - William Wallace, Scottish leader of the resistance against English rule, is captured by English forces near Glasgow.

1314, August 23-24 - The Battle of Bannockburn takes place, where Scottish forces led by Robert the Bruce defeat the English army, securing Scottish independence.

1346, August 26 - The Battle of Crécy occurs during the Hundred Years' War, where the
English army, led by Edward III, defeats the French forces.

1350, August 14 - The St. Mary Magdalene's flood devastates the Netherlands, England, and
Germany, causing significant loss of life and destruction.

1396, August 17 - The Battle of Nicopolis takes place, marking the final major crusade of the Middle Ages and resulting in a victory for the Ottoman Empire over an alliance of European forces.

1485, August 22 - The Battle of Bosworth Field. The last significant battle of the Wars of the Roses, the civil war between the houses of Lancaster and York that extended across England. The battle was won by an alliance of Lancastrians and disaffected Yorkists. Their leader Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond, became the first English monarch of the Tudor dynasty by his victory and subsequent marriage to a Yorkist princess. His opponent Richard III, the last king of the House of York, was killed during the battle. Historians consider Bosworth Field battle one of the defining moments of English history. More

1492, August 3 - Christopher Columbus sets sail from Palos de la Frontera, Spain, with three ships, Niña, Pinta and Santa Maria. Searching for a westerly route to the Far East. Instead, on October 12th, he lands in the Bahamas, thinking it was an outlying Japanese island. More

1498, August 1 - Explorer Christopher Columbus lands on South America at the Paria Peninsula in present-day Venezuela. He Thinking it was an island, he claims it for Spain and christened it "Isla Santa". 

1521, August 13 - Spanish conquistador Hernándo Cortés succeeds in bringing about the fall of Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Aztec Empire after over two months of fighting. Cortes' conquests began with Cuba in 1511, Mexico’s Bay of Campeche in 1519, and then deeper into Mexico.

1526, August 29 - Ottoman Sultan, Suleiman the Magnificent, defeats the Hungarian forces at the Battle of Mohács in 1526, establishing Ottoman control in the region for over 150 years. Sultan Suleiman I inherited the throne of the Ottoman Empire at the age of 26. He was the only son of Selim I, who conquered Mecca, Medina, Jerusalem and Alexandria. More

1572, August 24 - Thousands of Protestant Huguenots are massacred in France by Catholics, in what became known as the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre. More

1583, August 5 - Sir Humphrey Gilbert, a British navigator and explorer takes possession of the area around St. John’s harbor, Newfoundland in the name of the Queen. He was later lost at sea in a storm off the Azores on his return trip to England.

1619, August 20 -  First enslaved Africans arrive in Virginia; Two English pirate ships, the Treasurer and White Lion. each carrying 20-30 African slaves land in the Jamestown colony within four days of each other. The slaves had been taken from a Portuguese slave ship, the San Juan Bautista, carrying 350 African slaves in route to Veracruz, Mexico.
Virginia’s first enslaved people spoke Bantu languages, and their homelands were the kingdoms of Ndongo and Kongo. They are the first recorded Africans to arrive in England's mainland American colonies. marking the beginning of what evolved into a legalized system of slavery that lasted two and a half centuries. More

1753, August 4 - George Washington becomes a Master Mason n his hometown of Fredericksburg, Virginia. He was twenty one years old. More

1776, August 2 - Most of the 55 members of the Continental Congress signed the parchment copy of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia. More

1782, August 7 -  General George Washington announces the Badge of Military Merit. The Badge was designed by Washington in the form of a purple heart, it was intended as a military order for soldiers who exhibited, "not only instances of unusual gallantry in battle, but also extraordinary fidelity and essential service in any way". It is believed that only three people received the Badge of Military Merit during the American Revolutionary War, In 1932, the United States War Department  authorized the new Purple Heart Medal, officially considered the "successor decoration" to the Badge of Military Merit. More

1784, August 14 - Russians led by Grigorii Shelikhov established the first permanent Russian outpost in Alaska on Kodiak Island at Three Saints Bay. More 

1789, August 26 - The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen is adopted in France, laying the groundwork for the French
Revolution.

1791, August 19 - Benjamin Banneker, the son of a free Black American woman and a formerly enslaved African man from Guinea, writes a letter to Thomas Jefferson, then-Secretary of State. On the letter, Banneker criticizes Jefferson’s hypocritical stance on slavery in respectful but unambiguous terms, using Jefferson’s own words to make his case for the abolition of slavery. Jefferson brief  response thanked him for the letter, expressed his ambivalence about slavery ("…no body [sic] wishes more sincerely than I do to see such proofs as you exhibit in your letter, that nature has given to our black brethren, talents equal to those of the other colours of men") and endorsed Banneker’s accomplishments. More 

1792, August 10 - Louis XVI of France and his wife, Marie-Antoinette are imprisoned and the French monarchy is effectively overthrown, as the French Revolution (1787–99) continues. They were both executed by guillotine in 1793.

1792, August 29 - In one of the worst maritime disasters, 900 men drowned on the British battleship Royal George. A gust of wind allowed water to flood into open gun ports as the ship was being repaired. The ship sank within minutes.

1794, August 26 - President George Washington leads a militia force of 12,950 men towards Western Pennsylvania to subdue the Whiskey Rebellion, warning locals "not to abet, aid, or comfort the Insurgents aforesaid, as they will answer the contrary at their peril." More

1809, August 10 - Ecuador Independence Day - Celebration of the first Ecuadorian patriot uprising against Spanish rule and original proclamation of independence. The movement failed and the leaders of the movement were executed. On 1822 Ecuador won independence from Spain as part of the confederation of Gran Colombia on the decisive Battle of Pichincha. The confederation of Gran Colombia was comprised of what is now the countries of Panama, Colombia, and Venezuela. On May 13, 1830, Ecuador seceded and became a separate independent republic.

1814, August 24 - During the War of 1812, British forces capture Washington, D.C. and burn down the White House, the Capitol, and other public buildings along with a number of private homes. The burning was in retaliation for the earlier American burning of York (Toronto). Shortly before the arrival of the British forces, an iconic portrait of George Washington is removed from the White House walls, to prevent it being looted by British troops. First lady, Dolley Madison is credited for saving the portrait. The portrait was actually a copy of Gilbert Stuart's original. President Madison served the rest of his term residing at the city’s Octagon House. It was not until 1817 that the newly elected president James Monroe moved back into the reconstructed building.

1821, August 10 - Missouri is admitted into the Union becoming the 24th State

1821, August 24 - Spain recognizes Mexico independence with the signing of the Treaty of Córdoba, Spain finally recognized the independence of the First Mexican Empire. More

1825, August 6 - Bolivia declaration of Independence.

1825, August 25 - Uruguay Independence day from the Empire of Brazil. Declaration of independence and union with the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata.

1833, August 28 - Slavery is abolished throughout the British Empire, including in the British colonies of the Caribbean and North America.

1838, Slavery is abolished in Jamaica where it had been introduced in 1509.

1844, August 8 - Brigham Young is chosen to lead the Mormon Church. More 

1846, August 10 - The act establishing the Smithsonian Institution  for "the Increase and Diffusion of Knowledge among Men," is passed by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President James K. Polk. The Institution was founded with funds from the Englishman James Smithson (1765–1829) according to his wishes “under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge.” A bequest to a country that he had never visited. The Smithsonian Institution is now the world's largest museum, education, and research complex. More

1876, August 1 -  Colorado is admitted into the Union and becomes the 38th State

1856, August 23 - Eunice Newton Foote makes first public scientific mention of the upcoming "Greenhouse effect". Her paper , titled “Circumstances Affecting the Heat of the Sun’s Rays,” was presented at a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Foote' s short paper included a prescient conclusion; “An atmosphere of that gas (Carbon Dioxide) would give to our earth a high temperature,” describing the phenomenon we now call the greenhouse effect, the main cause of climate change. More

1858, August 16 - The first successful transatlantic telegraph line is completed. Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom sends a telegraph  to U.S. President James Buchanan. Near-instantaneous communication between Europe and North America. Become a reality.  

1861, August 5 - The Revenue Act is signed by President Lincoln imposing the first federal income tax. The action was prompted by the financial requirements of the Civil War. At first, Congress placed a flat 3-percent tax on all incomes over $800,and later modified this principle to include a graduated tax. Congress repealed Lincoln’s tax law in 1871, but in 1909 passed the 16th Amendment, which set in place the federal income-tax system used today. Congress ratified the 16th Amendment in 1913. More

1862, August 22 - Abraham Lincoln replies to Horace Greeley's New York Tribune editorial entitled “The Prayer of Twenty Millions". More

1864, August 5 - Battle of Mobile Bay -- Admiral David G. Farragut, leads a fleet of fourteen wooden ships and four ironclads and delivers a much needed victory for the Union and immortalizes the phase "Damn the torpedoes! - Full speed ahead!” Farragut became the first U.S. Navy’s full admiral. At the time of his death in 1870, he had served a total of 59 years in uniform. More

1864, August 22 - The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), created in 1863 comes into being as the draft convention submitted to the Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick of Armies in the Field, conference is adopted by 12 nations at meeting.  "The ICRC is an independent, neutral organization ensuring humanitarian protection and assistance for victims of armed conflict and other situations of violence." More 

1865, August 2 - James I. Waddell, Commander of the CSS Shenandoah learns the war is over from the bark Barracouta. More 

1866, August 20 - President Johnson issued a proclamation announcing the end of the American Civil War: "And I do further proclaim that the said insurrection is at an end and that peace, order, tranquility, and civil authority now exists in and throughout the whole of the United States of America." The proclamation  officially closed a costly, bloody, and deadly chapter in its nation's history that started at Fort Sumter several years and incurred the loss of 620,000 Union and Confederate soldiers. More 

1873, August 24 - Mount of the Holy Cross was first photographed by William Henry Jackson. Stories had circulated for years of a mountain with a large cross etched in its side. Jackson climbed the western slope of the Rocky Mountains with more than 100 pounds of photography equipment and captured his most famous photograph. He later painted the iconic image in watercolor. More 

1875, August 24 -  Matthew Webb, an English  Merchant Marine Captain swimmer and stuntman, becomes the first recorded person to swim the English Channel for sport without the use of artificial aids. Webb swam from Dover to Calais in less than 22 hours., becoming a celebrity. He went on to perform many stunts in public. He died in 1883 trying to swim the Niagara Gorge below Niagara as part of a publicity stunt.

1879, August 28 - Zulu King Cetshwayo, the last king of the independent Zulu nation was captured by the British during the Zulu war and taken into custody. Two years later he was allowed to travel to London and met Queen Victoria. He was permitted to return to South Africa to rule a portion of the former Zulu kingdom in 1883. More 

1880, August14 - The construction of the Cologne Cathedral ( Kölner Dom), the largest Gothic church in northern Europe is finally completed after having been started 642 years earlier in 1248. It is now the city's major landmark. More

1883,  August 26 - Krakatoa eruption. One of the most catastrophic volcanic eruptions in recorded history takes place on the Indonesian island of Krakatoa (Krakatau). The first eruption sends a cloud of gas and debris into the air and it is followed by increasingly powerful explosions culminating in a gigantic blast around 10 am on August 27, sending ash and debris 50 miles into the air blanketing 300,000 square miles (800,000 square kilometers) and plunging the area into darkness for two and a half days. The explosions were heard 2,000 miles away. Tidal waves 120 ft. high killed 36,000 persons on nearby islands, while five cubic miles of earth were blasted into the air up to a height of 50 miles. More

1890, August 6 -  New York executed William Kemmler. It was the first time ever a state used the electric chair to carry out an execution. States have carried out 158 executions by electric chair since 1973. Tennessee was the most recent state to use the electric chair, taking place in 2020. More

1896, August 16 - Gold was discovered in Rabbit Creek, a tributary of the Klondike River in Canada's Yukon Territory, resulting in the Great Klondike Gold Rush. More

1898, August 12 - A cease-fire agreement to stop the hostilities in the Spanish - American War was signed. Spain formally agreed to to the cession of Cuba, Puerto Rico and Manila in the Philippines to the United States pending a final peace treaty. The war officially ended four months later, when the U.S. and Spanish governments signed the Treaty of Paris on December 10, 1898. More 

1911, August 20 - A telegram reading “This message sent around the world” is sent by the New York Times to test how fast a commercial message could be sent around the world.  it traveled over 28,000 miles and was relayed by 16 different operators. It arrived back at The Times only 16.5 minutes later. The building where the message originated is now called One Times Square and is best known for where the ball drops on New Year’s Eve. More

1911, August 21 - The Louvre announces the theft of the Mona Lisa. painted by Leonardo da Vinci in 1507. It was recovered two years later in Italy on December 1913. More  

1911, August 29 - Ishi, believed to be the last surviving member of the Native American Yahi Tribe is found outside a slaughterhouse near Oroville. More

1914, August 1 - World War I starts. Germany declares war on Russia on August 1 and on France on August 3. Austria-Hungary, with German encouragement, had declared war on Serbia on 28 July. Russia's support of Serbia brought France into the conflict.  Germany's violation of Belgian neutrality and British fears of German domination in Europe brought Britain and its empire into the war on 4 August. More

1914, August 4 - President Woodrow Wilson declared U.S. neutrality as World War erupts .  The conflict eventually became a matter of principles: whether to uphold the freedom of the seas, to make the world safe for democracy in the face of autocracy, or to establish a new world order ensuring permanent peace and governed by rational law. The United States declared war on Germany on April 6, 1917. More 

1914, August 5 -  The first electric traffic signal is installed in Cleveland, Ohio at the corner of East 105th Street and Euclid Avenue. It was shaped like a birdhouse and had just green and red lights, with a buzzer that indicated when the light was about to change. A police officer named Lester Wire came up with the idea that revolutionized traffic engineering. He later sold the patent to General Electric. In 1923, inventor Garrett Morgan patented the three-position traffic signal, which is where we get today’s yellow light. More

1914, August 15 - The Panama Canal had its inaugural passage when the U.S. vessel  USS Ancon, passed through its gates and it opened to traffic, In the 1880s, the French  attempted to build the canal to connect the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. the project  was halted because of poor planning, a breakout of disease among the crew, and financial problems that drove the contractor’s company to bankruptcy in 1889. More

1914, August 15 - Japan issues an ultimatum to Germany demanding the withdraw of its warships from Chinese and Japanese waters and to hand over Tsingtao. This was refused and on  August 23, 1914 Japan declared war on Germany.  More

1914, August 26 - The WW1 Battle of Tannenberg between the Germans and the Russians begins. The German forces, led by Paul von Hindenburg and Erich Ludendorff, handed Russia a crushing defeat resulting in the destruction of the Russian Second Army, with 120,000-170,000 soldiers killed, injured, or captured by the German 8th Army . More

1916, August  - 27 Romania declares war on Austria-Hungary. and enters WW1 on the side of the Allies. The decision was motivated primarily by the desire to claim the region of Transylvania and its majority ethnic Romanian population from the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

1917, August 14 - China ends its neutrality and declares war on Germany and Austria-Hungary during World War I. 

1918, August 30 - Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin is shot by Fanya Kaplan, a member of the Social Revolutionary party. Lenin was seriously wounded but survived the attack which was the third assassination attempt on his life. More

1919, August 11 - Germany's Weimar constitution was passed by the National Assembly. The design of a new Democratic constitution began in late 1918, following the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II and the collapse of the monarchy. The Weimar Republic, Germany's 12-year experiment with democracy, came to an end 12 years later when the Nazis came to power in January 1933 and established a dictatorship. More

1919, August 19 - Afghan Independence Day (Afghan Victory Day) It commemorates the Anglo-Afghan Treaty of 1919

1920, August 18 - The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, granting women the right to vote is ratified as Tennessee, by a vote of 50 to 49, becomes the 36th State to do so. The deciding vote came from Harry T. Burn, a 24 year old, who supported suffrage but but was under political pressure to vote no. In his pocket was a letter from his mother, Febb Burn, urging him to vote for the amendment. On August 26, the amendment was formally adopted into the Constitution by proclamation of Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby. More

1923, August 2 -  President Warren G. Harding died suddenly in San Francisco while on a Western speaking tour. He was succeeded the next day by Calvin Coolidge.

1926, August 6 - Gertrude Ederle becomes first woman to swim English Channel. She swam across the Channel in 14 hours and 34 minutes, beating the men's record by two hours. More 

1931, August 25 - A dike along China' Lake Gaoyou is breached during major floods in the Yangtze Valley. The floods covered an area  approximately the size of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut combined. All together the floods which lasted from June to the end of August and flooded areas of central and eastern China including densely populated cities like Wuhan and Nanjing. The death toll of the floods ranges between 422,000 - 4,000,000, depending on the source. The 1931 China flood is known as one of the world's deadliest disasters. More

1934, August 2 - Adolf Hitler becomes absolute dictator of Germany under the title of Fuhrer, or “Leader after German President Paul von Hindenburg death. More

1934, August 11 - The first batch of 137 prisoners arrives at Alcatraz, arriving by railroad from the United States Penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas, to Santa Venetia, California. In 1850, a presidential order set aside the island for possible use as a United States military reservation. and the U.S. Army had used the island for more than 80 years. In 1933, the island was transferred to the U.S. Department of Justice for use by the Federal Bureau of Prisons to open a maximum-security, minimum-privilege penitentiary to deal with the most incorrigible inmates in Federal prisons. More

1934, August 19 -  Hitler becomes President of Germany; 89.9 percent of German voters approved granting Chancellor Adolf Hitler additional powers, including the office of president.

1935. August 14 - President Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act to provide for the general welfare by establishing a system of Federal old-age benefits, and by enabling the several States to make more adequate provision for aged persons, blind persons, dependent and crippled children, maternal and child welfare, public health, and the administration of their unemployment compensation laws; to establish a Social Security Board; to raise revenue; and for other purposes. More

1936, August 1 - Hitler declares the Berlin Olympics, the eleventh Olympiad of the modern era, to be open.

1939, August 2 - Albert Einstein writes a letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt regarding the possibility of atomic weapons. Six years later, on August 6, 1945, the first Atomic Bomb, developed by the U.S., was dropped on the Japanese port of Hiroshima.

1941, August 12 - FDR and Churchill meet for the first time as leaders of their respective nations on board naval vessels anchored in Placentia Bay, off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada. The document released as a result of the meeting is referred to as "The Atlantic Charter." It was not an official document, but rather a joint statement expressing the war aims of the two countries--one technically neutral and the other at war.  More

1942, August 4 - The United States signed the Mexican Farm Labor Agreement with Mexico. An executive order called the Mexican Farm Labor Program established the Bracero Program. This series of diplomatic accords between Mexico and the United States permitted millions of Mexican men to work legally in the United States on short-term labor contracts. The Bracero Program ended  on December 31, 1964. More

1942, August 7 - American forces land on the Solomon Islands of Guadalcanal, Tulagi, and Florida. on the morning of August 7,1942. After some fierce fighting, the US Marines cleared Tulagi and Florida by August 9. The main forces on Guadalcanal met little resistance on their way inland to secure the airfield at Lunga Point,  Almost immediately, however, Japanese naval aircraft attacked transport and escort ships, and Japanese reinforcements arrived in the area. More 

1942, August 11 - Hollywood actress Hedy Lamarr and composer with composer George Antheil were awarded a patent for a  “frequency hopping, spread-spectrum communication system” designed to make radio-guided torpedoes harder to detect or jam.
 Lamarr and Antheil donated their patent to the US Navy and never realized any money from their invention which was the simplest version of a radio transmission technique , known today as spread-spectrum technique, which refers to any method that widens the frequency band of a signal. The technique would eventually find its way into other cutting-edge technologies like wireless phones, Global Positioning Systems, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. More

1942, August 19-25 - The Dieppe Raid, an Allied amphibious assault on the German-occupied port of Dieppe, France, ends in a heavy defeat and high casualties.

1943, August 1 - A race riot takes place in Harlem, New York City, lasting two days, after a white police officer, James Collins, shot and wounded Robert Bandy, an African American soldier; and rumors circulated that the soldier had been killed. More

1943, August 17 - During World War II in Europe, the Allies completed the conquest of the island of Sicily after 38 days and U.S. General George S. Patton and his 7th Army arrive in Messina several hours before British Field Marshal Bernard L. Montgomery and his 8th Army, completing the Allied conquest of Sicily. There were more than 24,000 American, British, and Canadian casualties on Sicily. More

1944, August 1 - The Warsaw Uprising starts. The Polish Home Army), a non-Communist underground resistance movement, led by Polish General Tadeusz Bor-Komorowski, takes action to liberate the city from the German occupation and reclaim Polish independence, encouraged by the appearance of the Soviet Red Army along the east bank of the Vistula River. and the perceived weakness of the German military. However the Red army made no efforts to aid the rebels in Warsaw and by October 2, 1944, the Germans had suppressed the uprising, deporting civilians to concentration and forced-labor camps and reducing Warsaw to ruins. After the Germans eventually left, the Red Army came into Warsaw and established a Communist regime. More

1944, August 23 - Romania King Michael announces that Romania had unilaterally ceased all military actions against the Allies, accepted the Allied armistice offer and joined the war against the Axis powers. As no formal armistice offer had been extended yet, the Red Army occupied most of Romania as enemy territory prior to the signing of the Moscow Armistice of September 12, 1944.

1944, August 25 - Paris is liberated and the four-year Nazi occupation of the city comes to an end as the Free French 2nd Armored division under General Jacques-Philippe Leclerc enters the city and takes the German garrison capturing the German general Choltitz’s prisoner. His captors took Choltitz to French General Leclerc where the men signed a formal surrender document and Paris was finally liberated. German general Dietrich von Choltitz had spared Paris from the destruction ordered by Hitler. More 

1945, August 2 - The Potsdam Conference, held in Potsdam, Germany between the "Big Three: Britain, The Soviet Union and the United States  comes to an end without resolution on key issues. The conference was held to negotiate the terms for the end of World War II. Even though the Allies remained committed to fighting a joint war in the Pacific, mutual distrust stemming from differing views of what a postwar world should look, like led to disagreements on several key issues between the Soviet Union and the West, set the stage for the Cold War. More

1945, August 6 - The United States drops an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. The bomb dropped by the American B-29 bomber Enola Gay, detonated about 1,800 ft. above ground, killing over 105,000 persons and destroying the city. Another estimated 100,000 persons later died as a result of radiation effects.

1945, August 8 - Soviet Russia declared war on Japan and sent troops into Japanese-held Manchuria.

1945, August 9 - The United States drops an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Nagasaki. An American B-29 bomber headed for the city of Kokura, but because of poor visibility then chose a secondary target, Nagasaki. The bomb detonated killing an estimated 70,000 persons and destroying about half the city.

1945, August 14 - Believing that continuation of the war would only result in further loss of Japanese lives, delegates of Emperor Hirohito accepted Allied surrender terms originally issued at Potsdam on July 26, 1945, with the exception that the Japanese Emperor's sovereignty would be maintained. The formal surrender ceremony occurred later, on September 2, 1945, on board the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay.

1945, August 15 - South Korea and North Korea celebrate this day as their National Liberation Day as the Korean peninsula was freed from Japanese rule.

1945, August 17 - Proclamation of Indonesian Independence from the Empire of Japan and the Netherlands.

1947, August 7 - Norwegian scientist Thor Heyerdahl and five companions sail the Kon-Tiki, raft  from Peru to the islands east of Tahiti. Heyerdahl was interested in demonstrating the possibility that ancient people from the Americas could have colonized Polynesia; to do so, he constructed the raft from locally available balsa logs at Callao, Peru, and in three and a half months traversed some 4,300 miles (6,900 km) of ocean. The Kon-Tiki has been preserved in a museum in Oslo, Norway.

1947, August 14 - Pakistan achieved independence one day prior to Indian independence. India was partitioned, and an East and West Pakistan were created from Muslim majority areas.

1947, August 15, India was declared independent from British colonialism, and the reins of control were handed over to the leaders of the Country. 

1948, August 3 - During a hearing before the House Un-American Activities Committee, Whittaker Chambers, American writer and intelligence agent, accuses former State Department official Alger Hiss of being a communist and a spy for the Soviet Union. Hiss denied the accusation but was eventually tried and convicted of perjury. More

1949, - The Soviet Union successfully tested their first nuclear device, called RDS-1 or “First Lightning” (codenamed “Joe-1” by the United States), at Semipalatinsk.  As the Cold War intensified, both the Soviet Union and the United States embarked upon efforts to rapidly develop and grow their respective nuclear arsenals. The US launched its hydrogen bomb program in the early 1950s and the USSR followed suit and initiated their own hydrogen bomb program. More

1950, Aug 25 -  President Harry S. Truman issues an executive order putting America’s railroads under the control of the U.S. Army, Truman said that “governmental seizure [of the railroads] is imperative” to protect American citizens as well as “essential to the national defense and security of the nation.” Truman acted in anticipation of an imminent strike by railroad workers, two months after the United Nations, led by the United States, had intervened in Korea to repel an invasion by communist-led North Korea. More 

1951, Aug 30, - The United States and the  Philippines sign a Mutual Defense Treaty. More

1952, August 11 - Hussein was proclaimed king of Jordan succeeding to the throne three months before his 17th birthday. A three-man regency council made up of the prime minister and heads of the Senate and the House of Representatives was appointed until he became 18. He was enthroned on 2 May 1953, the same day that his cousin Faisal II assumed his constitutional powers as king of Iraq. More

1953, August 19 - A U.S. CIA and UK supported coup d'état by the Iranian military topples the democratically elected government of Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh. It favored strengthening the monarchical rule of the shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and all but insuring access to Iranian oil by the U.S. and the U.K. Sixty years later, in 2013, the National Security Archive released declassified CIA documents on the United States' role in the controversial operation. Although American and British involvement, had long been public knowledge, the released documents were the CIA's first formal acknowledgement that the agency helped to plan and execute the coup and participated in smoothing over the aftermath. More

1954, August 24 - Congress passed the Communist Control Act of 1954 (CCA) as an amendment to the McCarran Internal Security Act of 1950 “to outlaw the Communist Party, to prohibit members of Communist organizations from serving in certain representative capacities, and for other purposes.” Many of the CCA provisions impinged upon a number of constitutional rights and were removed over time. More

1957, August 31 -  Malayan Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom.

1958, August 3 - The USS Nautilus, the first U.S. nuclear submarine, reaches the geographic North Pole traveling 1000 miles under sea from Point Barrow, Alaska and then on to Iceland, pioneering a new and shorter route from the Pacific to the Atlantic and Europe. More 

1959, August 14 - The first satellite image of Earth is captured by Explorer 6. 1959.  The crude picture of the earth’s surface and cloud cover was taken from a distance of 17,000 miles from earth. The photo, received in Hawaii, took nearly 40 minutes to transmit. Explorer 6 was launched on August 7, 1959. More

1959, August 21 - Hawaii is admitted to the union becoming the 50th State.

1960, August 1 -  Benin's Independence day. (Previously Dahomey) Effective date of the agreement with France signed on 11 July creating the independent Republic of Dahomey.

1960, August 3, Niger Independence Day - Effective date of the agreement with France signed on 11 July.

1960, August 5 - Burkina Faso Independence Day. Effective date of the agreement with France signed on 11 July and creation of the independent Republic of Upper Volta. On 4 August 1984, it changed its name to Burkina Faso.

1960, August 7 - Ivory Coast Independence Day Effective date of the agreement with France signed on 11 July

1960, August 11 - Chad's Independence day. Effective date of the agreement with France signed on 12 July

1960, August 15 - Republic of the Congo Independence Day -  Effective date of the agreement with France signed on 12 July.

1960, August 17 - Gabon independence day, officially the Gabonese Republic recognized, ending French colonial rule.

1961, August 13 - East Germany begins to seal off around Berlin. First, a wire barrier was constructed and a few days later the wire was replaced by a six-foot-high, 96-mile-long wall of concrete blocks. It hoped this measure would put an end to the mass exodus to Berlin. More

1962, August 4 - Nelson Mandela, Apartheid opponent, was arrested by security police in South Africa. He was tried and sentenced to five years in prison. In 1964, he was retried for sabotage , high treason and conspiracy to overthrow the government He was sentenced to life in prison. A worldwide campaign to free him began in the 1980s and resulted in his release on February 11, 1990, at age 71 after 27 years in prison. In 1993, Mandela shared the Nobel Peace Prize with South Africa's President F.W. de Klerk for their peaceful efforts to bring a nonracial democracy to South Africa. In April 1994, black South Africans voted for the first time in an election that brought Mandela the presidency of South Africa. More

1962, August 6 - Jamaica achieved independence after centuries of British and Spanish rule.

1962, August 31 - Trinidad and Tobago independence day. Effective date of the Trinidad and Tobago Independence Act 1962.

1963, August 5 - The Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty was signed by the United States, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union. After Senate approval, the treaty that went into effect on October 10, 1963, banned nuclear weapons testing in the atmosphere, in outer space, and under water. More

1963, August 28 - Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his iconic "I Have a Dream" speech during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Over 250,000 persons attended the Civil Rights rally in Washington, D.C. More

1963, August 30 - The hotline between Washington and Moscow came into operation 10 months after the Cuban Missile Crisis. The first implementation used Teletype equipment. It changed to fax machines in 1986 and in 2008 to a secure computer link over which secured messages are exchanged. More

1964, August 2 - The Gulf of Tonkin incident occurs, leading to increased U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. August 7, 1964 - Following an attack on two U.S. destroyers the U.S. Congress approved the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, granting President Lyndon B. Johnson authority "to take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the United States and to prevent further aggression."

1964, Aug 4 - The bodies of three lynched civil rights workers (James Chaney, Michael Schwerner, and Andrew Goodman) were found in Neshoba County, Mississippi. They had been tortured and murdered by the KKK with help from the deputy sheriff near Philadelphia. M in .after disappearing more than a month before. More

1965, Aug 6 -  The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson. The Act suspended literacy, knowledge and character tests which were designed to keep African Americans from voting in the South. It also authorized the appointment of Federal voting examiners and barred discriminatory poll taxes. Congress renewed the in 1975, 1984 and 1991.

1965, August 9 -  Proclamation of Singapore independence from Malaysia

1965, August 11 – 16: - Six days of riots began in the Watts area of Los Angeles, triggered by an incident between a white member of the California Highway Patrol and an African American motorist. Thirty-four deaths were reported and more than 3,000 people arrested. Damage to property was estimated at $40 million.

1967, August 30 - The U.S. Senate confirms  the appointment of Thurgood Marshall to the U.S. Supreme Court. Marshall became the first African American to be confirmed as a Supreme Court justice. More

1968, August Supreme Court 20 - The Soviet Union led Warsaw Pact troops invade Czechoslovakia to crack down on reformist trends in Prague. Although the Soviet Union's action successfully halted the pace of reform in Czechoslovakia, it had unintended consequences for the unity of the communist bloc. More

1969, August 17 - Hurricane Camille made landfall late in the evening along the Mississippi Gulf Coast near Waveland, MS. Camille is one of only four Category 5 hurricanes ever to make landfall in the continental United States. The combination of winds, surges, and rainfalls caused 256 deaths (143 on the Gulf Coast and 113 in the Virginia floods) and $1.421 billion in damage. Three deaths were reported in Cuba. More 

1969, August18 - The Woodstock three day outdoor music festival celebrates its final night. The audience was estimated at more than 450,000 and it was the largest and most memorable of dozens of outdoor music festivals that took place between 1967 and 1969, an era that began with the Monterey Pops Concert, Monterey, California, on June 16-18, 1967, and ended tragically, with the Altamont Racetrack Concert, at Altamont, California, which was marked by violence.

1969, August 30 - North Vietnam's president, Ho Chi Minh response to President Nixon's letter is received at the White House three days before Ho Chi Minh death in Hanoi from a heart attack on September 2, 1969 at the age of 79. More 

1974, August 7 - French high-wire artist Philippe Petit walks between the Twin Towers at 1,350 feet above ground with no net. More

1974, August 9 – Richard M Nixon resigns the presidency as a result of the Watergate scandal. Facing possible impeachment by Congress, he became the only U.S. President ever to resign. Gerald Ford automatically assumed the presidency, taking the oath of office in the East Room of the White House and becoming the 38th U.S. President. This made him the only person to become the nation's chief executive without being elected to the presidency or the vice presidency. More

1975, August 3 - A  707 passenger flight chartered by the national airline of Morocco, Royal Air Maroc, flying in heavy fog crashed into a mountain on approach to Agadir Inezgane, Airport in Morocco. All 188 passengers and crew on board were killed. The cause of the crash was determined to be pilot error. More

1975, August 8 - The term "Global Warming" is used for the first time in a science publication. The article by geochemist Wallace Broecker of Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory: "Climatic Change: Are We on the Brink of a Pronounced Global Warming?" More

1980, August 14-15 - The Solidarity movement in Poland, led by Lech Walesa, signs the Gdansk Agreement with the communist government, marking a significant milestone in the fight for workers' rights. Solidarity opposed Communist rule and was outlawed the following year. Seven years later, the re-legalization of Solidarity occurred and the government agreed to hold partially free parliamentary elections. Solidarity candidates scored stunning victories, paving the way for the downfall of Communism there. More

1981, August 13 -  President Reagan signs the Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981 (ERTA), the 185-page that fulfilled his campaign promise to cut taxes. The act helped accelerate economic growth but it is blamed for being a major contributor to the growth of Income inequality in the U.S. which is now at heights not seen for a century. More

1983, August 21 - Filipino opposition leader Benigno S. Aquino, Jr., was assassinated at the Manila airport while leaving his plane. Public outcry ultimately led to the collapse of the government of Ferdinand E. Marcos and the inauguration of Corazon C. Aquino, widow of the slain man, as president.

1985, August 2 -  Delta Air Lines Flight 191 crashes at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. The National Transportation Safety Board's (NTSB) determined that the cause of the Lockheed L-1011 TriStar airplane crash was wind-shear associated with an intense thunderstorm downdraft that occurred at the north end of the airport along runway 17. Today we know this intense, localized downburst as a microburst, a weather phenomenon that was not well understood at the time of the accident. Of the 163 persons aboard, 134 passengers and crewmembers were killed at the scene in addition to one person hit on the ground. Two passengers died more than 30 days after the accident as a result of their injuries. More

1985, August 12 - Japan Air Lines Flight 123 flight from Tokyo to Osaka, Japan crashes in the area of Mount Takamagahara, 62 miles from Tokyo. The Boeing 747  suffered a severe structural failure and decompression 12 minutes into the flight  and crashed 32 minutes later after flying under minimal control for that time. 520 people died in the accident. All four survivors were seriously injured. The root cause of the explosive decompression was attributed to an improperly executed repair to the airplane's aft pressure bulkhead that was completed several years prior to the accident. The crash of Flight 123 is the deadliest single-aircraft accident in aviation history. More

1986, August 22 - A volcanic eruption under Lake Nyos in Cameroon caused deadly fumes which killed more than 1,500 persons. More

1987, August 16 -  A DC-9 Super 82 on Northwest Flight 255 crashes minutes aftertakeoff at Detroit Metropolitan Airport in Michigan. The flight was headed to California with a Phoenix stopover.  A four-year-old girl was the sole survivor of the accident,156 people died. The crash was caused by pilot error. More 

1987, August 28 - The Ray Brothers’ family home in Arcadia, Florida burns down. It was almost certainly a case of arson fueled by fear and ignorance. The three boys- Ricky, Robert and Randy- were born with hemophilia and were 10, 9 and 8 at the time. They had been diagnosed positive with HIV in 1986 and were not allowed to attend school following their positive test results. Their home was burned to the ground a week after a court ruled the following year that they had every legal right to attend. The Ricky Ray Hemophilia Relief Fund Program act was enacted by the Health and Human Services Department on November 23, 2001 More

1990, August 2 - Iraq invades Kuwait, leading to the Gulf War and international intervention to liberate Kuwait from Iraqi occupation as President George H.W. Bush orders Operation Desert Shield on August 7, 1990, which was in turn followed by the international coalition against Iraq launched as Operation Desert Storm in January 1991. More 

1990, August 12 - The largest-ever Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton is discovered on a cliff near Faith, South Dakota. The 65-million-year-old specimen is dubbed Sue, after its discoverer fossil hunter Susan Hendrickson. South Dakota. More

1991, August 19 - Soviet hardline Communists staged a coup, temporarily removing Mikhail Gorbachev from power. The coup failed within 72 hours as democratic reformer Boris Yeltsin rallied the Russian people. Yeltsin then became the leading power in the country. The Communist Party was soon banned and by December the Soviet Union itself disintegrated. More

1991, August 24 - Ukraine declares independence from the Soviet Union, leading to its dissolution later that year.

1991, August 27 - Moldovia declares its independence from the Soviet Union.

1991, August 31 - Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan declares independence from the Soviet Union and a democratic government is established. 

1998, August 7 - The U.S. Embassies in Nairobi, Kenya and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania are bombed with truck bombs. The terrorist attacks killed 224 people, among them, 12 Americans, and wounded more than 4,500. The U.S. accuses Saudi exile Osama bin Laden, of masterminding the bombings. On August 20, U.S. President Bill Clinton ordered cruise missiles launched against bin Laden’s terrorist training camps in Afghanistan and to a pharmaceutical plant in Sudan, believed to be manufacturing and distributing chemical weapons. More

1998, August 17 - The United States launches cruise missile strikes against suspected Al-Qaeda targets in Afghanistan and Sudan in
retaliation for the 1998 embassy bombings.

1999, August 17 - The catastrophic magnitude 7.6 Izmit earthquake struck the Kocaeli Province of Turkey, causing extensive damage and approximately 17,000 deaths. Named for the quake’s proximity to the northwestern city of İzmit, It is widely remembered as one of the deadliest natural disasters in modern Turkish history. More

2000, August 12 - The Russian nuclear submarine Kursk sinks to the bottom of the Barents Sea while on a naval exercise inside the Arctic Circle. The entire 118-strong crew perished According to the Russian navy, it had not been carrying nuclear warheads. The cause of the disaster remains unknown although it was attributed to an accidental torpedo explosion. The wreck was brought up from the seabed by a Dutch salvage team more than a year after the accident. More

2002, - August 5 - The turret of the Civil War ironclad USS Monitor is lifted out of the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Hatteras N.C. The historic warship sank on December 31 1862 during a storm as it was being towed around Cape Hatteras on its way to Beaufort, North Carolina, to join a fleet being assembled for an attack on Charleston. Many of the sailors were rescued, but 16 of its crew members perished, More

2003, August 14 - A major power blackout affects parts of the northeastern and midwestern United States, as well as Ontario, Canada, leaving millions without electricity. More

2005, August 29 - Hurricane Katrina makes landfall in Louisiana, causing catastrophic damage and flooding in New Orleans and other parts of the Gulf Coast.  Katrina was one of the five deadliest hurricanes to ever strike the United States. Hurricane Katrina was responsible for 1,833 fatalities and approximately $108 billion in damage in 2005 dollars. More

2006, August 24 - The International Astronomical Union (IAU) redefines the definition of a planet, resulting in the demotion of
Pluto to the status of a "dwarf planet."

2008, August 8 - The opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics takes place, marking the first time China hosts the Olympic
Games.

2011, August 5 - NASA's Juno spacecraft launches on a mission to study the planet Jupiter

2011, Aug 5 - Standard & Poor’s credit rating agency downgrades the United States debt from its highest rating of AAA to a lesser AA+ rating, marking the first-ever decline of credit worthiness for the U.S. The agency cited America’s $14 trillion outstanding debt and an ineffective political leadership to address the debt reduction. This downgraded rating remains in effect as of January 1, 2023.

2014, August 9 - The shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, sparks protests and civil unrest, leading to a national conversation on racial tensions and police violence in the United States.

2016, August 5-21 - The Summer Olympics are held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, showcasing athletes from around the world.

2017, August 21 - A total solar eclipse, visible across a large portion of the United States, captivates millions of people.

2019, August 5 - India revokes the special autonomous status of Jammu and Kashmir, escalating tensions between India and Pakistan over the disputed region.

2020, August 4 - A massive explosion at the port of Beirut in Lebanon causes widespread devastation and loss of life.

Note: Sources for the Historical Content shown, include research and reviews of relevant Online History Resources or printed material. When possible, we show a link to a source which provides additional or unique perspective about the event. We do our best to provide accurate information but would appreciate being notified if any incorrect information is found. You may do so by using this link: Feedback

These are some of many widely recognized historic events that occurred during the month of July, listed by year. Dates provided for earlier time events may be approximate. Select another month

46 BC, July 2 - Julius Caesar defeats Pompey the Great at the Battle of Dyrrhachium during the Roman Civil War.

64 CE, 64 July 18 - The Great Fire of Rome begins during the reign of Emperor Nero, lasting for several days and resulting in significant destruction.

365, July 21 - Crete earthquake - An estimated 8.5 magnitude underseas earthquake and resulting Tsunami causes widespread destruction in central and southern Macedonia (Modern Greece), Africa northern Libya, Egypt, where the city of Alexandria was severely damaged, Cyprus, Sicily and Hispania (Spain). On Crete, nearly all towns were destroyed. More  

 711, July 19 - The Umayyad conquest of Hispania begins as Muslim forces under Tariq ibn Ziyad land at Gibraltar. the Islamic Arabs and Moors of Berber descent in northern Africa crossed the Strait of Gibraltar onto the Iberian Peninsula, and in a series of raids they conquered Visigothic Christian Hispania.

 756, July 28 - The Papal States are established as Pepin the Short, King of the Franks, donates land to Pope Stephen II, creating a temporal domain for the papacy.

 939, July 12 - The Battle of Simancas takes place between the Kingdom of León and the Caliphate of Córdoba, resulting in a victory for León and the decline of the Caliphate's power in the region.

 987, July 3 -  Hugh Capet is crowned King of France, marking the beginning of the Capetian dynasty.

1002, July 23 - The Holy Roman Emperor Otto III dies in his palace in Paterno, Italy, at the age of 21.

1009, July 15 - The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem is destroyed by Fatimid caliph Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah.

1027, July 6 - Pope John XIX crowns Conrad II as the Holy Roman Emperor in Rome.

1054, July 16 - The Great Schism occurs: Michael Cerularius, Patriarch of Constantinople (now called Istanbul) was excommunicated from the Christian church based in Rome, Italy. The resulting split divided the European Christian church into two major branches: the Western Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church. 

1060, July 22 - Henry I of France is crowned King of France in Reims.

1099, July 15 - The First Crusaders launch an assault on Jerusalem, ultimately leading to the capture of the city and the establishment of the Crusader states.

1100, July 31- King William II of England, also known as William Rufus, is killed in a hunting accident in the New Forest.

1203, July 17 - The Siege of Constantinople begins during the Fourth Crusade as Roman Catholic Crusaders, aboard a Venetian fleet, attack the city resulting in the Sack of Constantinople and the installation of Prince Alexius Angelus on the Byzantine throne. More

1209, July 22 - The Massacre at Béziers takes place during the Albigensian Crusade, with Crusaders led by Simon de Montfort sacking the city and killing thousands.

1215, July 15 - The signing of the Magna Carta takes place at Runnymede, England, marking a crucial step towards the limitation of monarchic powers.

1223, July 18 - Louis VIII of France is crowned as the King of France in Reims Cathedral.

1230, July 29 - The Treaty of San Germano is signed between Emperor Frederick II and Pope Gregory IX, ending the Papal-Imperial conflict.

1237, July 28 - The Battle of Posada takes place between the Mongol Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary, resulting in a Hungarian victory.

1242, July 5 - The Battle of Lake Peipus occurs between the Teutonic Knights and the Novgorod Republic, with the Novgorod forces emerging victorious.

1253, July 10 - Mindaugas is crowned as the first and only King of Lithuania, establishing the Kingdom of Lithuania.

1260, July 3 - The Battle of Ain Jalut occurs between the Mongol Empire and the Mamluk Sultanate, resulting in a decisive Mamluk victory and halting the Mongol expansion into the Middle East.

1290, July 18 - The Edict of Expulsion is issued in England, ordering the expulsion of all Jews from the country.

1307, July 22 - King Philip IV of France orders the arrest of the Knights Templar, marking the beginning of their persecution and eventual dissolution.

1392, July 17 - The Joseon Dynasty is established in Korea with the crowning of King Taejo as the first king of Joseon.

1389, July 15 - The Battle of Kosovo takes place between the Ottoman Empire and an alliance of Balkan states led by Serbia, resulting in a costly but inconclusive outcome.

1456, July 5 - The Siege of Belgrade (Nándorfehérvár) by Sultan Mehmet II begins. Hungarian forces led by John Hunyadi a Hungarian nobleman and warlord of Vlach lineage, defended the city, ultimately compelling the wounded Sultan Mehmet II to lift the siege and retreat. The battle had significant consequences, as it stabilized the southern frontiers of the Kingdom of Hungary for more than half a century and delaying the Ottoman advance in Europe.

1499, July 22 - The Swiss Confederation defeats the forces of the Holy Roman Empire at the Battle of Dornach. More

1536, July 9 - Anne Boleyn is executed in England for high treason.

1567, July 24 -  Abdication of Mary, Queen of Scots. After failing to quash a rebellion of Scottish peers, Mary was imprisoned in Loch Leven Castle and forced to abdicate in favor of her one-year-old son. More

1588, July 29 - The Spanish Armada is defeated. The Spanish fleet was led by the Duke of Medina Sidonia and its purpose was to  overthrow Elizabeth I, to reinstate Catholicism in England and to end England's support for the Dutch Republic to prevent attacks by English and Dutch privateers against Spanish interests in the Americas. The English fleet was under the command of Charles Howard, 2nd Baron Howard of Effingham. His second in command was Sir Francis Drake. The Spanish Armada defeat is considered one of England's greatest military achievements. More

1609, July 2 - The Dutch explorer Henry Hudson sails into what is now New York Harbor, later establishing Dutch claims to the region.

1620, July 22 - The Mayflower departs from England on its voyage to North America, carrying the Pilgrims who would establish the Plymouth Colony.

1643, July 2 - The Battle of Adwalton Moor takes place during the English Civil War, resulting in a decisive victoy for the Parliamentarian forces.

1652, July 4 - The Battle of Plymouth takes place during the First Anglo-Dutch War, with the English fleet under Admiral Robert Blake repelling a Dutch attack on Plymouth.

1663, July 3 - King Charles II of England grants a charter establishing the Carolina Colony, named in honor of his father, Charles I.

1664, July 23 - The Siege of New Amsterdam ends when the Dutch surrender to the English, who then rename the settlement New York.

1670, July 30 - The Hudson's Bay Company receives a royal charter from King Charles II, granting it exclusive trading rights in the Hudson Bay region of North America.

1688, July 10 - The Siege of Derry begins during the Williamite War in Ireland, as the predominantly Protestant city resists a Catholic Jacobite army.

1690, July 1 - The Battle of the Boyne takes place in Ireland, resulting in a victory for Protestant King William III over Catholic King James II and securing Protestant rule in Ireland.

1715, July 31 - The Urca de Lima and 9 other treasure ships on their way back to Spain from Havana were all lost in a hurricane off the Atlantic coast. More than 700 seamen, including the Spanish commander, drowned. More than $15 million worth of treasure sank to the bottom of the ocean. Spain managed to recover about $4 million of the treasure. The rest remained on the ocean floor for more than 250 years. More

1718, July 28 - The city of New Orleans is founded by French colonists under the direction of Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville.

1742, July 26 - The Battle of Dettingen occurs during the War of the Austrian Succession, marking the last time a reigning British monarch, King George II, personally leads his troops in battle.

1769, July 16 - Fr. Junípero Serra founds Mission San Diego de Alcalá. This is the first of the California Missions.  Fr. Junipero Sierra founded eight more of the 21 California missions: Carmel, San Antonio, San Gabriel, San Luis Obispo, San Francisco (Mission Dolores). San Juan Capistrano, Santa Clara, and San Buenaventura,  Serra’s missions helped strengthen Spain’s control of Alta California.

1775, July 3 - George Washington takes command of the Continental Army at Cambridge, Massachusetts.

1775, July 26 - Benjamin Franklin is appointed first Postmaster General by the Continental Congress before the Declaration of Independence was even signed. More

1776, July 4 - The United States declares independence from Great Britain.

1777, July 31 -  The Marquis de Lafayette, a 19-year-old French nobleman, was made a major-general in the American Continental Army. His Masonic membership opened many doors in Philadelphia and Lafayette's advocates included the recently arrived American envoy to France, Benjamin Franklin, urged Congress to accommodate the young Frenchman who had offered to serve without pay.

1779, July 16 - The United States Congress establishes the Badge of Military Merit, later known as the Purple Heart, to honor soldiers wounded in battle.

1788, July 26 - New York ratifies the U.S. Constitution and becomes the 11th of the original 13 states to join the Union.

1789, July 14 - The Bastille is stormed by Paris mob. Many consider this event the start of the French Revolution. It is now commemorated in France as a national holiday. More

1790, July 16 - President George Washington signs the Residence Act bill which approved the creation of a national capital on the Potomac River. The bill declared that the exact location was to be selected by President Washington. The initial shape of the federal district was a square from land donated by Maryland and Virginia, measuring 10 miles (16 km) on each side and totaling 100 square miles (259 km2). More

1796, July 11 - The United States takes possession of Detroit from the British during the American Revolutionary War, in accordance with the terms of the Jay Treaty.

1797, July 7 - The U.S. House of Representatives notifies the Senate of the Impeachment of North Carolina's Senator William Blount for high crimes and misdemeanors. The Senate trial which did not begin until December,1798 ended on January 14, 1799, as the Senate dismissed the case on jurisdictional grounds, leaving many issues unsettled, most importantly the question, "was a senator a civil officer of the United States and therefore liable to impeachment?"  Although the Senate failed to voice its opinion on that matter, its dismissal of the Blount case set a precedent that still holds today—a U.S. senator cannot be impeached. More

1799, July 2 - The Rosetta Stone is found in the Egyptian village of Rosetta, providing a key to deciphering ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. More

1803, July 4 - The Louisiana Purchase is announced in the United States.

1804, July 11 - Vice President Aaron Burr fatally shoots his long-time political antagonist Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton, a leading Federalist and the chief architect of America’s political economy, died the following day. More

1809, July 2 - Shawnee Chief Tecumseh calls on all Native peoples to unite and resist the growing loss land to the white settlers. proposing that if united,  the various tribes had enough strength to stop the white settlers. More

1810, July 20 - Colombian Declaration of Independence from Spain.

1811, July 5 - Venezuela declares its independence from Spain

1816, July 9 - Argentina declares its independence from Spain

1821, July 28 - Peru declares its independence from Spain.

1838, July 2 -  Enslaved Africans on the Cuban schooner Amistad rise up against their captors and gaining control of the ship, which had been transporting them to a sugar plantation at Puerto Principe, Cuba. More

1840, July 23 - The British North America was approved by the British Parliament. The Act, also known as the Act of Union it was and proclaimed on February 10, 1841, in Montreal. It abolished the legislatures of Lower Canada and Upper Canada and established a new political entity, the Province of Canada to replace them. More

1847, July 24 - Pioneer Day. Completing a treacherous thousand-mile exodus, an ill and exhausted Brigham Young and fellow members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints arrived in Utah’s Great Salt Lake Valley. The Mormon, as they were commonly known, pioneers viewed their arrival as the founding of a Mormon homeland. hence Pioneer Day. More

1847, July 26 - Liberia declaration of Independence. More

1862, July 1 - President Abraham Lincoln signed the first income tax bill, establishing a 3% income tax on annual incomes of $600-$10,000 and a 5% tax on incomes over $10,000.

1863, July 1-3 - The Battle of Gettysburg takes place in Pennsylvania. The loss ended Confederate general Robert E. Lee’s ambitious second quest to invade the North and bring the Civil War to a swift end. With more than 50,000 estimated casualties, the three-day engagement was the bloodiest single battle of the conflict. More

1863, July 7 - Kit Carson begins his campaign against the Navajo that resulted in their removal from the Four Corners area to southeastern New Mexico. More

1866, July 30, The New Orleans Massacre:  a mob of ex-Confederates led an armed attack on a group of Louisiana Republicans and their African American supporters as they convened in the Mechanics Institute Building in New Orleans., site of a reconvened Louisiana Constitutional Convention 38 people were killed and 146 wounded. More

1867, July 1 - Canada Day, formerly known as Dominion Day, is the National Day of Canada. A federal statutory holiday, it celebrates the anniversary of Canadian Confederation which occurred on July 1, 1867, when the three separate colonies of the United Canadas, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick were united into a single dominion within the British Empire called Canada.

1868, July 28 - The 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, passed by the Senate in 1966, is officially adopted, having been ratified by the requisite number of states. The  Amendment granted citizenship to all persons "born or naturalized in the United States," including formerly enslaved people, and provided all citizens with “equal protection under the laws,” extending the provisions of the Bill of Rights to the states. More

1881, July 2 - President James A. Garfield was shot and mortally wounded as he entered a railway station in Washington, D.C. He died on September 19th. More

1881, July 19 - Sitting Bull and his people return to the United States from Canada to surrender. More

1890, July 3 -  Idaho is admitted into the Union becoming the 43rd State. 

1890, July 10 - Wyoming is admitted into the Union becoming the 44th State.

1893, July 1 - President Grover Cleveland undergoes a secret operation on a friend’s yacht to remove a cancerous growth from his mouth. The entire left side of his jaw was removed along with a small portion of his soft palate. Two weeks later, he was fitted with a rubber prosthesis which he wore until his death in 1908. The secrecy was mostly maintained for 24 years until  one of the doctors wrote an article describing what had transpired. More

1898, July 21 - Guam was ceded to the United States by Spain.

1898, July 25 - During the Spanish-American War, the U.S. invaded Puerto Rico, which was then a Spanish colony. In 1917, Puerto Rico became an unincorporated Territory of the U.S. and Puerto Ricans became American citizens. Partial self-government was granted in 1947 allowing citizens to elect their own governor. In 1951, Puerto Ricans wrote their own constitution and elected a non-voting commissioner to represent them in Washington. More

1900, July 19 - Italian King Umberto I was killed in Monza by Italian-American anarchist Gaetano Bresci. He was succeeded by his son, Victor Emmanuel III. More

1903, July 15 - Ernest Pfennig, a Chicago dentist, orders the first Original Model A Ford car. The car is delivered a week later on July 23, 1903. A total of1,750 cars were made from 1903 through 1904 and sold at an average price of $850 More 

1905, July 11 - The Niagara Movement, a group of 59 well know African American businessmen begin their three day meeting on the Canadian side of the Niagara Falls. W. E. B. Du Bois was named general secretary and the group split into various committees. They renounced Booker T. Washington's accommodation policies set forth in his famed "Atlanta Compromise" speech ten years earlier. The Niagara Movement's manifesto is, in the words of Du Bois, "We want full manhood suffrage and we want it now.... We are men! We want to be treated as men. And we shall win." The movement became  a forerunner of the NAACP. More 

1905, July 29 - The secret Taft-Katsura Agreement is signed in which the United States acknowledged Japanese rule over Korea and condoned the Anglo-Japanese alliance of 1902. At the same time, Japan recognized U.S. control of the Philippines. More

1908, July 26 - The Bureau of Investigation, forerunner of the FBI, is established. More

1911, July 24 - American archeologist Hiram Bingham reaches the ruins of Machu Picchu. Although widely credited with being the first westerner to reach the site, other reports indicate other Europeans had seen it before Bingham, but he was the one who revealed it to the world at large. Local Peruvians, including the expedition's guide, Melchor Arteaga knew of the site. Nine years before Bingham's expedition, Agustin Lizárraga, a local farmer searching for new land for agriculture with some family members came upon Machu Pichu and carved an inscription on a wall in the Temple of the Three Windows that said: "Agustín Lizárraga, July 14th 1902". More 

1914, July 28 - World War I outbreak of hostilities between Austria-Hungary and Serbia begin.

1914, July 31 - Treasury Secretary William Gibbs McAdoo closes the New York Stock Exchange to stop the European liquidation of American securities caused by the outbreak of WWI.  After several days of selloffs, about $3 billion (equivalent to $90 billion in 2023) of foreign portfolio investments had been sold. All of the world’s financial markets also closed. The Sock market remained closed for four months opening again on December 12, 1914. Bond trading had restarted on November 28, 1914. The liquidation of European-held securities transformed the United States from a debtor nation to a creditor nation for the first time in its history. More  

1915, July 24 - The  excursion boat S.S. Eastland, known as the "Speed Queen of the Great Lakes rolles over into the Chicago river at the wharf's edge. More than 2,500 passengers and crew members were on board that day – and 844 people lost their lives, including 22 entire families. More

1917, July 2 -  Following King Constantine I abdication, under pressure from the Allies, Greece  ends three years of neutrality by entering World War I alongside Britain, France, Russia and Italy. 

1917, July 17 - British King, George V, declares that he and all his descendants would be going by Windsor. Both in a “House of Windsor” capacity and as an official last name. Before George V picked Windsor, the royals were going by the “House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.” The change came about because of the strong anti-German sentiment following World War I. In 1960, Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip announced the creation of a brand-new last name for their untitled descendants which honored both their families: Mountbatten-Windsor. But did not change the name of the House, which is still the House of Windsor.

1918, July 15 -  The Second Battle of the Marne  was the last major German offensive on the Western Front during the First World War. It lasted a year ending on July 18, 1919.

1918, July 16 - Russia’s last Imperial Family; Former Tsar Nicholas and Alexandra, and their five children, Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia and Alexey, were murdered by the Bolsheviks. More 

1919, July 27 - The Chicago race riot of 1919 begins. it was a violent racial conflict between white Americans and black Americans that lasted eight days. During the riot, 38 people died, 537 were injured and between 1,000 and 2,000 residents, most of them black, lost their homes. The riot is considered the worst of the scores of riots and civil disturbances across the United States during the "Red Summer" of 1919. More

1921, July 27 - The Insulin hormone is successfully isolated by Canadian doctors Frederick Banting and Charles Best. More

1921, July 28 - Hitler becomes Party Chairman and leader of the Nazis.

1924, July 6 - The German psychiatrist Hans Berger records the first EEG (Electroencephalogram) reading from a human by placing electrodes on the brain of a 17-year-old boy to capture its electrical activity. This marked the advent of a new era for neuroscience. More

1925, July 21 - The "Scopes Monkey trial", formally The State of Tennessee v. John Thomas Scopes, which had started on July 10. comes to an end. The trial publicized the Fundamentalist–Modernist controversy, which set Modernists, who said evolution was not inconsistent with religion, against Fundamentalists. The trial was deliberately staged in order to attract publicity to the small town of Dayton, Tennessee, where it was held. Scopes was found guilty and was fined $100 (equivalent to $1,700 in 2023), but the verdict was overturned on a technicality. More

1930, July 7 - Construction work  for the Hoover Dam begins after the appropriations were approved. The dam was dedicated in 1935 and the hydroelectric generators went online in 1937.  The Hoover Dam was built for a cost of $49 million (approximately $760 million adjusted for inflation). The power plant and generators cost an additional $71 million. The sale of electrical power generated by the dam paid back its construction cost, with interest, by 1987. More

1932, July 28 - The Bonus Army,  a group of 43,000 demonstrators – 17,000 veterans of U.S. involvement in World War I, their families, and affiliated groups gathered in Washington, D.C., to demand early cash redemption of their service bonus certificates. They were forcibly disbanded by the U.S. Army in Washington, D.C. 

1933, July 22 - Wiley Post completes a solo flight around the world in the Lockheed 5C Vega Winnie Mae. This record-breaking flight demonstrated several significant new aviation technologies. More

1936, July 17 - The Spanish Civil War begins.  In a matter of days, a well-planned military uprising splits the county in half, with one zone controlled by the government (known as Republicans, Loyalists, or Reds), and the other by the rebels (also referred to as Nationalists, Fascists, or Whites)  An estimated half million people perished during the civil war which lasted until 1939. Franco ruled Spain as a dictator for almost 40 years until his death in 1975.  More 

1937, June 2 - Amelia Earhart and Navigator Fred Noonan disappear on Round-the-World Flight. Earhart and Noonan never found Howland Island and they were declared lost at sea on July 19, 1937 following a massive sea and air search. More

1940, July 10 - The Battle of Britain begins as Nazi Germany launches air attacks on southern England. More

1941, July 7 - The Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union, code-named Operation Barbarossa, begins.

1941, July 26 - U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt issues Executive Order 8832, freezing Japanese assets in the United States and eleven days later, on August 1, declares an embargo on oil and gasoline exports to Japan, bringing commercial relations between the nations to an effective end. On December 7 the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. More at: WWII Museum and the The Independent Institute   

1942, July 28 - Stalin Issues Order No. 227: “Not a Step Back” The order, intended to galvanize the morale of the hard-pressed Red Army under German attack. More

1943, July 10 - American and British forces invade Sicily by air and sea. 

1943, July 12 - Battle of Kursk: Russia stops the German advance. More

1943, July 19,  Approximately 700 United States planes of the USAAF flew over Rome and dropped 9.000 bombs on the city. This raid was intended to only damage the freight yard and the steel factory in the San Lorenzo district of Rome, but it also struck apartments and the Papal Basilica, killing 1500 people. More

1943, July 24 - Operation Gomorrah begins. 791 British bombers took off under cover of darkness tow. ard Hamburg, Germany. The air fleet was composed of British Lancaster, Stirling, Wellington, and Halifax bombers flying in six waves. Each wave had between 100 to 120 aircraft hoping to concentrate as much destruction as possible.  More

1943, July 25 - Mussolini is deposed. The Fascist Grand Council ousted Mussolini from office and placed him under arrest two weeks after the Allied attack on Sicily. King Victor Emmanuel of Italy then ordered Marshal Pietro Badoglio to form a new government.

1943, July 28 - During World War II, a firestorm killed 42,000 civilians in Hamburg, Germany. after 2,326 tons of bombs and incendiaries were dropped by the Allies. 

1944, July 20 - German military leaders attempt to assassinate Adolf Hitler and take control of the government. Their plot fails. More

1945, July 16 - The first atomic bomb “ nicknamed “Gadget,” is successfully tested at the Trinity Site in Alamogordo, New Mexico. Gadget detonated with between 15 and 20 kilotons of force, slightly more than the Little Boy bomb dropped on Hiroshima. The Atomic Age had begun. More

1945, July 17 - The Potsdam Conference begins. Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill (replaced on July 26 by Prime Minister Clement Attlee), and U.S. President Harry Truman— start a multi day meeting in Potsdam, Germany, to negotiate terms for the end of World War II. During the conference, President Truman informed the Soviet leader that the United States had successfully detonated the first atomic bomb on July 16, 1945. Reportedly, Stalin, was already well-informed about the U.S. nuclear program thanks to the Soviet intelligence network. More 

1945, July 28 - A United States B-25 Mitchell bomber, on its way to LaGuardia Airport crashes into the the N.Y. Empire building near the 79th floor. The two pilots and one passenger aboard and 11 people in the building perished. More near the 

1945, July 30 - The USS Indianapolis is torpedoed by a Japanese submarine and sinks within minutes. Only 316 of the 1,196 men on board survived. The Indianapolis had just completed its major mission; the delivery to Tinian Island in the South Pacific of a key components of the atomic bomb that would be dropped a week later at Hiroshima. More

1947, July 18 - President Harry Truman signs the second Presidential Succession Act. The original act of 1792 had placed the Senate president pro tempore and Speaker of the House in the line of succession, but in 1886 Congress had removed them. The 1947 Executive order reinserted those officials but placed the Speaker ahead of the president pro tempore. In 1965, Senator Birch Bayh of Indiana and Representative Emanuel Celler of New York introduced joint resolutions in the Senate and House of Representatives aimed at clarifying and defining in the Constitution, the rules on Presidential succession and inability. Congress approved the 25th Amendment on 1965. The states completed ratification by February 10, 1967, and President Lyndon Johnson certified the amendment on February 23, 1967.

1947, July 26 - President Harry Truman signs The National Security Act of 1947 . The Act mandated a major reorganization of the foreign policy and military establishments of the U.S. Government and created many of the institutions that Presidents found useful when formulating and implementing foreign policy, including the National Security Council (NSC).

1948, July 20 - The second peacetime draft began with passage of the Selective Service Act of 1948 after the STSA expired. The new law required all men of age 18 to 26 to register. It also created the system for the "Doctor Draft", aimed at inducting health professionals into military service. More

1948, July 26 - President Harry S. Truman signs executive order 9981 banning segregation in the Armed Forces. More

1949, July 27 - The First test flight of the de Havilland DH 106 Comet, takes place. The Havilland, developed and manufactured by de Havilland in the United Kingdom, went on to become the world's first commercial passenger jet aircraft to reach production.
passenger cabin and was commercially promising at its debut in 1952. Within a year, three Comets were lost  after suffering catastrophic mishaps mid-flight. As a result, the Comet was extensively redesigned, with structural reinforcements and other changes. More  

1951,  July 27 - The Korean War armistice is signed, ending three years of fighting and establishing a demilitarized zone between North and South Korea. 1951. No peace treaty is signed .

1952, July 23 - The Egyptian army led by by Mohamed Naguib and Gamal Abdel Nasser launched a revolution toppling King Farouk in a coup d'état by the Free Officers Movement and, changing Egypt from a monarchy to a republic. The Revolution ushered in a wave of revolutionary politics in the Arab World, and contributed to the escalation of decolonization and the development of Third World solidarity during the Cold War. More

1952, July 25 - Puerto Rico becomes a U.S. commonwealth.

1953, July 26 - Fidel Castro's revolutionary "26th of July Movement." begins and culminates by overthrowing dictator Fulgencio
Batista in 1959. Although he once declared that Cuba would never again be ruled by a dictator, Castro's government became a Communist dictatorship.

1953, July 27 - The Korean War ended with the signing of an armistice by U.S. and North Korean delegates at Panmunjom, Korea. It brought an end to the hostilities that lasted just over three years and killed 2.5 million people. More

1955, July 17 -  Disneyland opens for its first guests.; a special 'International Press Preview' event, which was only open to invited guests. More

1956, July 26 - Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalizes the foreign-owned Suez Canal Company, which administered the canal and was owned primarily by British and French shareholders. On October 29, Israel invades the Egyptian Sinai.  and on November 5, Britain and France landed paratroopers along the Suez Canal. Political pressure from the United States, the Soviet Union, and the United Nations led to a withdrawal by the three invaders. The episode humiliated the United Kingdom and France and strengthened Nasser. It later became clear that Israel, France and Britain had conspired to plan the invasion. More 

1956, July 30 - Two years after pushing to have the phrase “under God” inserted into the pledge of allegiance, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs a law officially declaring “In God We Trust” to be the nation’s official motto. The law, also mandated that the phrase be printed on all American paper currency. The phrase had been placed on U.S. coins since the Civil War. 

1958, July 29 - President Eisenhower signs into law the bill passed by the U. S. Congress establishing NASA. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration began operations on October 1, 1958. More

1960, July 1 - The Somali republic was formed on July 1, 1960, as a unification of the Trust Territory of Italian Somaliland, and British Somaliland. The independence day of Somalia is a national holiday observed annually in Somalia and the diaspora worldwide.

1962, July 1 - Rwanda gains independence from Belgium. Independence Day in Rwanda is a somewhat muted affair. Kwibohora, (July 4) is celebrated as Rwanda Liberation Day. On this day in 1994 the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) secured the capital of Kigali and ended the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda.

1962, July 1 - Burundi gains its freedom from Belgium.

1962, July 10 - The U.S. Patent Office issued Patent No. 3,043,625 to “Nils Ivar Bohlin, Goteborg, (Volvo) for the three-point seatbelt. Volvo was so convinced of its safety potential safety that it made the patent available for other manufacturers, and motorists, to benefit from.

1964, July 2 - U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act into law, outlawing discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. More

1964, July 6 - Malawi Independence Day.

1964, July 23 - President de Gaulle proposes at a news conference in the Salle des Fetes of the Elysee Palace, that the United States, the Soviet Union, Communist China and France agree to get out and stay out of the Indochinese peninsula as a means of ending the fighting in Laos and South Vietnam. He also proposes, once the fighting had ended, a massive program of economic and technical aid to the peoples of North and South Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. More

1964, July 29 -  Ranger 7, an unmanned U.S. lunar probe reaches the Moon and takes the first close-up images of earths' satellite. During its final 17 minutes of flight, it sent back 4,316 images of the lunar surface. The last image taken 2.3 seconds before impact had a resolution of just half-a-meter.  More

1965, July 26 - Maldives Independence Day

1965, July 29 - The 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, arrives in Vietnam Cam Ranh Bay. The 101st fought in 45 operations spanning seven years. Seventeen members of the 101st Airborne received the Congressional Medal of Honor for their conduct in combat in this conflict. The unit officially came home to Fort Campbell on April 6, 1972. The 101st Airborne suffered heavy casualties during the Vietnam War, 4,011 were killed in action, and 18,259 were wounded. This was over twice the amount of soldiers lost from their unit during WWII. More

1965, July 30 - Medicare is signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson at the Truman Library in Independence, Missouri. His gesture drew attention to the 20 years it had taken Congress to enact government health insurance for senior citizens after Harry Truman had proposed it. In fact, Medicare’s history dated back even further. More

1969, July 20 - American astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin land the Apollo 11 mission Lunar Module “Eagle” in the Sea of Tranquility and become the first humans to walk on the moon. More

1971, July 1 - The Twenty-Sixth Amendment to the Constitution is ratified, lowering the voting age from 21 to 18.

1971,  July 30 - Japanese Air Force, Fighter Jet collides with a passenger plane, Boeing 727 operated by All Nippon Airways (ANA).  causing both aircraft to crash. All 162 people aboard the airliner were killed, while the Sabre pilot, a trainee with the JASDF, freed himself from his airplane after the collision and parachuted to safety. More

1973, July 10 - The Bahamas gains its independence by the United Kingdom Government, Order in Council.  This date is now celebrated as the country's Independence Day.

1973, July 31 - Delta Air Lines DC-9 Flight 723, on approach to Boston, Massachusetts slams into a seawall at the foot of the runway, spewing burning wreckage across the airport and killing 88 of the 89 people on board. The lone survivor was Leopold Chouinard, who clung to life despite severe injuries but, tragically, died in the hospital four months after the crash. More

1975, July 5 - Cape Verde Independence Day from Portugal - Effective date of the Agreement Between Portugal and Partido Africano para a Independência da Guiné e Cabo Verde (PAIGC) signed on 18 December 1974.[

1975, July 5 - Guinea-Bissau Independence Day - Declaration of independence during the Guinea-Bissau War of Independence.[52]

1975, July 6 - Comoros Independence Day from France. Unilateral declaration of independence by the Chamber of Deputies of Comoros following the 1974 Comorian independence referendum.[

1976, July 4 - The United States celebrates its bicentennial with a day of parades, concerts, and fireworks.

1976, July 20 - Viking 1 Lands on Mars' on the western slope of Chryse Planitia (the Plains of Gold). Viking 1 found a place in history when it became the first U.S. mission to land a spacecraft safely on the surface of Mars and return images of the surface. More

1976, July 28 - A 7.8 earthquake razes the Chinese city of Tangshan located about 68 miles east of Beijing. The official death toll,  reported was 242,000 persons, but it may have been twice as high. At least 700,000 more people were injured and the property damage was extensive. More

1978, July 25 - Louise Brown gives birth to the world’s first "test-tube baby", in Oldham, northwest England. More 

1979, July 12 - Kiribati Independence Day

1980, July 30 - Vanuatu, achieves independence from the United Kingdom and France under Prime Minister Walter Lini.

1982, July 9 - Pan Am Flight 759, a Boeing 727 flight from Miami to San Diego, with stops in New Orleans and Las Vegas. crashed in the New Orleans suburb of Kenner after being forced down shortly after takeoff due to wind shear which the pilots were not informed about prior to takeoff. All 145 on board, as well as 8 people on the ground, were killed. More

1985, July 10 - French secret service agents planted two bombs and sank the Greenpeace Flagship The Rainbow Warrior. One crew member was killed. More

1985, July 13 - Live Aid, a global rock concert for famine relief in Ethiopia, is held in London and Philadelphia.

1988, July 3 - The U.S. cruiser USS Vincennes shoots down the Iranian passenger jet, Iran Air 655, with a surface-to-air missile, killing 290 people. More

1990, July 27 - The Jamaat al Muslimeen attempted coup d'état in Trinidad and Tobago.

1994, July 4 - Rwandan Patriotic Front troops capture the Rwandan capital of Kigali, ending the Rwandan Genocide.

1994, July 12 - Germany's Constitutional Court ended the ban on sending German troops to fight outside the country which  had been in effect since the end of World War II. The ruling allowed German troops to join in United Nations and NATO
peace-keeping missions. On July 14, German military units marched in Bastille Day celebrations in Paris, the first appearance of German troops there since World War II.

1995, July 23 - Alan Hale and Thomas Bopp separately discover the Comet Hale–Bopp. The comet becomes visible to the naked eye a year later and stays visible for a record 18 months, due to its massive nucleus size. This is twice as long as the Great Comet of 1811, the previous record holder. Accordingly, Hale–Bopp was dubbed the great comet of 1997. Sadly, 39 people who were part of the "Heaven's Gate" cult in San Diego committed mass suicide as the comet came close to Earth. More 

1996, July 5 - Dolly, the most famous sheep of all time is born in the lab from DNA taken from an adult sheep’s mammary gland. She was the first mammal to be cloned from an adult cell, rather than an embryo. A major scientific achievement which also raised ethical concerns. More

1996, July 17 - TWA Flight 800 departed Kennedy International Airport in New York bound for Paris but exploded in mid-air 12 minutes after takeoff.  All 212 passengers and 17 crew members on board were killed. Although it could not be determined with certainty, the likely ignition source was a short circuit.  Problems with the aircraft's wiring were found, including evidence of arcing in the fuel quantity indication system (FQIS) wiring that enters the tank. More

1997, July 1 - Britain returns Hong Kong to China, ending over 150 years of British rule. More

2000, July 25 - Air France Flight 4590, a Concorde passenger jet on an international charter flight from Paris to New York, crashes shortly after takeoff,. All 109 people on board and four on the ground were killed. It was the only fatal Concorde accident during its 27-year operational history. More

2005, July 7 - A series of coordinated terrorist attacks in London, England, kill 52 people and injure over 700.

2009, July 7 - The United Nations declares a famine in parts of southern Somalia, the first time the term has been used in almost 20 years.

2011, July 9 - South Sudan gains independence from Sudan ending a decades-long civil war and becoming the world's newest country.

2011, July 21 - The Space Shuttle Atlantis completes STS-135, its 33rd and final mission landing on Runway 15 at Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility. More

2013,  July 3 - Egypt's first democratically elected president, Mohamed Morsi, is overthrown in a military coup.

2014, July 17 -  Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 shot down over Ukraine by a Russian-made surface-to-air missile, fired by Moscow-backed separatists. In January of 2023, the European Court of Human Rights confirmed Russia's involvement in the downing of flight MH17. More

2015, July 14 - Iran and six world powers reach a historic nuclear deal in Vienna, Austria.to limit Iran's nuclear program in exchange for lifting economic sanctions.

2016, July 14 - Terrorist Attack in the city of Nice kills 86 people and injures 434 others. More

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On June 14 , 1777, the Second Continental Congress issued a resolution adopting the Flag of the United States. It wasn't until 1949, that Congress approved the national observance, and President Harry Truman signed it into law.

There have been twenty-seven official versions of the flag to date. The current version of the flag dates to August 21, 1959, after Hawaii became the fiftieth state. More

These are some of many widely recognized historic events that occurred during the month of June, listed by year. Dates provided for earlier time events may be approximate. Select another month

323 BCE, June 10 - Death of Alexander the Great: The renowned military leader and conqueror, Alexander the Great, dies in Babylon at the age of 32. More

632 CE, June 8 - Death of Prophet Muhammad: The founder of Islam, Prophet Muhammad, passes away in Medina, Saudi Arabia, marking a significant event in the history of the Islamic faith.

763 CE, June 15 - The Assyrian solar eclipse, also known as the Bur-Sagale eclipse, is recorded in Assyrian eponym lists that most likely dates to the tenth year of the reign of king Ashur-dan III. The eclipse is identified as the  one that occurred on 15 June 763 BC in the proleptic Julian calendar and helped and was helpful to understand the chronology of Mesopotamian history and correlate it to certain events mentioned in the Old Testament. More

793 CE, June 8 - The Viking raid on the monastery of Lindisfarne, the sacred heart of the Northumbrian kingdom in England occurs, highlighting the  Viking expansion, and incursions throughout Europe. More 

930, CE, Iceland's first parliament, the Althing (Icelandic: Alþingi), was established in Thingvellir National Park . A flag still stands in the exact spot today in commemoration. More

987 CE, June 1 - Coronation of Hugh Capet: Hugh Capet is crowned as the King of the Franks, marking the beginning of the Capetian dynasty and the consolidation of power in France.

1005, June 29 - The Battle of Lechfeld takes place between the East Frankish (German) forces under Henry II and the invading Hungarian armies, resulting in a decisive victory for the East Frankish forces.

1014, June 23 - The Battle of Clontarf occurs in Ireland, where the forces of Brian Boru, the High King of Ireland, defeat the Viking invaders.

1065, June 28 - Westminster Abbey is consecrated in London, England, becoming the site of coronations and burials for English monarchs.

1071, June 29 - The Battle of Manzikert takes place, where the Seljuk Turks defeat the Byzantine Empire, leading to the gradual decline of Byzantine power in Anatolia.

1099, June 7 - The Crusaders begin the Siege of Jerusalem, a pivotal event during the First Crusade that eventually leads to the capture of the city. On June 15, the Crusaders enter Jerusalem and establish the Kingdom of Jerusalem, marking the culmination of the First Crusade.

1108, June 1 - Louis VI is crowned as the King of France.

1119, June 24 - The Order of the Knights Templar is founded in Jerusalem.

1139, June 24 - The Battle of Ourique takes place, where Afonso Henriques defeats the Almoravids and establishes the Kingdom of Portugal.

1153, June 6 - The Treaty of Wallingford is signed, ending the civil war in England between King Stephen and Empress Matilda, and establishing Henry II as the undisputed king.

1162, June 18 - Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury, is formally canonized as a saint by Pope Alexander III.

1178, June 18 - Five monks in Canterbury, England, observe an unusual phenomenon on the moon; a meteor event,now known as the "Canterbury Tales"
 
1184, June 16 - The Battle of Fimreite takes place in Norway, where King Sverre Sigurdsson defeats the forces of Magnus Erlingsson, securing his rule.

1191, June 8 - Richard I of England (Richard the Lionheart) arrives in Acre, beginning his involvement in the Third Crusade.

1215, June 15 - King John of England signs the Magna Carta and authenticates it with a wax seal. The Magna Carta was the product of political crisis and an uprising of the leading men of England. It was the first document to put into writing the principle that the king and his government was not above the law and placed limits of royal authority by establishing law as a power in itself. More 

1314, June 23 - The Battle of Bannockburn begins between the army of Robert the Bruce, King of Scots, and the army of King Edward II of England. It was a decisive engagement in #ref44589" class="md-crosslink" data-show-preview="true" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--link-color); text-decoration: var(--link-decoration);">Scottish history whereby the Scots defeated the English, regained their independence, and established Robert the Bruce as Robert I. a major turning point in the war, which ended 14 years later with the de jure restoration of Scottish independence under the Treaty of Edinburgh–Northampton. More

1381, June 14 - Peasants' Revolt begins in England. More

1494, June 7 - Spain and Portugal sign the Treaty of Tordesillas, dividing the New World between them.

1519, June 28 - Charles I of Spain, crowned Holy Roman Emperor, becomes Charles V. Becoming one of the most powerful European rulers of all times. he reign over territories in Europe and the Americas. His goal as Holy Roman Emperor was to unite Europe, but instead, his reign was filled with war and conflict. More

1520,  June 30 - the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés forces fight their way out of Tenochtitlan suffering severe loses as the Aztecs revolt against their rule. Many Spanish soldiers drowned in Lake Texcoco. The exit is known as the "Noche Triste" or “the Night of Sadness".

1523, June 6 - Sweden National Day. Celebrates the election of King Gustav Vasa and the new constitutions of  1809 and 1974. The election of King Gustav Vasa was the de facto end of the Kalmar Union and has been seen as a formal declaration of independence.

1647,  June 10 - The Puritan-led English Parliament during the republican Commonwealth, passed an ordinance which declared the celebration of Christmas to be a punishable offence. Although many people continued to celebrate Christmas in private, Christmas effectively ceased to be celebrated in the great majority of churches overtime. It wasn't until the restoration of the monarchy in 1660 that Christmas Day celebrations were brought back. In Scotland Celebrating Christmas was still deeply frowned upon for centuries. In fact, the 25th December only became a public holiday in Scotland in 1958. More  

1665, June 7 - The first recorded victims of the Great Plague of London die - 

1676, June 1 - The battle at Öland takes in the Baltic Sea, off the east coast of Öland during the Scanian War, resulting in the defeat of the Swedish navy by the allied Danish-Dutch forces. More 

1692, June 7 - Jamaica's Port Royal is consumed by an earthquake causing two thirds of the town to sink into the sea and destroying  every building or other substantial structure in the Island, A series of fires and hurricanes followed and the town was never restored to its former British naval station glory and remains as a small fishing village today. Two thousand people died immediately and an additional 3000 died of injuries and disease shortly after. More 

1692, June 10 - Bridget Bishop, is executed on Proctor's Ledge at Gallows Hill in Salem, becoming the first person to be executed during the Salem witch trials. More

1752, June 10 - Benjamin Franklin’s famous kite-in-a-thunderstorm experiment is said to have taken place on this day in 1752. More 

1772, June 10 - Rhode Islanders, led by merchant John Brown, board and set fire to the revenue cutter HMS Gaspee in Narragansett Bay whereupon her powder magazine exploded. Efforts of the British authorities to learn the names of the culprits were unsuccessful since the public sentiment was in accord with the venture, despite the sizable reward that had been offered. More 

1775, June 14 - The U.S. Army is officially born as the Second Continental Congress founds a united army to bring the 13 colonies together in the fight for independence from Great Britain. The Army was founded just months into the American Revolutionary War and predates the signing of the Declaration of Independence bymore than a year. More 

1775, June 15 - The Continental Congress votes to appoint George Washington, the commander of the colonies' first official army. and he accepts the assignment and signs his commission. More

1775, June 18 - The Battle of Bunker Hill takes place near Boston, Mass, in the early stages of the American Revolutionary War.

1775, June 22 - The Continental Congress approves the first release of  $1 million in bills of credit (paper currency) to help fund the American Revolutionary War. Another $1 million was authorized in July. By the end of 1775, Congress had authorized a total of $6 million bills of credit.  The currency quickly lost value, partly because it was not backed by a physical asset like gold or silver, but also due to the fact that too many bills were printed. The loss in value inspired the term "not worth a continental". More

1776, June 11 -  The Continental Congress creates a committee to draft the  Declaration of Independence. The committee members were: Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston. More

1777, June 13 - Marquis De Lafayette accompanied by Baron De Kalb arrive on North Island, Georgetown County, S.C.  to serve alongside General Washington. Lafayette was 19 at the time. He and George Washington went on to develop a strong bond. More

1777, June 14 - The Second Continental Congress issues a resolution adopting the Flag of the United States. It wasn't until 1949, that Congress approved the national observance, and President Harry Truman signed it into law. There have been twenty-seven official versions of the flag to date. The current version of the flag dates to August 21, 1959, after Hawaii became the fiftieth state. More 

1783, June 5 - The first sustained flight occurred as a hot-air balloon was launched at Annonay, France, by brothers Joseph and Jacques Montgolfier, reaching an altitude of about 6,000 feet.

1783, June 8 - The Iceland Laki volcanic eruption starts, lasting eight months. Haze from the eruption was reported from Iceland to Syria. The long eruption caused the death of 10,000 or  bout one-quarter of the human residents by famine. It also caused widespread famines throughout Asia and Europe. In Iceland, the haze lead to the loss of most of the island's livestock from eating fluorine contaminated grass), and crop failure cused by acid rain. More

1788, June 21 -  New Hampshire ratifies the U.S. Constitution and becomes the 9th State and last necessary state of the original 13 colonies to ratify the U.S. Constitution. More

1788, June 21 - The  Constitution became the official framework of the government of the United States of America when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it, thus replacing the post-Revolutionary War Articles of Confederation. More

1788, June 25 - Virginia ratifies the U.S Constitution and becomes the 10th State. More

1792, June 1 - Kentucky was admitted to the U.S and becomes the 15th State. More

1796, June 1 - Tennessee was admitted to the U.S and becomes the 16th State. More

1812, June 18 - The War of 1812 begins. President James Madison signed into law a resolution passed by Congress declaring war with Great Britain. The War of 1812 ended December 24, 1814 when the two nations met in Belgium and signed the Treaty of Ghent. ending the war and restoring the previously recognized boundaries between the United States and British territory in North America. The Senate unanimously ratified the Treaty of Ghent on February 16, 1815. More

1815, June 18 - Napoleon Bonaparte is defeated at the Battle of Waterloo, ending the Napoleonic Wars. More

1836, June 15 - Arkansas was admitted to the U.S and becomes the 25th State. More

1837, June 20 - Queen Victoria ascends to the British throne at the age of 18. More 

1846, June 14 - The capture of Retired Mexican General Vallejo at  his home in Sonoma by ragtag group of about 30 armed Americans, marks the start of the short lived, California Republic or Bear Flag Republic, an unrecognized breakaway from Mexico, that for 25 days militarily controlled an area in and around what is now Sonoma County in California, north of San Francisco. Three weeks later, on July 5, 1846, the Republic's military of 100 to 200 men was subsumed into the California Battalion commanded by Captain John C. Frémont, who had encouraged the revolt. The battalion officially became the U.S. Army’s California Battalion, and went on to fight — this time officially, in the battle for California. More

1846, June 15 - The Oregon Treaty is signed, establishing the U.S.-Canadian border at the 49th parallel. Tribes are not consulted as the 49th Parallel becomes the boundary. Many Native people on either side of the line wake up in a different country, living under different laws than those they knew the night before. More 

1858, June 16 - Senatorial candidate Abraham Lincoln addresses more than 1,000 delegates at the Illinois Republican Convention in Springfield, delivering a warning that the nation was facing a crisis that could destroy the Union. Paraphrasing a passage from the New Testament: “a house divided against itself cannot stand.” The issue dividing the nation was slavery and the extent of federal power over individual states’ rights. More

1863, June 20 - West Virginia is admitted to the U.S and becomes the 35th State. More

1864, June 15 - Arlington officially becomes a national cemetery by order of Secretary of War Edwin Stanton. The original cemetery was 200 acres, and  as of early 2020, has grown to 639 acres. Arlington became a segregated cemetery, just like all national cemeteries at the time, and remained segregated by race and rank until 1948, when President Harry S. Truman desegregated the military. Approximately 400,000 veterans and their eligible dependents are buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Service members from every one of America’s major wars, from the Revolutionary War to today's conflicts, are interred at ANC. More 

1864, June 27 - Colorado Territory Governor, John Evans issues a proclamation commanding all “Friendly” Native Americans of the Cheyenne and Arapaho to go to Fort Lyon to receive supplies and to find safety. Unfortunately, this was in direct conflict with the standing order at all Forts within the Territory of Colorado that all members of the Military should shoot and kill any Native American that approached a Fort and with a second proclamation issued the following day by Evans inviting white settlers to indiscriminately “kill and destroy all…hostile Indians. These duplicitous political maneuverings led to the November 29 Sand Creek Massacre, when over the course of eight hours the American troops killed around 230 Cheyenne and Arapaho people composed mostly of women, children, and the elderly who had been directed by the American Military to camp there. More 

1865, June 19 - Union General Gordon Granger announces in Galveston, Texas, that all slaves in Texas are free, an event, now celebrated as "Juneteenth". More

1866, June 7 -  Chief Seattle (Si’ahl) passes away (1780-1866), thirteen years after the city was named for him. He was buried in the Suquamish Tribal Cemetery, not far from Seattle. The name “Seattle” is an Anglicization of Si'ahl. Chief Seattle's mother Sholeetsa, was Duwamish (dxʷdəwʔabš} and his father Shweabe was chief of the the Suquamish Tribe. It is said that Si’ahl was born at his mother's Duwamish village of Stukw on the Black River, in what is now the city of Kent. More

1866, June 16 - The House  passes the Joint Resolution proposing the 14th Amendment to the Constitution and submits it to the states. On July 28, 1868, the 14th amendment was declared, in a certificate of the Secretary of State, ratified by the necessary 28 of the 37 States, and became part of the supreme law of the land. More

1867, June 19 - Maximilian was executed on a hill outside Querétaro, bringing an end to France's short lived Mexican empire. More
 
1872, June 6 -  Pioneering feminist, Susan B. Anthony, was fined for voting in a presidential election at Rochester, New York. More 

1876, June 4 - A train named the Transcontinental Express arrives in San Francisco 83 hours and 39 minutes after it left New York City. More

1876, June 25 - The Battle of the Little Bighorn, known to the Lakota and other Plains Indians as the Battle of the Greasy Grass, takes place in southern Montana. The battle was fought along the ridges and steep bluffs of the Little Bighorn River, in south-central Montana , between warriors of the Lakota Sioux, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho tribes, led by Sitting Bull, battling the 7th Regiment of the US Cavalry, led by Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer along with their Crow, and Arikara scouts.  More 

1877, June 14 - Henry Flipper, at age 21,  becomes the first African American graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point. More

1885, June 17- The disassembled Statue of Liberty arrives in New York aboard the French steamer Isere . The statue, a gift from the people of France, was designed by French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi and its metal framework was built by Gustave Eiffel. The statue was dedicated on October 28, 1886 and has became known around the world as an enduring symbol of freedom and democracy. More 

1886, June 6 - The Great Seattle Fire, the most destructive fire in the history of Seattle, destroyed the entire central business district of Seattle, Washington and part of the Water Front. The fire was accidentally started by an overheated glue pot in a carpentry shop, lasted less than a day, burning through the afternoon and into the night. Seattle quickly reacted, wooden buildings were banned and rebuilt using brick buildings that sat 20 feet (6.1 m) above the original street level. Its population swelled during reconstruction, becoming the largest city in the newly admitted state of Washington. More

1893, June 7 - Gandhi 's first act of civil disobedience took place in South Africa when he went there to work  for an Indian company after studying to become a lawyer in England. When railroad officials made Gandhi sit in a third-class coach even though he had purchased a first-class ticket, Gandhi refused and police forced him off the train. This event changed his life. More

1896, June 4 - Henry Ford, the founder of Ford Motor Company takes his first car for a spin on the city of Detroit. More 

1896, June 15 - The Meiji Great Sanriku Tsunami hits the pacific coast of the north-eastern Japan, called as the Sanriku Region. The highest tsunami run-up height was 125 feet (38 m) at Ryori Shirahama in Iwate Prefecture.  The death toll was 22,000. The economic damage amounted to about 10% of the  then national budget. After this tsunami, several villages were relocated to higher ground. More

1898, June 12 - The Philippines declares its independence from Spain after being a Spanish colony since 1565. Later that year, the Treaty of Paris ended the Spanish-American War and Spain ceded the Philippines to the US, the islands were occupied by U.S. forces. and the Philippines became an American colony until after World War II. More 

1900, June 1 - The Boxer Rebellion begins in China. An uprising against against the spread of Western and Japanese influence including western religion begun by peasants but was eventually supported by the government. The Boxer Rebellion was put down by the Eight-Nation Alliance of the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, France, Japan, Germany, Italy, and Austria-Hungary. More

1903, June 16 - The Ford Motor Company was officially incorporated. Founder Henry Ford and 12 investors launched his venture in a converted factory on Mack Avenue in Detroit. It was his third attempt at establishing an automotive business. At the time, the company could only produce a few cars a day. More 

1903, June 30 - Einstein publishes his Special Theory of Relativity, which describes his revolutionary ideas about light, time and energy. He revisited the theory in a 1912 manuscript when he was asked to write several book chapters. The outbreak of World War I in 1914 delayed publication, and when the project resumed, Einstein considered this manuscript outdated and it was never published. More 

1905, June 7 - Norway Union Dissolution and Independence Day from Sweden. (National Day, commemorating the Independence from Denmark and the Constitution of Norway is celebrated  on17 May 17, 1814).

1910, June 15th - The British Terra Nova Expedition led by Captain Robert Falcon Scott, sails from Cardiff, Wales for Antarctica. Scott wanted to continue the scientific work that he had begun when leading the Discovery Expedition from 1901 to 1904, and wanted to be the first to reach the geographic South Pole. He and four companions attained the pole on 17 January 1912, where they found that a Norwegian team led by Roald Amundsen had preceded them by 34 days. Scott's party of five died on the return journey from the pole. More 

1913, June 7 - The first successful ascent of Denali takes place. Four men stood on the top of Denali, the highest peak in North America, for the first time. Walter Harper, Harry Karstens, Hudson Stuck and Robert Tatum made history. More

1914,  June 28 - Archduke Francis Ferdinand, Crown Prince of Austria and his wife were assassinated at Sarajevo, touching off a conflict between the Austro-Hungarian government and Serbia that escalated into World War I. More

1916, June 3 - U.S. President Woodrow Wilson signs the National Defense Act which authorized an expanded Army of 175,000, and an enlarged National Guard of 450,000 and brought the states’ militias more under federal control and gave the president authority, in case of war or national emergency, to mobilize the National Guard for the duration of the emergency.

1917, June 15 - The United States Congress passes the Espionage Act, building on the 1911, Defense Secrets Act, with important new elements added. More

1917, June 26 - The first American troops arrive in Europe. However, the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) did not fully participate at the front until October, when the First Division, one of the best-trained divisions of the AEF, entered the trenches at Nancy, France. More

1919, June 4 - The 19th amendment granting women the right to vote is passed by Congress. The amendment passed its final hurdle of obtaining the agreement of three-fourths of the states when Tennessee became the 36th state to ratify the amendment on August 18, 1920.  U.S. Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby certifies the 19th Amendment on August 26, 1920, giving women the Constitutional right to vote. It had been first proposed in Congress, forty two years earlier in1878, More

1919, June 28 - The signing of the Treaty of Versailles formally ended World War I. According to the terms, Germany was assessed sole blame for the war, it had to pay reparations of $15 Billion. It was also forced to give up Alsace-Lorraine and all overseas colonies. The treaty also prohibited German rearmament.

1922, June 14 - Warren G. Harding became the first U.S. President to broadcast a message over the radio. 

1923, June 27 - The first successful aerial refueling takes place when a DH-4B carrying Lts. Virgil Hine and Frank W. Seifert passed gasoline through a hose to another DH-4B flying beneath it carrying Lts Lowell H. Smith and John P. Richter. More

1924, June 2 - The government of the United States confers citizenship on all Native Americans born within the territorial limits of the country. The right to vote, however, was governed by state law; until 1957, some states barred Native Americans from voting. More

1934, June 30 - Germany, Chancellor and Nazi leader Adolf Hitler orders a political purge intended to consolidate his power and alleviate the concerns of the German military about the role of Ernst Röhm and the Sturmabteilung (SA), the Nazis' paramilitary organization, known colloquially as "Brownshirts". The purge resulted in the killing of hundreds of Nazis whom he believed had the potential to become political enemies including Röhm. The actions became known as the "Night of the Long Knives". The bloody purge was followed by "Gleichschaltung" the process of Nazification by which Adolf Hitler — leader of the Nazi Party in Germany — successively established a system of totalitarian control and coordination over all aspects of German society "from the economy and trade associations to the media, culture and education" More

1938, June 25 - Fair Labor Standards Act is passed, setting the first minimum wage in the U.S. at 25 cents per hour.

1940, June 10 -  Norway surrenders to Nazi Germany, two months after Germany attacked Denmark and Norway on April 9, 1940. On that same day, Denmark surrendered and was occupied. The Norwegians resisted for two months but surrendered on June 9, 1940.

1940, June 10 - Italy declares war against France and Great Britain. The Italian entry into the war widened its scope considerably in Africa and the Mediterranean Sea.

1941, June 22 -  Nazi Germany Invades the Soviet Union during the Second World War . The Invasion, named Barbarossa, was the largest land offensive in human history, with over 10 million combatants taking part.

1942, June 4 - The battle of Midway -  Early on the morning of June 4, aircraft from four Japanese aircraft carriers attacked and severely damaged the US base on Midway. Unbeknownst to the Japanese, the US carrier forces were just to the east of the island and ready for battle. More

1942, June 11 - Eisenhower is appointed by Army Chief of Staff Marshall to oversee all U.S. operations in Europe. 14 days later, on June 25, 1942, Eisenhower arrived at U.S. headquarters in London and took command.

1944, June 4 - Rome was liberated by the U.S. 5th Army, led by General Mark Clark.

1944, June 6 - Allied forces launch the D-Day invasion of Normandy, France, during World War II - Over 160,000 Allied troops landed on the beaches of Normandy along a 50-mile stretch of heavily-fortified French coastline to fight Nazi Germany. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower called the operation a crusade in which, “we will accept nothing less than full victory.” By day’s end, the Allies gained a foot-hold in Continental Europe. The cost in lives on D-Day was high; more than 9,000 Allied Soldiers were killed or wounded. More

1944, June 17 - Iceland National Day. Effective date of the dissolution of the Danish–Icelandic Act of Union following the 1944 Icelandic constitutional referendum.

1944, June 22 - The American forces secured Okinawa. The battle for Okinawa drug out over nearly three months and included some of the worst kamikaze attacks of the warThe United States sustained over 49,000 casualties including more than 12,500 men killed or missing. More

1944, June 24 - President Franklin D. Roosevelt Signs the G.I. Bill. More 

1945, June 26 - The United Nations Charter was signed by 50 nations in San Francisco. The United Nations Charter was ratified on October 24, 1945. More

1948, June 24 - Joseph Stalin, the Soviet leader, imposes the Berlin Blockade cutting off all land and river transit between West Berlin and West Germany. 

1948, June 26 - In response to the Soviet blockade, the  U.S. and Great Britain begin an emergency airlift of food and fuel to West Berlin to relieve two million isolated West Berliners. The Russians blockade of Berlin ended on May 12, 1949. More

1950, June 25 - North Korea invades South Korea following clashes along the border. North Korea was supported by China and the Soviet Union. Two days later, on June 27, President Harry S. Truman orders U.S. air and naval forces to South Korea to aid the democratic nation in repulsing the invasion and in support of a U.N. resolution calling for an end to hostilities. The fighting ended with an armistice on 27 July 1953, formally dividing the country at the 38th parallel into North and South Korea. The Korean War was among the most destructive conflicts of the modern era, with approximately 3 million war fatalities including over 36,000 Americans. More

1951, June 14 - The first UNIVAC, acquired by the United States Census Bureau is dedicated. The UNIVAC I (Universal Automatic Computer I) was the first general-purpose electronic digital computer for business application produced in the U.S. Its design was started by J. Presper Eckert and John Mauchly, the inventors of the ENIAC who owned EMCC. The company was acquired by Remington Rand which completed the work. (Remington Rand later became part of Sperry, now Unisys) More

1953, June 10 - President Eisenhower rejects isolationism in the Cold War.  More

1953, June 19 - Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were executed by electrocution at Sing Sing Prison in New York. They had been found guilty of providing vital information on the atomic bomb to the Soviet Union. More 

1954, June 13 - The words "under God" are added to the Pledge of Allegiance. The phrase was added by an Act of Congress and signed into law by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. The original Pledge of Allegiance was written by Francis Bellamy a Baptist minister, in August 1892. Bellamy had hoped that the pledge would be used by citizens in any country. The Pledge was published in the September 8th issue of The Youth's Companion. The addition of the words "under God" was intended to distinguish the United States from atheistic communism during the Cold War and to emphasize the religious heritage of the United States. 

1954, June 27 - Guatemalan President Jacobo Arbenz Guzman resigns after pressure from a clandestine CIA operation approved by U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower, leading to a military take over led by Colonel Castillo Armas. More

1956, June 25 - Detroit built the last Packard that was actually designed by Packard. More

1960, June 26 - Madagascar Independence Day from France.

1960, June 30 - Democratic Republic of the Congo Independence Day

1961, The Antarctic Treaty goes into effect to regulate international relations with respect to Antarctica, "all land and ice shelves south of 60°S latitude parallel". The 12 original signatories were Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, France, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, the USSR, the United Kingdom and the United States.

1962, June 1 - Samoa Independence Day. While independence was achieved at the beginning of January, Samoa celebrates its independence day on June 1.

1963, June 11 -  Black students Vivian Malone and James Hood registered for classes at The University of Alabama despite then-Gov. George C. Wallace’s unsuccessful attempt to block their enrollment. More

1963, June 16 - Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova becomes the first woman in space. Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman to travel to space when, as part of the Vostok 6 mission. During her Vostok 6 solo mission, she orbited Earth 48 times and spent almost three days in space (two days, 23 hours, and 12 minutes). Tereshkova remains the only female astronaut or cosmonaut to make a solo space journey, the youngest woman to fly to space and the first civilian to journey to space. More

1963, June 20 - The U.S. and Soviet representatives signed the "Memorandum of Understanding Between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Regarding the Establishment of a Direct Communications Link." (The Hot line) More

1965, June 3 - Major Edward H. White II steps out of the Gemini capsule, becoming the first American astronaut to walk in space. On March 18, 1965, Soviet cosmonaut Aleksei A. Leonov was the first man ever to walk in space. 

1965, June 7 - The U.S. Supreme Court struck down a Connecticut law banning contraception. With tis decision, the Supreme Court guaranteed the right to privacy, including freedom from government intrusion into matters of birth control.

1966, June 13 - the U.S. Supreme Court hands down its decision in Miranda v. Arizona establishing the principle that all criminal suspects must be informed of their specific legal rights before interrogation.  Now considered standard police procedure. This decision was based on a case in which a defendant, Ernesto Miranda, was accused of robbery, kidnapping, and rape. During police interrogation, he confessed to the crimes.

1967, June 5-10 - The Six-Day War takes place between Israel and Arab neighbors Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. The Six-Day War began as Israel launched a series of preemptive surprise  airstrikes against Egyptian airfields and other facilities, launching its war effort. Egyptian forces were caught by surprise, and nearly all of Egypt's military aerial assets were destroyed, giving Israel air supremacy. Simultaneously, the Israeli military launched a ground offensive into Egypt's Sinai Peninsula as well as the Egyptian-occupied Gaza Strip. The war ended with Israel in control of the Gaza Strip, the Sinai Peninsula, the West Bank, and Jerusalem.  More

1967, June 8 - The USS Liberty is attacked by Israeli Air Force jet fighter aircraft and Israeli Navy motor torpedo boats during the Six-Day War. The USS Liberty was in international waters north of the Sinai Peninsula. The intelligence ship, was well-marked as an American vessel and only lightly armed. The Israeli attack killed 34 US sailors, and wounded 171 in the two-hour attack. More:  USS Liberty Veterans Association and CIA Statement  

1967, June 13 Thurgood Marshall, then-Solicitor General, becomes the first Black American to be nominated to the U.S. Supreme  Court. He was nominated by President Lyndon B. Johnson, saying it was “the right thing to do, the right time to do it, the right man and the right place.” Marshall's pursuit for a legal career began with disappointment as the University of Maryland Law School, refused to open its doors to Black students. He wound up graduating first in his class at Howard University Law School. One of his first victories came against the University of Maryland, which had rejected a Black applicant on the basis of race alone. More

1968, June 5 - Presidential candidate  Robert Francis Kennedy was fatally shot on June 5, 1968 at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, California shortly after claiming victory in that state's crucial Democratic primary. He was 42 years old. More

1971, June, 13 - The New York Times began publication of the Pentagon Papers, a collection of top secret documents exposing U.S. strategy in the Vietnam War. More 

1971, June 30 - The three cosmonauts aboard the Soyuz 11, Georgy Dobrovolsky, Vladislav Volkov, and Viktor Patsayev, perished in space when the capsule depressurized during preparations for re-entry. They are the only humans known to have died in space.  More

1972, June 17 - Five men are arrested for breaking into the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C., leading to the Watergate scandal and the resignation of U.S. President Richard Nixon. More 

1972, June 18 - British European Airways Flight 548 passenger flight from London Heathrow to Brussels crashes near Staines, England, shortly after take-off killing all 118 people on board.  As of 2024, it remains the deadliest air accident (as opposed to terrorist incidents) in the United Kingdom. The aircraft suffered a deep stall in the third minute of its flight and crashed to the ground, narrowly missing a busy main road. More 

1972, June 23 - Title IX of the education amendments of 1972 is enacted into law in the United States. Title IX prohibits federally funded educational institutions from discriminating against students or employees based on sex. More

1972, June 29 - The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that capital punishment was a violation of the Eighth Amendment prohibiting "cruel and unusual punishment." The decision spared the lives of 600 individuals then sitting on death row. Four years later, in another ruling, the Court reversed itself and determined the death penalty was not cruel and unusual punishment. On October 4, 1976, the ban was lifted on the death penalty in cases involving murder.

1974 - June 1 - Cincinnati surgeon Henry J. Heimlich publishes, hirs stop-choking technique in the medical journal Emergency Medicine. The technique called, the Heimlich maneuver after its introduction,  involved thrusting inward and upward on the abdomen of choking victims and It quickly became a go-to method for saving those lives. The technique was renamed the "abdominal thrust" after the  American Red Cross introduced back blows to its official guidelines on treating choking in 2006 and Dr Heimlich disagreed that back blows should be used and asked that his name be removed from the guidelines. , 

1975, June 25 - Mozambique Independence Day from Portugal

1976, June 29 - Seychelles Independence Day.

1977, June 27 - Djibouti Independence Day from France

1979, June 18 - Jimmy Carter and Leonid Brezhnev sign the SALT-II nuclear treaty. The US Senate chose not to ratify the treaty in response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, which took place later that year. The Supreme Soviet did not ratify it either. More

1982, June 30 - Deadline for ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution passes without the necessary
votes.

1982, June 14 - The Falklands War ends as the large Argentine garrison at Port Stanley surrenders to the British military. The Falkland Islands War was fought for the control of the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) and its dependencies, a territory long disputed by the warring nations. More

1985, June 14 - TWA Flight 847 is hijacked by Mohammed Ali Hamadei and a second terrorist brandishing grenades and pistols during a routine flight from Athens to Rome. More 

1985, June 27 - The iconic Route 66 is decertified, after 59 years of existence, by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials and votes to remove all its highway signs.  Route 66 stretched 2,200 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica in California More

1986, June 4 - Jonathan Pollard pleads guilty to espionage for selling top-secret U.S. military intelligence information to Israel.  More

1987, June 12 - In a speech in Berlin, President Reagan challenges Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to ―tear down this wall‖ and open Eastern Europe to political and economic reform. More

1989, June 4 - Chinese military cracks down on pro-democracy protesters in Tiananmen Square, Beijing. More

1990, June 1 - George H.W. Bush and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev sign a bilateral agreement on Destruction and Non-production of Chemical Weapons and on Measures to Facilitate the Multilateral Convention on Banning Chemical Weapons"  The agreement was signed during a summit meeting in Washington D.C, The historic treaty called for an 80 percent reduction of their chemical weapon stockpiles under the oversight of inspectors from both countries. The agreement was intended to be the first step towards a global ban . By 1993, 150 other nations had joined the superpowers to sign a comprehensive treaty banning chemical weapons.

1990, June 21 - A 7.7M Earthquake in Iran, near the Caspian Sea, kills an estimated 50,000 people and injures another 135,000, leaving more than 500,000 homeless and destroying three cities (Rudbar, Manjil, and Lowshan) and 700 villages.

1990, June 25 - The U.S. Supreme Court ruled (5-4) that it was unconstitutional for any state to require, without providing other options, for a minor to notify both parents before obtaining an abortion.

1991, June 12 - Boris Yeltsin is elected the first democratically elected President of Russia.

1991, June 25 -  The Republics of Croatia and Slovenia declared their independence from Yugoslavia. Ethnic rivalries between Serbians and Croatians quickly erupted. About 200,000 were missing and presumed dead and over two million people became refugees.

1991, June, last Saturday - Day of Hungarian Freedom. Celebrates the restoration of Hungary's sovereignty after the withdrawal of Soviet troops in June 1991

1992, June 12 - Russia Day. The day commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of State Sovereignty of the Russian Soviet. It has been celebrated annually on 12 June since 1992. 

1993, June 26 - President Clinton orders missile attack against Iraq in retaliation for alleged plot to assassinate former President Bush.

1994, June 11 -  After 49 years, the Soviet military occupation of East Germany ended. At one time there had been 337,800 Soviet troops stationed in Germany. Over 300,000 Russians died during World War II in the Battle for Berlin.

1995, June 29 -  Two days after launch, U.S. space shuttle Atlantis, docks at Mir’s Kristall module as the two spacecraft flew 250 miles above the Lake Baikal region of eastern Russia, forming the world’s heaviest spacecraft up to that time – nearly half a million pounds. More 

1996, June 25 -  A tanker truck loaded with 25,000 pounds of explosives bomb is detonated near the Khobar Tower housing complex in Dhahran during the night, Saudi Arabia, killing 19 Airmen and injuring more than 400 U.S. and international military members and civilians. The towers housed coalition forces supporting Operation Southern Watch, a no-fly zone operation in Southern Iraq. More

1997, June 2 - Timothy McVeigh was convicted of the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, one of the deadliest acts of terrorism in American history. He was executed on June 11, 2001 for his crimes. More

1997, June 30 - In Hong Kong, the flag of the British Crown Colony was officially lowered at midnight and replaced by a new flag representing China's sovereignty and the official transfer of power.

2001, June 11 - Timothy McVeigh, responsible for the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, is executed by lethal injection. More

2004, June 28 - The U.S. returns sovereignty to an interim government in Iraq, but maintains roughly 135,000 troops in the country to fight a growing insurgency.

2006, June 19 -  Construction of the  Svalbard Global Seed Vault begins. The secure facility is built into the side of a mountain on Spitsbergen, the largest of the Svalbard islands, a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean. The vault is intended to safeguard the seeds of the world’s food plants in the event of a global crisis. The vault was formally open with its first consignment of seeds on February 26, 2008. More

2009, June 11 - The World Health Organization (WHO) declares H1N1 swine flu to be a global pandemic, the first such incident in over forty years. The swine flu pandemic was the third recent flu pandemic involving the H1N1 virus; the first being the 1918 –1920 Spanish flu pandemic and the second being the 1977 Russian flu. There were 491,382 lab-confirmed) cases Some studies estimated that the number of cases including asymptomatic and mild cases was about 700 million to 1.4 billion people.  ( 11 to 21 percent of the global population of 6.8 billion at the time. Lab confirmed deaths were 18,449 with estimated excess deaths of 284,000 - More

2013, June 6 - Edward Snowden, a former CIA employee, reveals thousands of classified NSA documents to journalists Glenn Greenwald, Laura Poitras, Barton Gellman, and Ewen MacAskill. Snowden came to international attention after stories based on the material appeared in The Guardian, The Washington Post, and other publications. Later in June, Edward Snowden, comes forward and admits that he is the source of the recent NSA leaks. On September 2, 2020, a U.S. federal court ruled in United States v. Moalin that the U.S. intelligence's mass surveillance program exposed by Snowden was illegal and possibly unconstitutional. More at Business Insider and NPR

2015, June 26 - The U.S. Supreme Court legalizes same-sex marriage nationwide. More

2015, June 27 - Activist Bree Newsome removes the Confederate battle flag from a flagpole on the South Carolina Statehouse grounds. More 

2016, June 22 - The United Kingdom votes in a referendum to withdraw from the European Union, with 51.9 percent supporting Britain's exit (“Brexit”) and 48.1 percent opposing the move. it marked the first time a country had decided to leave the organization. The withdrawal process commenced following the referendum and the subsequent notification to the European Council on 29 March 2017. The actual withdraw was completed on 1 February 2020

Although the UK's withdrawal from the European Union took place on 1 February 2020, the Withdrawal Agreement came into force thenceforth, which regulated the orderly withdrawal of the UK from the EU while maintaining the application of the acquis communaitaire in their relations until 31 December 2020. More

Note: Sources for the Historical Content shown, include research and reviews of relevant Online History Resources or printed material. When possible, we show a link to a source which provides additional or unique perspective about the event. We do our best to provide accurate information but would appreciate being notified if any incorrect information is found. You may do so by using this link: Feedback

These are some of many widely recognized historic events that occurred during the month of May, listed by year. Dates provided for earlier time events may be approximate. Select another month

753 BCE, May 1 - According to legend, the city of Rome is founded by Romulus.

585 BCE, May 28 - A solar eclipse occurred during a battle between the Lydians and the Medes in what is now Turkey. It is one of the earliest recorded events in history.

431 BCE, May 7 - The Peloponnesian War begins between Athens and Sparta, marking the start of a decades-long conflict in Ancient Greece.

333 BCE, May 1 - The Battle of Issus takes place between Alexander the Great of Macedonia and Darius III of Persia, resulting in a decisive victory for Alexander.

218 BCE, May 4 - Hannibal of Carthage wins the Battle of the Trebia against the Roman Republic during the Second Punic War. More 

324, The ancient city of Byzantium was selected to serve as the new capital of the Roman Empire, and the city was renamed Nova Roma, or 'New Rome', by Emperor Constantine the Great.

325 , May 20 - First Council of Nicaea - the first ecumenical council of Christian bishops at Nicaea, Asia Minor. 

330, May 11 - Byzantium was renamed Constantinople (now Istanbul) and dedicated to Emperor Constantine. Constantinople is generally considered to be the center and the "cradle of Orthodox Christian civilization". Constantinople was the largest and wealthiest city in Europe, from the mid-5th century to the early 13th century.

1189, May 11 - Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa and 100,000 crusaders depart Regensburg for the Third Crusade which is also known as the Kings's Crusade. It was an attempt led by three European monarchs of Western Christianity (Philip II of France, Richard I of England and Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor) to reconquer the Holy Land following the capture of Jerusalem by the Ayyubid sultan Saladin in 1187. It recaptured the important cities of Acre and Jaffa, and reversed most of Saladin's conquests, but it failed to recapture Jerusalem. .

1337, May 24 - Beginning of the Hundred Years' War - King Edward III of England formally declares war against King Philip VI of France, marking the start of a long-lasting conflict between the two kingdoms which is referred to as the Hundred Years' War which was eventually won by the French at the Battle of Castillon in 1453. This was largely due to the French use of guns against the English.

1348, May 10 - Siege of Calais begins: King Edward III of England surrounds the city of Calais during the Hundred Years' War, leading to a prolonged siege lasting over a year.

1360, May 8 - The Treaty of Brétigny is signed between England and France, marking a temporary end to the first phase of the Hundred Years' War and granting substantial territorial concessions to England.

1381, May 30 - Peasants' Revolt in England: The Peasants' Revolt, a major uprising against high taxes and social injustice, culminates in a confrontation between rebel forces and King Richard II at Smithfield in London.

1431, May 30 - Joan of Arc was burned at the stake for heresy by an English-dominated tribunal in Rouen. More

1498, May 20 - Italian explorer Christopher Columbus discovered the island of Trinidad during his third voyage to the Americas.

1498, May 20 -  Portuguese explorer Vasco de Gama becomes the first European to reach India via the Atlantic Ocean. Arriving in Calicut, where he erected a padrão (stone pillar) to prove he had reached India.  More

1502, May 20 - Christopher Columbus sets sail on his fourth and final voyage to the New World.

1506, May 2 - The cornerstone of the current St. Peter's Basilica in Rome is laid by Pope Julius II.

1527, May 6 - The Sack of Rome takes place, as troops of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, led by Charles III, Duke of Bourbon, pillage and destroy the city.

1536, May 19 - Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII of England, is executed at the Tower of London after being found guilty of adultery and treason against the King. #gs.91u742">More

1541, May 8 - Spanish conquistador and explorer Hernando De Soto reaches the Mississippi River at a point below Natchez. De Soto was the first European documented to have seen the river.

1543, May 24 - Nicolaus Copernicus publishes his book "On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres" which formulated a model of the universe that placed the Sun rather than Earth at its center. In all likelihood, Copernicus developed his model independently of Aristarchus of Samos, an ancient Greek astronomer who had formulated such a model some eighteen centuries earlier.

1559, May 2 - The Treaty of Cateau-Cambrésis is signed, ending the Italian Wars and establishing peace between France and Spain.

1559, May 8 -  A legal process by which the Protestant Church of England was restored becomes official as Queen Elizabeth gives the Royal assent to the Revised Act of Supremacy of 1558, which re-established the Church of England’s independence from Rome. and the the Act of Uniformity of 1559 which outlined what form the English Church should take.

1568, May 23 - The Eighty Years' War begins as the Dutch rebels, led by Louis of Nassau, defeat a Spanish force at the Battle of Heiligerlee. 
 
1570, May 20 - The Siege of Famagusta begins during the Ottoman-Venetian War, with the city of Famagusta in Cyprus being besieged by the Ottoman Empire.

1588, May 29 - The Spanish Armada sets sail from Lisbon, Portugal, with the aim of invading England during the Anglo-Spanish War.

1593, May 7- Playwright Christopher Marlowe is killed in a dispute, possibly over a bill, at a tavern in Deptford, London.

1607, May 14 - The first permanent English settlement in America was established at Jamestown, Virginia. More

1610, May 14 - French King Henry IV is assassinated by François Ravaillac in Paris.

1611, May 2 - The Authorized Version of the Bible (King James Version) was first published, and became the standard English language Bible.

1626, May 4 - Dutch explorer Peter Minuit arrives in New Netherland (present-day Manhattan) and establishes the colony of New Amsterdam.

1639, May 4 - The Fundamental Orders, often considered the first written constitution in North America, are adopted by the Connecticut Colony.

1642, May 29 - The city of Montreal is founded by French colonists under the direction of Paul de Chomedey de Maisonneuve.

1652, May 18 - The Battle of Dover takes place during the First Anglo-Dutch War, with the Dutch Republic gaining a decisive victory over England.

1660, May 29 - King Charles II of England is restored to the throne after the period of Commonwealth following the English Civil War.

1670, May 2 - The Hudson's Bay Company is chartered by King Charles II, granting it a monopoly over the fur trade in the region of Hudson Bay in North America.

1689, May 1 -  The English Parliament passes the Act of Toleration, granting freedom of worship to Protestant nonconformists.

1692, May 14 - The witchcraft trials in Salem, Massachusetts begin with the arrest of Sarah Osborne, Sarah Good, and Tituba.

1707, May 1 - The Union between England and Scotland is proclaimed. Whales had already been part of England since the 1500's.

1762, - Catherine the Great overthrew Peter III and began her reign as empress of Russia, leading her country into full participation in the political and cultural life of Europe and extending Russian territory.

1765, May 22 - The British Parliament passed the Quartering Act, which required American colonies to provide lodging and supplies to British troops.1841, May 3: New Zealand was declared a British colony.

1773, May 10 - The British parliament passes the unpopular Tea Act. More 

1785, May 23 - Ben Franklin reveals his invention of bifocal eyeglasses in a letter, now in the Library of Congress, to his friend George Whatley. Franklin was having problems seeing both up-close and at greater distances and in the prior year, he created a method for placing differently-calibrated lenses into the same frame rather than constantly changing glasses. His new "double spectacles" had pairs of half-lenses arranged in a top-bottom configuration. Franklin commented that all he had to do was but move his eyes up or down, and the proper glass was always ready!  Franklin never patented any of his inventions, and wanted to share them freely. More

1787, May 25 - The Constitutional Convention, which would draft the United States Constitution, began in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. More

1788, May 23 - South Carolina becomes the 8th State to Ratify the U.S. Constitution

1790, May 29 - Rhode Island becomes the 13th State to Ratify the U.S. Constitution

1792, May 17 - The NY Stock Exchange is born with the signing of the Buttonwood Agreement by 24 stockbrokers defining how stocks could be traded and establishing set commissions.

1804, May 14 - The Lewis and Clark Expedition, set out from St. Louis, Missouri traveling up the Missouri River on a mission to explore and map the newly acquired western territory of the United States. The group consisted of around 30 members, including soldiers, interpreters, scouts, and others. They faced numerous challenges, including harsh weather, treacherous terrain, encounters with Native American tribes, and logistical difficulties.  The Lewis and Clark Expedition made significant contributions to American knowledge of the West. and it continues to be celebrated as a remarkable feat of discovery and an enduring symbol of the nation's westward expansion.  More

1812, May 30 - The United States declared war on Great Britain, beginning the War of 1812. More

1830, May 28 - The Indian Removal Act was signed into law by President Andrew Jackson. The Act authorized the president to grant lands west of the Mississippi in exchange for Indian lands within existing state borders, clearing the way for further white settlements. A few tribes went peacefully, but many resisted the relocation policy. During the fall and winter of 1838 and 1839, the Cherokees were forcibly moved west by the United States government. Approximately 4,000 Cherokees died on this forced march, which became known as the "Trail of Tears." More

1844, May 24 - Samuel Morse, inventor of the Telegraph  sent the first official telegraph message, "What hath God wrought?" from  Washington, D.C., to Baltimore. More

1846, May 12 - The United States declares war on Mexico, beginning the Mexican-American War. More

1848, May 29 - Wisconsin was admitted to the Union of States and becomes the 30th State

1856, May 21 - Pro-slavery forces attacked and burned the free-state town of Lawrence, Kansas, in what became known as the "Sacking of Lawrence."

1858, May 11 - Minnesota was admitted to the Union of States and becomes the 32nd State 

1861, May 20 - North Carolina became the last of the Confederate states to secede rom the United States, triggering the start of the American Civil War.

1862, May 5 - An elite French military force led by General Charles de Lorencez headed for Mexico City was stopped at Puebla by an outnumbered Mexican army of 2,000—5,000 led by Mexican General Ignacio Zaragoza. The larger French forces, which were experiencing a larger loss of troops withdrew by the end of the day. The victory at the Battle of Puebla rallied the Mexicans, eventually culminating in the complete withdraw of all French forces in 1867 and the capture and execution by firing squad of Emperor, Austrian Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian, who had been installed in 1864 as emperor of Mexico by Napoleon III. More

1862, May 20 - President Abraham Lincoln signed the Homestead Act making millions of government owned acres in the west available to "homesteaders". More

1863, May 3 - The Territory of Arizona is created by Congress with Prescott as capital.

1865, May 10 - 1865: Confederate President Jefferson Davis is captured by Union forces in Irwinville, Georgia. General, Robert E. Lee, had surrendered on April 9 at Appomattox in Virginia to General Ulysses S. Grant.

1868, May 5 - Martha Jones of Amelia County, Va.,  become the first black woman known to receive a United States patent. Her application for an “Improvement to the Corn Husker, Sheller” was granted U.S. patent No. 77,494 in 1868. Jones claimed her invention could husk, shell, cut up, and separate husks from corn in one operation, representing a significant step forward in the automation of agricultural processes. More

1869, May 10 -The U.S. Transcontinental railroad opens for through traffic linking the East Coast and West Coast by rail, when CPRR President Leland Stanford ceremonially drove the gold "Last Spike" (later often referred to as the "Golden Spike") at Promontory Summit in Utah. More

1871, May 10 - The Treaty of Frankfurt am Main is signed, ending the Franco-Prussian War and leaving a stronger unified German state to influence European power politics and compete with England and France.

1873, May 20 - Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis obtained a U.S. patent on the process of putting rivets in men’s work pants for the very first time creating what we now call jeans.. More 

1881, May 21 - The American Red Cross is founded in Washington, D.C. by Clara Barton and a circle of her acquaintances.  Barton led the Red Cross for 23 years. More 

1882, May 6 -  The Chinese Exclusion Act was passed by Congress and signed by President Chester A. Arthur. This act provided an absolute 10-year ban on Chinese laborers immigrating to the United States. It was the first significant law restricting immigration into the United States. More

1883. May 24 - The Brooklyn Bridge over the East River officially opens. connecting New York City and Brooklyn for the first time in history. The opening ceremony was presided over by President Chester A. Arthur and New York Governor Grover Cleveland. The bridge, designed by John A. Roebling, with a span of 1,595 feet was the largest suspension bridge ever built to that date and took 14 years to complete. Roebling died as a result of a construction accident, three weeks after the start of the project. The bridge construction was completed by his son, Washington A. Roebling, who took over as Chief Engineer. At least 20 workers were killed during construction, and many more suffered decompression sickness. More

1893, May 4 - The Panic of 1893, was one of the most severe financial crises in the history of the U.S. triggering a depression that lasted until 1897. The crisis started with a a slow down of economic activity and a large decline in U.S. Treasury gold reserves,  raising the rates of defaults on loans and weakening banks’ balance sheets. Fearing for the safety of their deposits, men and women began to withdraw funds from banks. Fear spread and withdrawals accelerated, leading to widespread runs on banks. The economy remained in recession until the following summer. According to some estimates, industrial production fell by 15.3% and unemployment rose as high as 19%. After a brief pause, the economy slumped into recession again in late 1895 and did not fully recover until mid-1897. More 

1887, May 27 - The Hells Canyon Massacre. The mass slaughter of Chinese gold miners by a gang of white horse thieves  takes place, in Lewiston, Washington Territory, in what is now Idaho. This was one of many hate crimes perpetrated against Asian immigrants in the American West during this period.

1902, May 8 - Martinique's Mount Pelée erupts and destroys the town of Saint-Pierre, killing approximately 30,000 people, 15 percent of the island’s population. in the space of a few minutes. This is considered the worst volcanic disaster of the 20th century. Mount Pelée is still classified as an active volcano.

1902, May 31 The Boer War, the armed conflict between Britain and the two Boer republics of Transvaal and Orange Free State in South Africa, often called the Boer War, ends with the signing of the Treaty of Unity and the annexation of Transvaal by Britain. More 

1904, May 4 - The U.S. officially acquires jurisdiction over the Panama Canal Zone. The U.S had tried and failed to negotiate an  agreement with Colombia leading to the United States backing a separatist group in Panama and President Roosevelt dispatching U.S. warships to Panama City (on the Pacific) and Colón (on the Atlantic) in support of Panamanian independence. Panama declared independence from Colombia on November 3, 1903. A French company was the first to attempt building such a canal, but was unsuccessful and roughly 20,000 workers perished due to accidents and tropical diseases, The company collapsed and was acquired by the U.S. in 1902 after Congress passed the Spooner act, gaining the rights to the land to build the canal . More

1905, May 27 - The Naval engagement of Tsushima starts during the Russo-Japanese War resulting in the final, crushing defeat of the Russian navy in that conflict. The Japanese ships were superior in speed and armament and sunk two-thirds of the Russian Fleet and captured six ships during the two-day battle. More 

1910, May 31 - The Union of South Africa is created becoming a sovereign state within the British empire as General Louis Botha forms a government as prime minister.

1912, May 13 - The U.S. Congress passes the 17th Amendment, modifying Article I, Section 3, of the Constitution by allowing voters to cast direct votes for U.S. senators. Prior to its passage, senators were chosen by state legislatures. The amendment was ratified on April 8, 1913,  More 

1914, May 9 - President Wilson makes his first Mothers Day proclamation after the U.S. Congress set the second Sunday of every May as the official Mothers Day celebration. By then most U.S. States were already celebrating Mother's Day. Julia Ward Howe (1872), a key women's rights figure and participant in the American Woman Suffrage Association and Anna Jarvis (1907) are also credited for suggesting and promoting the idea. The custom developed of wearing a red or pink carnation to represent a living mother or a white carnation for a mother who was deceased. The modern American version of the holiday has been criticized for becoming too commercialized. Many other countries have a multi-century history of a day to celebrate mothers on different dates. More

1915, May 7 - The passenger liner RMS Lusitania was sunk by a German submarine during World War I, killing 1,198 people. More

1915, May 23 - Italy declares war on Austria-Hungary.

1916, May 31 - June 1: Battle of Jutland - World War I’s biggest naval conflict off the coast of Denmark marks the first and only showdown between German and British naval forces during World War I.

1917, May 17 - First regular airmail service begins, with one round trip a day between Washington, DC, and New York.

1917, May 18 - Congress passed the Selective Service Act, which authorized the Federal Government to temporarily expand the military through conscription. The act eventually required all men between the ages of 21 to 45 to register for military service. More

1918, May 18 - Day of the proclamation of Independence of the Democratic Republic of Georgia from the Russian Empire.

1918, May 28 - Independence Day - Commemorates the date on which the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR) was founded as the first secular democratic state in the Muslim East. Until 2021, it was marked as Republic Day. In October 2021, it was renamed and became Independence Day.

1919, may 19 - Mustafa Kemal Atatürk lands at Samsun on the Black Sea coast, starting the Turkish War of Independence. More

1920, May 13 -The Socialist Party nominates Eugene V. Debs as its candidate for president in the upcoming November election. It was the fifth nomination for the 64-year-old, Indiana-born labor leader. At the time Debs was in jail, serving a 10-year sentence at a federal penitentiary in Atlanta. He was convicted of violating the Espionage Act of 1917 and the Sedition Act of 1918, controversial laws pushed through Congress by President Woodrow Wilson to silence critics of U.S. involvement World War I. He wasn't due to get out until 1928. Debs had promised to pardon himself if elected. Harding, the newly elected President, pardoned Debs. More

1921, May 31 - The Tulsa race massacre began. A two-day-long riot when mobs of white residents, some of whom had been appointed as deputies and armed by city government officials, attacked black residents and destroyed homes and businesses of the Greenwood District in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The event is considered one of the worst incidents of racial violence in American history. More  

1924, May 26 - President Calvin Coolidge signs into law the Immigration Act of 1924. The Act also know as the Johnson-Reed Act, established a national origins quota system, which severely restricted migrants from eastern and southern Europe and almost entirely barred “aliens ineligible for citizenship” from Asia and the Middle East. The Johnson-Reed Act was the legislative achievement of a eugenics movement that sought to racially engineer the US populace by excluding Asians, as well as “inconclusively white” Catholic and Jewish migrants. Upon signing the bill, President Calvin Coolidge declared, “America must be kept American.” He won the approval of the Ku Klux Klan and the admiration of Adolf Hitler. Weeks later, Congress authorized the creation of the US Border Patrol to enforce the Johnson-Reed Act’s imperatives. More

1926, May 1 - The Ford Motor Company becomes one of the first companies to adopt a five-day, 40-hour workweek for workers in their factories. A move that help change the way companies in America operated. Before this change, factory workers at Ford and other companies typically worked six days a week for up to 60 hours. This left workers with little time for rest or leisure, and they often struggled to balance work with family and personal commitments. It wasn't until 1940 that the 40 hour work week became law. More

1927, May 20-21 - Charles Lindbergh becomes the first man to fly solo completed the first solo across the Atlantic Ocean, flying 3,610 miles from New York to Paris in his plane, the Spirit of St. Louis in 33 1/2 hours. More  

1927, May 26 - The last of the Model T Ford comes off the line and Henry Ford and his son Edsel drive the 15 millionth Model T Ford out of their factory and closing the Model T production line. In 19 years, the company made 15,007,033 of the model T cars. More

1929, May 16 -The first Academy Awards ceremony was held in Hollywood.

1931, May 1 - The New York City’s Empire State Building was dedicated, 45 five days ahead of its original projected opening date. President Herbert Hoover , pressed a button in the White House that turned on the building’s lights for the first time, Construction costs were about $41M ($550M in 2023 money) and $20M under budget. The Site was previously occupied by the Waldorf -Astoria Hotel which opened in 1890. Official records indicate that 5 workers died during construction, although 14 deaths were reported by local News. More

1932, May 12 - The body of Charles Lindbergh Jr. son of aviator Charles Lindbergh and Anne Morrow Lindbergh, was found in Hopewell Township, New Jersey. More

1932, May 21 -  Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic. (May 20 - May 2021). More

1934, May 11 - An enormous dust storm, 1,500 miles long and 600 miles wide, that originated on the west coast, moved eastward across the Great Plains. A total of 300 million tons of topsoil, parched to dust by drought were blown out of the Great Plains. More

1934, May 23 - Italy declares war on Austria-Hungary. When World War I began in July 1914, Italy was a partner in the Triple Alliance with Germany and Austria-Hungary, but decided to remain neutral. However, a strong sentiment existed within the general population and political factions to go to war against Austria-Hungary, Italy’s historical enemy.

1935, May 31 - A 7.7 earthquake takes place at Quetta, Balochistan, British India (now part of Pakistan), close to the border with southern Afghanistan. Between 30,000 and 60,000 people died from the impact.

1937, May 6 - The Hindenburg disaster occurs in Manchester Township, New Jersey, United States. More

1937, May 12 -  King George VI was crowned at Westminster Abbey,  following the abdication of his older brother Edward who abdicated so he could marry American socialite Wallis Simpson.

1937, May 27 - , The San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge is opened to the public for the first time for “Pedestrian Day. 200,000 people strolled across the bridge to celebrate the grand opening. More

1939, May 22 - The Pact of Steel formally known as the Pact of Friendship and Alliance between Germany and Italy  was a military and political alliance between Italy and Germany. is signed. The pact was initially drafted to include Japan wanted the focus of the pact to be aimed at the Soviet Union, Italy and Germany wanted the focus of it to be aimed at the British Empire and France. On September 27, 1940, Japan signed the Tripartite Pact with Germany and Italy, thus entering the military alliance known as the "Axis." More 

1939, May 27 - The St. Louis, a boat sailed from Hamburg carrying 937 refugees from Germany, most of whom were Jews fleeing Nazi persecution, is turned away from Havana, Cuba. Only 28 immigrants are admitted into the country. After appeals to the United States and Canada for entry are denied, the rest are forced to sail back to Europe, where they’re distributed among several countries including Great Britain and France.

1940, May 10 - Winston Churchill becomes Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He lead the U.K  through the tumultuous years of World War II.

1941, May 15 - The first test of an Allied aircraft using jet propulsion takes place as the Gloster-Whittle E 28/39 aircraft flies    successfully over Cranwell, England, The jet engine was the brain child of Frank Whittle, an English pilot and aviation engineer,  . A young German physicist, Hans von Ohain, working for Ernst Heinkel, developed the world's first jet plane, the experimental Heinkel He 178. It first flew on August 27, 1939. just before WW II started on September 1, 1939. More

1941, May 24 - The German Battleship Bismarck sinks the battlecruiser HMS Hood during a naval engagement in the Second World War, resulting in the death of all but 3 of her crew of 1,418. During the engagement, the Bismarck‘s fuel tank was damaged and headed for occupied France to effect repairs. Two days later the Bismarck was attacked by torpedo bombers from the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal; rendering the battleship's steering gear inoperable. In her final battle the following morning, the already-crippled Bismarck was engaged by two British battleships and two heavy cruisers, and sustained incapacitating damage and heavy loss of life. The ship was scuttled to prevent her being boarded by the British, and to limit further casualties. There were 2,300 German casualties.

1942, May 6 - U.S. Lt. General Jonathan Wainwright unconditionally surrenders all U.S. troops in the Philippines to the Japanese. All surviving troops; 12,000 Americans and 66,000 Filipinos, were taken to a prison stockade in Manila. This was the largest contingent of U.S. soldiers ever to surrender. More

1945, May 7 - Germany surrenders unconditionally to the Allied forces, bringing an end to World War II in Europe. More

1946, May 25 - Jordan's Independence Day marking its independence from The United Kingdom.

1948, May 14 - Jewish Agency Chairman David Ben-Gurion proclaims the State of Israel, at midnight May 14. The UN General Assembly had  adopted the resolution to partition Palestine on 29 November 1947 and Britain had announced the termination of its Mandate for Palestine, effective on 15 May 1948. Ben-Gurion became Israel’s first premier. More

1949, May 12 - Soviets end blockade of Berlin.

1949, May 23 - The Federal Republic of Germany (German: Bundesrepublik Deutschland) is established with the consolidation of the western sectors, controlled by France, the United Kingdom and the United States. On 7 October 1949, the Soviet Zone became the German Democratic Republic (GDR)  When West and East Germany were reunited in 1990, West Germany’s constitution and official name (Federal Republic of Germany) were adopted by the former East German state.

1953, May 29 - Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay completed the first confirmed ascent of Mount Everest on May 29, 1953. More

1954, May 7 - French defeated at Dien Bien Phu bringing an end to French colonial efforts in Indochina.  Vietnam was partitioned by the Geneva Accords of 1954 into Communist North Vietnam and non-Communist South Vietnam. President Eisenhower sent some 700 military personnel as well as military and economic aid to the government of South Vietnam. In 1961, JFK authorized sending additional Special Forces troops and military advisors to South Vietnam. By the end of 1962, there were approximately 11,000 military personnel in South Vietnam and 16,000 by the end of 1963.

1954, May 17 - The Supreme Court of the United States hands down its unanimous decision in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas,  ruling that racial segregation in public educational facilities is unconstitutional. More

1955, May 6 - The Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) Joins NATO.

1955, May 14 - The Warsaw Treaty Organization (also known as the Warsaw Pact), a political and military alliance between the Soviet Union and several Eastern European countries. The Soviet Union formed this alliance as a counterbalance to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a collective security alliance concluded between the United States, Canada and Western European nations in 1949. More 

1958, May 13 - Vice President Nixon’s motorcade was attacked in Caracas by angry Venezuelans during his goodwill trip through Latin America. The trip was characterized by Latin American anger over the U.S. Cold War policies. Earlier on the trip Nixon had engaged in loud and bitter debates with student groups during his travels through Peru and Uruguay.

1960, May 1 - An American U-2 spy plane flying at 60,000 feet was shot down over Sverdlovsk in central Russia. The pilot, CIA agent Francis Gary Powers, survived the crash, and was tried, convicted and sentenced to 10 years in prison. More

1960, May 11 - The FDA announces approval of Enovid for birth control. The approval limited its use to no more than two years. Nine years later, in 1969  Barbara Seaman’s book, “The Doctor’s Case Against the Pill,” show testimony and research showing that the high doses of estrogen in the early Pill put women at risk of blood clots, heart attacks, strokes, and cancer. More

1960, May 20 - Cameroon National Day. Cameroon gained independence on 1 January 1960, but does not celebrate that date. Instead, it celebrates the National Day on 20 May commemorating the 1972 Cameroonian constitutional referendum.

1960, May 22 -  A magnitude 9.5 earthquake,  The largest earthquake ever measured,  - occurred along the coast of Chile causing a tsunami which radiated outward from a subduction zone along the coast. Its waves reached Hawaii in 15 hours and Japan in 22 hours. In Chile, the earthquake and the tsunami that followed took more than 2,000 lives and caused property damage estimated at $550 million (1960 dollars).The tsunami killed 61 people in Hawaii and 122 in Japan. More 

1960, May 23 - A tsunami resulting from the massive 9.5-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Chile which killed thousands the prior day travels across the Pacific Ocean and kills 61 people in Hilo, Hawaii, and 122 in Japan and causing much other property and structural damage.

1961, May 5 - Alan Shepard, one of the Mercury Astronauts, became the first American in space. He piloted the spacecraft Freedom 7 during a 15-minute 28-second suborbital flight that reached an altitude of 116 miles (186 kilometers) above the earth. Ten years later, Shepard made his second space flight as spacecraft commander on Apollo 14 on January 31, 1971. He was accompanied on man's third lunar landing mission by Stuart A. Roosa, command module pilot, and Edgar D. Mitchell, lunar module pilot. Maneuvering their lunar module, "Antares," to a landing in the hilly upland Fra Mauro region of the moon, More

1961, May 25 - United States President. John F. Kennedy announced before a special joint session of Congress the dramatic and ambitious goal of sending an American safely to the Moon before the end of the decade. More 

1961, May 31 - The government of South Africa proclaims the Republic of South Africa and withdraws from the CON and Governor-General Charles Robert Swart formally takes office as State President. More 

1964, May 24 - More than 300 soccer fans were killed and another 500 people were injured at the National Stadium in Lima, Peru, during a riot that erupted after a referee’s call in a soccer match between Peru and Argentina, disallowed an apparent goal for Peru. The stadium went wild as outraged Peruvian fans invaded the field and  police fired tear gas into the crowed causing stampedes in which people were crushed and killed. 

1966, May 26 - Guyana gains Independence from the United Kingdom.

1970, May 4 - Four students were killed and nine others were injured when National Guardsmen opened fire on a peaceful protest against the Vietnam War at Kent State University in Ohio, United States. More

1972, May 26 - U.S. and Soviet Union sign strategic arms control agreement known as SALT I 

1973, May 14 -  Skylab, America’s first space station and the first crewed research laboratory in space, lifts off on the last Saturn V rocket. Although the Soviet Union orbited the first experimental space station called Salyut in 1971, the larger and more complex Skylab enabled research in several areas. More 

1974, May 18 - India successfully detonates its first nuclear weapon in the Rajasthan Desert in the municipality of Pokhran. becoming the world’s sixth nuclear power and the first nation outside the five members of the U.N. Security Council—the United States, the Soviet Union, Great Britain, China and France. More 

1979, May 25 - American Airlines Flight 191 - a Douglas DC-10 aircraft crashed as it was taking off from O'Hare International Airport in Chicago when its left engine detached from the wing, causing a loss of control. The aircraft crashed about 4,600 feet (1,400 m) from the end of runway. All 258 passengers and 13 crew on board and two people on the ground were killed. The total of 273 fatalities, makes it the deadliest aviation accident to have occurred in the United States. More

1980, May 18 - Mount St. Helens erupted in Washington state, killing 57 people. Hundreds of square miles of wilderness were reduced to wasteland, More

1981, May 13 - Pope John Paul II was shot four times by Mehmet Ali Agca in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican.

1989, May 10 - Tens of thousands of Chinese students and civilians gathered in Tiananmen Square in Beijing to protest for democracy and government accountability, leading to a violent crackdown by the Chinese government. More

1990, May 4 - Day of the Restoration of Latvian Independence after the end of occupation by the Soviet Union. The Supreme Council adopted the Declaration on the Restoration of Independence of the Republic of Latvia, and the Latvian SSR was renamed Republic of Latvia.

1991, May 19 - Somaliland Independence day. Officially the Republic of Somaliland,is an unrecognized de facto sovereign state in the Horn of Africa. Its claimed territory has an area of 68,000 square miles with approximately 5.7 million residents

1991, May 24 - Eritrea Independence day from Ethiopia.

1991, May 26 - Lauda Air Flight 004, a Boeing 767-300ER crashed following an uncommanded deployment of the thrust reverser on the No. 1 engine during the climb phase, causing the aircraft to enter an uncontrolled dive, and in-flight breakup,. All 213 passengers and ten crew members on board were killed. The plane’s black box was destroyed, making the cause of the crash difficult to determine.," The following official investigation analysis of mechanical evidence and the voice recorder pointed to a serious problem with the jet’s thrust reverser. Boeing was forced to recall and modify the 767’s thrust reversing system. It was the deadliest aviation accident in Thailand's history as of 2024. 

1994, May 6 - The English Channel Tunnel, or “Chunnel,” built under the English Channel is officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II and French president, François Mitterrand. The Chunnel is 31 miles long, 23 of them underwater at an average depth of 150 feet below the sea bed, making it the world’s longest undersea tunnel. The Chunnel cuts travel time between England and France to 35 minutes. More

1994, May 10 - Nelson Mandela becomes the first African president of democratic South Africa. .. More 

1998, May 28 - Pakistan detonates its first nuclear device at the Ros Koh Hills in the province of Balochistan, becoming the seventh country to publicly test nuclear weapons. More

1999, May 29 - Discovery Becomes the first Space Shuttle to Dock with the International Space Station. More

2002, May 10 -  Robert Hanssen, FBI agent who was convicted of spying for the Russian government is sentenced to life in prison without parole. Hanssen died in prison on June 5, 2023, at the age of 79. More

2003, May 1 - United States President George W. Bush declared the end of major combat operations in Iraq, marking the conclusion of the invasion of Iraq by coalition forces.

2004, May 1 -  Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, along with the island of Malta and the Greek portion of the island of Cyprus joined the EU,

2011, May 2 - Osama bin Laden is killed by US forces in Pakistan.

2016, May 19 - EgyptAir flight MS804, an Airbus 320, carrying 66 people, crashed into the Mediterranean Sea as it approached the Egyptian coast near Alexandria. There were no survivors. Egyptian authorities initially stated have stated that a bomb was the likely cause. A 2022 report from the French authorities attributed the cause to a pilot smoking a cigarette, a practice which wasn't banned at the time, caused the fire and the crash. 

2020, May 25 - George Floyd, an unarmed African American man, was killed during an arrest, by white Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin who knelt on his neck for almost 10 minutes. He was unresponsive when the paramedics arrived. The arrest and killing was filmed by bystanders and ignited the largest protest movement in the U.S. history, setting off massive protests around the country and generating greater support for the Black Lives Matter movement. The police officer, Derek Chauvin was later convicted of his murder. 

Note: Sources for the Historical Content shown, include research and reviews of relevant Online History Resources or printed material. When possible, we show a link to a source which provides additional or unique perspective about the event. We do our best to provide accurate information but would appreciate being notified if any incorrect information is found. You may do so by using this link: Feedback

These are some of many widely recognized historic events that occurred during the month of April, listed by year. Dates provided for earlier time events may be approximate. Select another month

753 BCE, April - According to tradition, Rome is founded by Romulus.

509 BCE, April - The Roman Republic is established after the overthrow of the Roman monarchy.

490 BCE, April - The Battle of Marathon occurs between the Greeks and the Persians, resulting in a Greek victory.

480 BCE, April - The Battle of Thermopylae takes place where King Leonidas and the Spartans valiantly resist the Persian invasion.

399 BCE, April - Socrates, the Greek philosopher, is sentenced to death in Athens.

356 BCE, April - Alexander the Great, Macedonian king and conqueror, is born in Pella.

331 BCE, April - Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia at the Battle of Gaugamela.

323 BCE, April - Alexander the Great dies in Babylon, leaving his empire to his generals.

218 BCE, April - Hannibal of Carthage crosses the Alps with his army during the Second Punic War.

44 BCE, April - Julius Caesar is assassinated by a group of Roman senators, including Brutus and Cassius.

33 BCE, April - The Battle of Actium takes place, marking the end of the Roman Republic and the rise of Augustus Caesar.

30 BCE, April - Cleopatra VII dies, marking the end of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt.

4 BCE, April - Herod the Great, King of Judea, dies in Jericho.

30 CE, April 14 - According to tradition, the crucifixion of Jesus Christ takes place on Good Friday.

73 CE, April - The Jewish fort of Masada falls to the Romans after a lengthy siege.

248 CE, April - The Roman Emperor Philip the Arab celebrates the 1,000th anniversary of Rome, known as the Saeculum Novum.

476 CE, April 4 - Romulus Augustulus, the last Roman Emperor in the West, is deposed by the Germanic chieftain Odoacer.

711 CE, April 30 - The Islamic conquest of Spain begins with the landing of the Muslim General Tariq ibn-Ziyad armed forces at Gibraltar. By the end of the campaign most of the Iberian Peninsula (except for small areas in the north-west such as Asturias and the Basque territory were brought under Islamic rule. More

793 CE, April 8 - The Viking Age begins with the raid on Lindisfarne monastery in England.

800 CE, April 25 - Charlemagne is crowned Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire by Pope Leo III in Rome.

870 CE, April 23 - The Viking invasion of England under the leadership of Ivar the Boneless results in the capture of Dumbarton.

878 CE, April 12 - The Battle of Cynwit takes place between the Wessex Saxons and the Vikings.

891 CE, April 20 - The Irish Viking fleet is defeated by the Franks at the Battle of Leuven in present-day Belgium.

909 CE, April - The city of Toledo in Spain falls to the forces of the Emir Abd-ar-Rahman III, establishing Umayyad control.

919 CE, April - The Saxon king Henry the Fowler is elected King of the Germans.

924 CE, April - King Edward the Elder of England dies, succeeded by his son Athelstan.

933 CE, April - Battle of Riade: Henry I of Germany defeats a Hungarian invasion.

944 CE, April - Edmund I succeeds his brother Athelstan as King of England.

955 CE, April 12 - The Battle of Lechfeld: Otto I defeats the Magyars, ending their raids in Europe.

972 CE, April - Edgar the Peaceful is crowned King of England.

987 CE, April 3 - Hugh Capet is crowned King of France, initiating the Capetian dynasty.

995 CE, April 23 - The Norwegian King Olaf Tryggvason is defeated in the Battle of Svolder.

999, April 2 - Brian Boru, High King of Ireland, wins the Battle of Glenmama, consolidating his power.

1002, April 23 - St. Brice's Day massacre in England: King Æthelred the Unready orders the killing of Danish settlers.

1009, April 17 - The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem is destroyed by the Fatimid caliph Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah.

1014, April 23 - The Battle of Clontarf in Ireland sees the death of Brian Boru and his victory over the Vikings.

1016, April 23 - Edmund Ironside succeeds his father Æthelred the Unready as king of England.

1024, April 26 - Henry III, also known as Henry the Black, becomes King of Germany.

1034, April 19 - Mieszko II Lambert is crowned King of Poland.

1035, April 17 - William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy, becomes the Duke at the age of 8 after the death of his father, Robert I.

1044, April 12 - The influential Chinese poet Su Shi is born.

1046, April 3 - Nizam al-Mulk, Persian scholar and vizier of the Seljuk Empire, is born.

1048, April 26 - Pope Damasus II is consecrated as the 151st pope.

1050, April 15 - Persian mathematician, astronomer, and poet Omar Khayyam is born.

1054, April 13 - Pope Leo IX issues a papal bull excommunicating the Patriarch of Constantinople, Michael I Cerularius, sparking the Great Schism between the Eastern and Western Christian Churches.

1055, April 25 - Pope Victor II succeeds Leo IX as the 153rd pope.

1057, April 16 - Pope Stephen IX (X) becomes the 154th pope.

1060, April 23 - Pope Nicholas II succeeds Pope Stephen IX as the 155th pope.

1066, April 6 - Halley's Comet makes its closest known approach to Earth, a significant event before the Battle of Hastings.

1068, April 14 - Seljuk Turks capture Baghdad, leading to the decline of the Abbasid Caliphate.

1071, April 27 - Battle of Manzikert: The Seljuk Turks defeat the Byzantine Empire, leading to Turkish dominance in Anatolia.

1073, April 22 - Pope Alexander II dies after a papacy that advanced many reforms in the Catholic Church.

1076, April 18 - The Synod of Worms condemns Pope Gregory VII and excommunicates Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor.

1077, April 7 - Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor, submits to Pope Gregory VII at Canossa, seeking absolution.

1080, April 25 - Pope Gregory VII excommunicates Henry IV for a second time.

1081, April 4 - Alexios I Komnenos becomes Byzantine emperor after the death of Nikephoros III Botaneiates.

1085, April 25 - Alfonso VI of Castile and León captures Toledo, Spain, from the Moors.

1087, April 9 - William the Conqueror, King of England, dies in Rouen, France.

1091, April 29 - The Battle of Levounion: The Byzantine Empire defeats the Pechenegs.

1093, April 24 - Malcolm III of Scotland, husband of Saint Margaret of Scotland, dies in battle against the English.

1095, April 8 - Pope Urban II presides over the Council of Piacenza, calling for the First Crusade.

1100, April 1 - Bishop Anselm of Bec becomes Archbishop of Canterbury.

1101, April 6 - Magnus III Barefoot, King of Norway, dies in an expedition to Ireland.

1105, April 1 - Maghribi geographer and cartographer al-Idrisi is born in what is now modern-day Morocco.

1111, April 13 - Pope Paschal II crowns Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor, in Rome.

1113, April 26 - The Pisan fleet sacks the North African city of Mahdia.

1119, April 21 - Battle of Bremule: Henry I of England defeats Louis VI of France.

1124, April 2 - David I becomes King of Scotland.

1125, April 5 - Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor, dies.

1126, April 6 - Wars of the Investitures: The Concordat of Worms is signed, ending the investiture controversy between the papacy and the Holy Roman Empire.

1139, April 6 - The Second Council of the Lateran, presided over by Pope Innocent II, begins.

1141, April 14 - The Battle of Lincoln sees King Stephen of England captured by forces loyal to Empress Matilda.

1147, April 24 - The Second Crusade is formally announced by Pope Eugene III in Vézelay, France.

1152, April 18 - Eleanor of Aquitaine marries Henry Plantagenet, who later becomes King Henry II of England.

1154, April 6 - Saint Maimonides, Jewish philosopher, theologian, and physician, is born in Córdoba.

1155, April 7 - Frederick I Barbarossa is crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Adrian IV.

1156, April 11 - Malcolm IV becomes King of Scotland at the age of 12 after the death of his grandfather David I.

1164, April 23 - Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, escapes from Northampton and flees to France.

1169, April 23 - Saladin becomes the emir of Egypt.

1170, April 20 - Construction begins on the Campanile (Leaning Tower of Pisa).

1176, April 14 - The Battle of Myriokephalon: The Byzantine Empire suffers a decisive defeat by the Seljuk Turks.

1185, April 25 - The Treaty of Łęczyca is signed, ending a war between Casimir II the Just of Poland and Mieszko III the Old.

1189, April 6 - Richard the Lionheart officially ascends to the throne of England.

1191, April 20 - Siege of Acre: Crusaders under King Richard I capture Acre from the Muslims after a prolonged siege.

1194, April 2 - Richard the Lionheart is released from captivity in Germany after paying a ransom.

1199, April 6 - King Richard I of England dies from an infection following the removal of an arrow during a siege in France.

1200, April 27 - King John of England marries Isabella of Angoulême.

1202, April 10 - Fourth Crusade: The siege of Zara (now Zadar, Croatia) begins.

1204, April 12 - Fourth Crusade: Constantinople falls to the Crusaders, leading to the sack of the city.

1208, April 15 - Pope Innocent III excommunicates Count Raymond VI of Toulouse due to his failure to suppress the Cathar heresy.

1214, April 27 - King Alexander II of Scotland is born.

1215, April 15 - King John of England submits to the demands of the barons, sealing the Magna Carta at Runnymede.

1217, April 24 - The Second Battle of Lincoln takes place during the First Barons' War in England.

1220, April 25 - Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, grants the Golden Bull of Sicily, establishing constitutional reforms in Sicily.

1229, April 30 - Ferdinand III of Castile captures Córdoba, ending Muslim rule in the region.

1232, April 9 - The University of Padua is chartered in Italy.

1233, April 13 - Pope Gregory IX issues the papal bull "Excommunicamus" against Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor.

1241, April 9 - Batu Khan's Mongol horde inflicts a devastating defeat on the Polish and German forces at the Battle of Liegnitz.

1248, April 30 - The construction of Cologne Cathedral in Germany begins.

1250, April 13 - King Louis IX of France is ransomed after being captured by the Egyptians during the Seventh Crusade.

1258, April 27 - The Mongols, led by Hulagu Khan, capture and sack Baghdad, effectively ending the Abbasid Caliphate.

1260, April 4 - The Battle of Homs takes place between the Mamluks and the Mongols, leading to a decisive Mamluk victory.

1264, April 29 - The Battle of Lewes occurs during the Second Barons' War in England, resulting in the capture of King Henry III.

1271, April 24 - Kings Rudolf I of Germany and Otakar II of Bohemia sign a peace treaty.

1275, April 6 - Traditional founding date of the city of Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

1277, April 18 - Pope Nicholas III is elected as the 188th pope.

1282, April 30 - The Sicilian Vespers: A rebellion breaks out in Sicily against the rule of the Angevin King Charles I of Naples.

1284, April 18 - The Statute of Rhuddlan establishes English rule in Wales under King Edward I.

1287, April 14 - St. Louis IX of France is canonized as a saint by Pope Boniface VIII.

1291, April 5 - The death of Mongol ruler Kublai Khan is kept secret until February 5, 1294, to prevent unrest in the empire.

1296, April 27 - Battle of Dunbar: King Edward I of England defeats the Scots under John Balliol during the First War of Scottish Independence.

1297, April 12 - Scots under William Wallace ambush and defeat the English at the Battle of Stirling Bridge.

1299, April 27 - Osman I, founder of the Ottoman Empire, is born.

1300, April 5 - King Albert I of Germany is assassinated by his nephew John Parricida.

1302, April 8 - The Battle of the Golden Spurs occurs in Flanders, resulting in a victory for the Flemish militia against the French army.

1305, April 20 - Pope Clement V succeeds Pope Benedict XI, becoming the 195th pope.

1314, April 6 - Pope Clement V suppresses the Order of the Knights Templar with a papal bull.

1315, April 25 - The Battle of Montecatini takes place between the forces of Florence and Siena, ending in a Florentine victory.

1316, April 5 - Louis X becomes King of France after the death of his father, Philip IV.

1320, April 6 - The Scots reaffirm their independence by signing the Declaration of Arbroath, asserting their right to self-determination.

1327, April 25 - The Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton recognizes Scottish independence from England.

1336, April 16 - Francesco Petrarca, commonly known as Petrarch, is crowned poet laureate in Rome, marking the revival of the Roman tradition.

1337, April 24 - The Hundred Years' War begins between England and France after King Edward III of England claims the French throne.

1348, April 26 - The Order of the Garter, the most prestigious chivalric order in England, is founded by King Edward III.

1355, April 8 - Saint John of Capistrano, a Franciscan friar and Catholic saint, is born in Italy.

1364, April 8 - John of Gaunt, son of King Edward III of England, becomes the Duke of Lancaster.

1367, April 19 - King Charles IV of France issues the Ordonnance Cabochienne, which aims to restrict the powers of the French monarchy.

1370, April 3 - Building of the Bastille fortress in Paris begins under the reign of King Charles V of France.

1374, April 16 - Cola di Rienzo, an Italian populist and later self-proclaimed "Tribune of the People," is killed by a Roman mob.

1380, April 8 - Battle of the Vikhra River: The Grand Duchy of Lithuania defeats the Golden Horde, gaining territorial expansion.

1381, April 30 - The Peasants' Revolt in England begins as rebels march on London, demanding an end to serfdom and unfair taxation.

1385, April 6 - John, Master of Aviz, is declared King John I of Portugal after defeating the Castilian forces in the Battle of Aljubarrota.

1386, April 1 - Treaty of Windsor is signed, establishing an alliance between England and Portugal, which remains the world's oldest diplomatic alliance.

1397, April 17 - Geoffrey Chaucer tells the Canterbury Tales for the first time at the court of Richard II.

1399, April 30 - Henry IV of England is proclaimed King of England following the deposition of Richard II.

1400, April 14 - Rebellion in Wales led by Owain Glyndŵr against English rule begins with a surprise attack on the English-held town of Ruthin.

1402, April 10 - Battle of Bryn Glas: Forces loyal to Owain Glyndŵr of Wales defeat the English at Pumlumon in Powys.

1406, April 24 - James I of Scotland is captured by English pirates in the North Sea and imprisoned in the Tower of London.

1407, April 28 - Louis, Duke of Orléans, is assassinated on the orders of his cousin John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy, sparking a civil war in France.

1415, April 29 - Frederick II, Elector of Saxony, is born.

1429, April 27 - Joan of Arc arrives at the siege of Orléans, boosting French morale and ultimately contributing to lifting the siege.

1431, April 23 - The trial and execution of Joan of Arc begin in Rouen, France.

1434, April 4 - The foundation stone for Cologne Cathedral in Germany is laid.

1440, April 18 - Christopher of Bavaria is appointed King of Denmark.

1443, April 11 - The Battle of Střešovice takes place during the Hussite Wars in Bohemia.

1444, April 10 - The Battle of Anghiari occurs between the Milanese and the Florentine troops.

1452, April 15 - Leonardo da Vinci, Italian polymath and painter of the Mona Lisa, is born in Vinci, Italy.

1453, April 6 - Mehmed II begins his siege of Constantinople, eventually leading to the fall of the Byzantine Empire.

1460, April 25 - The University of Basel is founded in Switzerland.

1461, April 12 - The Battle of Towton takes place during the Wars of the Roses in England, resulting in a decisive Yorkist victory.

1465, April 7 - Fra Mauro, Venetian cartographer, completes his world map.

1471, April 14 - King Edward IV of England defeats the Lancastrian forces at the Battle of Barnet during the Wars of the Roses.

1478, April 26 - Pazzi conspiracy: A failed attempt to overthrow the Medici family in Florence results in the assassination of Giuliano de' Medici.

1483, April 9 - Edward V becomes King of England upon the death of his father, Edward IV.

1484, April 13 - Pope Sixtus IV consecrates the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican.

1487, April 6 - John Argyropoulos, a Greek philosopher and scholar, becomes the first to introduce Aristotelian studies in Italy.

1492, April 17 - Christopher Columbus receives funding for his expedition from Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain.

1495, April 25 - The Treaty of Tordesillas is signed, dividing the newly discovered lands between Spain and Portugal.

1498, April 25 - Vasco da Gama arrives at Calicut, India, opening the sea route from Europe to the East by circumnavigating Africa.

1500, April 22 - Pedro Álvares Cabral's 13 ship fleet lands in Brazil, leading to the Portuguese claim on the territory. 

1502, April 22 - Christopher Columbus begins his fourth and final voyage to the New World.

1509, April 21 - Henry VIII becomes King of England after the death of his father, Henry VII.

1513, April 2 - Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León claims Florida for Spain after landing on Florida's east coast near present-day St. Augustine. He named the land, with lavish landscape and beautiful beaches, "La Florida" or "place of flowers" Ponce de Leon had traveled from Puerto Rico where he established the first European settlement, Caparra, near what is now San Juan. More

1515, April 11 - Francis I of France achieves a victory over the Swiss at the Battle of Marignano.

1520, April 16 - The Revolt of the Comuneros begins in Spain against King Charles V's rule.

1521, April 22 - Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan arrives in the Philippines.

1526, April 30 - Battle of Panipat: Babur's Mughal forces defeat Ibrahim Lodi, establishing Mughal rule in India.

1536, April 23 - Anne Boleyn, second wife of King Henry VIII, is arrested and imprisoned in the Tower of London.

1545, April 15 - The Siege of Buda begins as Ottoman forces lay siege to the Hungarian city.

1555, April 24 - The Peace of Augsburg is signed, ending the religious conflict between the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V and the Schmalkaldic League.

1564, April 23 - William Shakespeare, English playwright, and poet is born in Stratford-upon-Avon.

1570, April 25 - Pope Pius V issues the papal bull "Regnans in Excelsis," excommunicating Queen Elizabeth I of England.

1578, April 14 - Battle of Gelves: Spanish forces defeat a fleet of English privateers off the coast of Portugal.

1581, April 26 - Sir Francis Drake completes his circumnavigation of the globe aboard the Golden Hind.

1586, April 10 - The Banquet of Chestnuts takes place at the Vatican, notorious for its scandalous behavior.

1598, April 13 - King Henry IV of France issues the Edict of Nantes, granting religious liberties to the Huguenots.

1600, April 5 - Scottish preacher John Craig is appointed the first minister of Edinburgh.

1603, April 24 - King James VI of Scotland is crowned as King James I of England, uniting the crowns of England and Scotland.

1607, April 26 - English colonists establish the first permanent English settlement in America at Jamestown, Virginia.

1609, April 4 - Explorer Henry Hudson sets sail from Amsterdam on his voyage to North America.

1610, April 13 - Henry IV of France is assassinated by François Ravaillac in Paris.

1611, April 23 - The first King James Bible is published in London.

1614, April 10 - Pocahontas, daughter of Chief Powhatan, marries English colonist John Rolfe in Virginia.

1616, April 23 - William Shakespeare dies in Stratford-upon-Avon on his birthday.

1621, April 5 - The Mayflower sets sail from Plymouth, Massachusetts, returning to England.

1622, April 18 - A Powhatan Indian attack on Jamestown in Virginia results in the deaths of hundreds of English settlers.

1629, April 4 - King Charles I of England dissolves Parliament, beginning the period known as the Eleven Years' Tyranny.

1633, April 12 - Galileo Galilei is forced to recant his view that the Earth orbits the Sun by the Roman Catholic Church.

1640, April 13 - King Charles I of England disbands the Short Parliament.

1644, April 24 - The Ming dynasty Chinese general, Li Zicheng, breaches the walls of Beijing.

1652, April 20 - Dutch sailor Jan van Riebeeck establishes a settlement at Cape Town, South Africa.

1653, April 20 - Oliver Cromwell dissolves the Rump Parliament in England, leading to the rule of the Protectorate.

1660, April 25 - The Convention Parliament meets in England, beginning the Restoration of the monarchy under Charles II.

1667, April 27 - John Milton sells the copyright of "Paradise Lost" for £10.

1671, April 22 - Pirate Captain Henry Morgan captures Panama City from the Spanish.

1682, April 9 - René-Robert Cavelier claims the Mississippi River basin for France, naming it Louisiana.

1689, April 11 - William III and Mary II are crowned joint sovereigns of England, Scotland, and Ireland.

1692, April 30 - The Salem witch trials begin in Massachusetts.

1695, April 5 - The Treaty of Karlowitz ends the Austro-Ottoman War.

1700, April 5 - English pirate William Kidd is captured in Boston and sent to England for trial.

1701, April 16 - The privateer-turned-pirate Captain Kidd is captured in Boston and sent to England to stand trial.

1702, April 25 - Queen Anne's War (War of the Spanish Succession) begins between England and Spain.

1703, April 4 - The Great Storm of 1703, one of the worst storms to strike southern Great Britain, causes widespread damage and thousands of deaths.

1704, April 11 - The Battle of Culloden takes place in Scotland during the Jacobite rising, resulting in a victory for the government forces.

1707, April 25 - The Acts of Union 1707 are signed, merging the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland to create the Kingdom of Great Britain.

1709, April 22 - The Battle of Poltava takes place, leading to a significant victory for Peter the Great of Russia over Charles XII of Sweden.

1710, April 27 - The Statute of Anne, the first fully-fledged copyright law, comes into force in Great Britain.

1713, April 11 - War of the Spanish Succession ends with the signing of the Treaty of Utrecht.

1719, April 14 - Daniel Defoe publishes "Robinson Crusoe."

1722, April 25 - On Easter Sunday, Dutch navigator Jacob Roggeveen makes the first-recorded European contact with Easter island and names the Island "Easter" He visited for a week and estimated there were 2,000 to 3,000 inhabitants on the island. The island is most famous for its nearly 1,000 extant, monumental stone statues, called moai, which were created by the early Rapa Nui people. The island had rich soil and a good climate and mostly under cultivation". Later Fossil-pollen analysis shows that the main trees on the island had gone 72 years earlier in 1650.

1729, April 7 - A fleet from Spain arrives in St. Augustine, Florida, capturing a British merchant ship.

1733, April 27 - The Molasses Act is passed by the British Parliament, imposing duties on molasses, sugar, and rum imported from non-British territories to the North American colonies.

1738, April 9 - John Wesley is converted, sparking the Methodist movement.

1746, April 16 - The Battle of Culloden ends the Jacobite rising of 1745 in Scotland, marking the defeat of Charles Stuart's attempt to reclaim the British throne.

1755, April 8 - Samuel Johnson's "A Dictionary of the English Language" is published in London.

1759, April 13 - The Battle of Bergen takes place during the Seven Years' War, with the British capturing the Dutch fleet.

1764, April 5 - The Sugar Act is passed by the British Parliament, imposing new duties and stricter enforcement on the American colonies.

1770, April 5 - The Boston Massacre occurs when British soldiers fire into a crowd, killing five civilians, in Boston, Massachusetts.

1770, April 29 - The HMB Endeavour, commanded by Captain James Cook's (then Lieutenant) and his crew arrive at Botany Bay, Australia. They fished, explored, found water and botanized but they didn’t set up a land based camp and remained on board their ship. The Endeavour departed on May 6th seven days after her arrival. More 

1775, April 18 - Paul Revere and William Dawes ride from Boston to Lexington warning of British troop movements, marking the beginning of the American Revolutionary War.

1777, April 27 - The Battle of Ridgefield takes place during the American Revolutionary War, with a small American force engaging British troops.

1780, April 19 - The Battle of Martinique takes place during the Anglo-French War.

1783, April 11 - Hostilities cease, and the American Revolutionary War essentially ends with the signing of the Treaty of Paris between Britain and the United States.

1789, April 30 - George Washington is inaugurated as the first President of the United States.

1792, April 20 - France declares war on Austria, marking the start of the French Revolutionary Wars.

1793, April 6 - Committee of Public Safety is formed in France, wielding significant power during the Reign of Terror.

1794, April 7 - The French National Convention adopts the Law of 22 Prairial, accelerating the Reign of Terror during the French Revolution.

1795, April 5 - Beethoven debuts as a pianist in Vienna, showcasing his own compositions.

1796, April 9 - Napoleon Bonaparte wins a brilliant victory at the Battle of Montenotte, during his Italian campaign.

1797, April 22 - The Battle of Neuwied takes place during the French Revolutionary Wars, resulting in a French victory over the Austrians.

1798, April 20 - The United Irishmen Rebellion against British rule in Ireland begins with a failed uprising.

1799, April 9 - Napoleon Bonaparte, after returning from Egypt, stages a coup d'état and becomes the de facto ruler of France.

1800, April 24 - The Library of Congress is established in Washington, D.C., with an initial appropriation of $5,000 for books.

1803, April 30 - The agreement for the purchase of the Louisiana Territory from France is formally completed.  this transaction with France, signed on April 30, 1803, the United States purchased 828,000 square miles of land west of the Mississippi River for $15 million. For roughly 4 cents an acre, the United States doubled its size, expanding the nation westward. More

1805, April 4 - Beethoven's Symphony No. 3, "Eroica," premieres in Vienna.

1806, April 18 - The UK and Russia sign the Treaty of London, forming an alliance against Napoleon.

1807, April 17 - English poet William Wordsworth first publishes "Poems in Two Volumes."

1814, April 11 - Napoleon abdicates and is exiled to Elba after the signing of the Treaty of Fontainebleau between Napoleon and representatives of Austria, Russia and Prussia. The agreement ended Napoleon's rule as emperor of the French and sent him into exile to the island of Elba, now an Italian island. More

1815, April 3 - Mount Tambora in Indonesia begins erupting, resulting in one of the most powerful eruptions in recorded human history. Increased steaming and smaller eruptions occurred during the next six months to three years. The effects of the eruptions included major climate changes the following year (1816) and a "volcanic winter" which is referred to as "the year without summer"  The death toll  estimate is that at least 71,000 people perished, of which 11,000 –12,000 were killed directly by the eruption. More

1827, April 22 - The first performance of Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125, takes place in Vienna.

1830, April 6 - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is officially organized in Fayette, New York. More

1836, April 21 - The Battle of San Jacinto takes place, leading to the Texan victory over Mexico and the capture of General Santa Anna.

1841, April 4 - William Henry Harrison, 9th President of the United States, dies of pneumonia after only 32 days in office, the shortest tenure in U.S. presidential history.

1843, April 6 - Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter-day Saint movement, delivers a sermon in Kirtland, Ohio, introducing the Mormon Church's new doctrine of baptism for the dead.

1853, April 18 - The first train crosses the Indian Peninsula from Bombay to Thane.

1856, April 17 - American engineer and inventor William R. Johnson patents the bicycle.

1859, April 25 - The Groundbreaking of the Suez Canal takes place and the Digging Process begins. Ten years later, on August 18th, after digging out 74 million m3 of soil and spending 433 million Francs, double the original estimate, the water of the the Red Sea and the Mediterranean seas meet and a new world navigation path is established. More

Water of the two seas met  ten years later on August 18th, creating an invaluable artery for world navigation. 74 million m3 of soil was dug out, and the execution cost reached 433 million Francs (17320000 Egyptian Pounds); which was double the cost calculated initially.

1860, April 3 - The Pony Express begins service. From St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California . Covering mMore than 1,800 miles in 10 days and delivering a letter faster than ever before. It operated for only 18 months, but the Pony express became synonymous with the Old West. About ten weeks after the Pony Express began operations, Congress authorized a bill to subsidize the building of a transcontinental telegraph line to connect the Missouri River and the Pacific Coast. On October 26, 1861, San Francisco was in direct contact with New York City. On that day the Pony Express was officially terminated. More

1861, April 12 - The Confederate Forces attack Fort Sumter, South Carolina,  marking the official beginning of the The American Civil War. The war lasted four years, cost the lives of more than 620,000 Americans, and freed 3.9 million enslaved people from bondage. More

1865, April 9 - General Robert E. Lee surrenders to Ulysses S. Grant, effectively ending the American Civil War. More

1865, April 14 - U.S. President Abraham Lincoln is shot at point-blank range on the back of the head as he watched a play at Ford’s Theater in Washington DC. The President was carried across the street to the Petersen House a private home, where he died early the following morning. The assassin, American actor. John Wilkes Booth escaped but was pursued by Union soldiers for twelve days through southern Maryland and Virginia, and died of a gunshot wound on April 26 after refusing to surrender to Federal troops. The murder of President Abraham Lincoln was part of a pre-planned, coordinated attack on the president, Vice President Andrew Johnson and the Secretary of State. More

1865, April 15 - U.S. President Abraham Lincoln dies at 7:22 a.m. At 11:00 a.m., Vice President Andrew Johnson took the oath of office as the 17th president. More

1866, April 9 - Ulysses S. Grant, still a Lieutenant General of the U.S. Army, is detained by two officers, on the one-year anniversary of General Lee’s surrender to Grant in Appomattox, Virginia, for fast driving on 14th Street while “exercising his fast gray nag”.  Grant offered to pay the fine, but “expressed his doubts of their authority to arrest him and drove off.” Several days later, Grant “acknowledge the service of a warrant for fast driving and appeared before the Justice of the Peace and paid the fine.” More  

1866, April 20 - The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) is founded in New York City.

1867, April 1 - Singapore becomes a British crown colony.

1871, April 20 - The Civil Rights Act of 1871, also known as the Ku Klux Klan Act, is enacted in the United States.

1877, April 15 - The first telephone is installed in the White House during the presidency of Rutherford B. Hayes.

1882, April 20 - German scientist Robert Koch identifies the bacterium responsible for tuberculosis.

1888, April 4 - The first recorded sale of bottled Coca-Cola takes place in Vicksburg, Mississippi.

1891, April 15 - Corbett-Fitzsimmons Fight: James J. Corbett defeats John L. Sullivan in the first heavyweight championship boxing match using boxing gloves.

1896, April 6 - The first modern Olympic Games open in Athens, Greece.

1897, April 1 - The Greco-Turkish War begins when Greece declares war on the Ottoman Empire.

1898, April 25 - The United States declares war on Spain, beginning the Spanish-American War.

1899, April 17 - The Treaty of Paris ends the Spanish-American War, ceding Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines to the United States.

1900, April 4 - The Boxer Rebellion begins in China with the killing of foreign diplomats and civilians in Beijing.

1901, April 3 - The first recorded game of what would become ice hockey in the United States takes place in Baltimore, Maryland.

1902, April 5 - Danish author Hans Christian Andersen dies in Copenhagen.

1906, April 18 - The devastating San Francisco earthquake strikes, causing widespread destruction and fires. More than 3,000 people died, and over 80% of the city was destroyed. The death toll remains the greatest loss of life from a natural disaster in California's history and high on the lists of American disasters. More

1912, April 15 - The RMS Titanic sinks after hitting an iceberg in the North Atlantic Ocean. More

1915, April 24 - The Armenian Genocide begins in the Ottoman Empire, resulting in the mass killing of Armenians.

1916, April 24 - The Easter Rising begins in Ireland against British rule as Members of the Irish Citizen Army and Irish Volunteers seized strategic points in Dublin. Although quickly suppressed by the British Army, the rising herald the end of British power in Ireland paving the way to the nation's independence in 1922. More

1917, April 6 - The United States enters World War I as the U.S Congress voted to declare war on Germany and to enter what optimistically was called the “Great War. More

1923, April 18 - The Yankee Stadium, one of the most iconic sports venues, opens in the Bronx, New York City.

1924, The first successful flight around the world takes off from Seattle's Sand Point Naval Air Station. Eight U.S. Army Air Service pilots and mechanics in four airplanes left to carry out the first circumnavigation of the globe by air. They completed their mission 175 days later. More 

1927, April 21 - The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927, was the most destructive flood in United States history. It extended across Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Kentucky, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana. The flood was caused by persistent, multi - month, heavy rainfall across the Central U.S. The unprecedented amounts of run-off from the different tributaries overwhelmed the levees. For Mississippi, the most significant flooding occurred on April 21st when the Mounds Landing levee, broke. In only ten days, one million acres across the Mississippi Delta Region were immersed under water at least 10 feet deep. The impact across several States was tremendous, causing 246 flood-related deaths, over 700,000 homeless, in several states and 27,000 square miles inundated. The monetary cost was over $400 million dollars, equivalent to over $5 billion dollars today. More

1933, April 7 - Prohibition in the United States ends with the repeal of the 18th Amendment.

1935. April 14 - “The Dust Bowl”, in what came to be known as “Black Sunday,” a mountain of blackness swept across the High Plains and instantly turned a warm, sunny afternoon into a horrible blackness that was darker than the darkest night. High winds kicked up clouds of millions of tons of dirt and dust so dense and dark that some eyewitnesses believed the world was coming to an end. More

1940, April 9 - Germany invades Denmark and Norway during World War II. The German invasion of Denmark and Norway begins. Known as Operation Weseruebung, it heralded a new stage in warfare in which cooperation of air, land, and sea forces was essential for successful offensive operations.

1942, April 9 - The largest surrender of American troops since the American Civil War's Battle of Harpers Ferry takes place as 12,000 Americans soldiers and 66,000 Filipinos surrender to the Japanese at Bataan in the Philippines. Soon afterwards, U.S. and Filipino prisoners of war were forced into the Bataan Death March. More

1945, April 1 - The Battle of Okinawa starts as more than 60,000 soldiers and US Marines of the US Tenth Army stormed ashore at Okinawa. Savage fighting erupted at the island’s southern end as the US forces encountered a network of Japanese inland defenses. The land, sea, and air battle raged for nearly three months. About 12,000 American and 90,000 Japanese combatants died in the fighting, but deaths among Okinawan civilians may have reached 150,000. More

1945, April 12 - President Franklin D. Roosevelt dies; Vice President Harry S. Truman becomes president.

1945, April 30 - Adolf Hitler, chancellor and dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945, commits suicide in the Führerbunker via a self inflicted gunshot to the head after it became clear that Germany would lose the Battle of Berlin. Eva Braun, his longtime mistress, who he had married the prior day, also committed suicide by cyanide poisoning. In accordance with Hitler's prior written and verbal instructions, their remains were carried up the stairs and through the bunker's emergency exit to the Reich Chancellery garden, where they were doused in petrol and burned. The news of Hitler's death was announced on German radio the next day, May 1. More

1945, April 25 - American and Soviet troops meet on the Elbe in the vicinity of Torgau signaling that the end of the Second World War in Europe was within reach. More

1946, April 1 - A t.8 magnitude earthquake occurs in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. Near the source of the earthquake, at Unimak Island, huge tsunami waves reached more than 100 feet above sea level and destroyed completely the newly built steel-reinforced concrete U.S. Coast Guard's Scotch Cap lighthouse. killing al 5 crew members. The tsunami arrived 4.9 hours later in Hilo, causing $26 million (1946 dollars) in damages and killing 96 people. More

1947, April 15 - Jackie Robinson breaks the color barrier in Major League Baseball, making his debut for the Brooklyn Dodgers.

1948, April 3 - President Truman signs the Economic Recovery Act of 1948 which became known as the Marshall Plan, named for Secretary of State George Marshall, who had proposed that the United States provide economic assistance to restore the economic infrastructure of postwar Europe which  was devastated making the Western European countries vulnerable to Soviet expansionism heightened the sense of crisis. More 

1951, April 5 - Julius and Ethel Rosenberg (née Greenglass) are sentenced to death after being convicted of spying and passing secret information about the atomic bomb and other military information to the Soviet Union. They were executed in June, 1953. President Eisenhower declined to grant executive clemency to the Rosenbergs, stating: "The nature of the crime for which they have been found guilty and sentenced far exceeds that of the taking of the life of another citizen; it involves the deliberate betrayal of the entire nation and could very well result in the death of many, many thousands of innocent citizens…" More

1951, April 11 - U.S. president Harry S. Truman relieves General of the Army Douglas MacArthur of his commands after MacArthur made public statements that contradicted the administration's policies. In relieving MacArthur for failing to "respect the authority of the President" by privately communicating with Congress, Truman upheld the president's role as preeminent and emphasized the U.S. policy of  civilian control of the military.

1954, April 12 - Bill Haley and His Comets record "Rock Around The Clock" It may not have been the first rock’n’roll record but it is an event often referred to as marking the beginning of the Rock and Roll era. Bill Haley, a square-looking country singer from the suburbs of Philadelphia, nearly 30 years old at the time, was an unlikely hero of the Rock era.

1955, April 5 - Winston Churchill resigns as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

1956, April 18 - American actress Grace Kelly marries Prince Rainier III of Monaco.

1961, April 17 - The Bay of Pigs (Bahía de Cochinos) Invasion on the southwestern coast of Cuba begins. The CIA trained forces consisting of about 1,500 Cuban exiles assembled and launched from Guatemala and Nicaragua by boat with the objective to ignite an uprising that would overthrow the government of Fidel Castro. The Cuban military crushed the incursion by the third day. The invasion was a U.S. foreign policy failure. The Cuban government's victory solidified Castro's role as a national hero and pushed Cuba closer to the Soviet Union, setting the stage for the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. More

1961, April 12 - Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human to travel into space and orbit the Earth. More

1963. April 7 - Josip Broz (Tito), is named President of Yugoslavia for life. The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was created in 1945 and Tito became Prime Minister. He became the first president of Yugoslavia in 1953 and successfully led Yugoslavia on its his own path, refusing to join the East European Communist bloc and pursuing his own policies including nonalignment, alliances with countries which were not aligned in the East West conflict.

1963, April 10 - The nuclear submarine USS Thresher (SSN-593) sinks in the Atlantic Ocean during deep-diving tests off the coast of New England. The entire crew of 129 was lost. It was the first nuclear submarine to be lost—and the worst disaster in terms of people lost. More

1963, April 16 - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. pens his famous "Letter from Birmingham Jail" advocating for civil rights.

1965, April 28 - President Lyndon B. Johnson sends more than 22,000 U.S. troops to the Dominican Republic, Ultimately, 42,000 American armed forces were deployed and remained there until September 1966. The  U.S, military intervention, purportedly to prevent the establishment of a  Communist government in the Central American Nation was followed by protests in Latin America. More than 3,000 Dominicans and 31 American servicemembers lost their lives. This was the second time that the U.S. invaded the Dominican Republic. The first time was in 1916, lasting over 8 years and resulting in the establishment of an American-sponsored puppet government in the Dominican Republic. More

1967, April 23 - Soviet cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov is killed when the  Soyuz 1spacecraft became entangled in its main parachute at an altitude of several miles and fell back to Earth. 

1968, April 3 - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his Mountaintop Speech.

1968, April 4 - Civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is shot and mortally wounded as he stood on the second-floor balcony outside his room at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tenn. He was pronounced dead at 7:05 p.m. at St. Joseph Hospital. More

1968, April 8 - Los Angeles - Borrego Mountain Earthquake. With a magnitude  of 6.5,  It was the largest and most damaging quake to have hit southern California since the Kern County earthquake, 16 years earlier. It was felt as far away as Las Vegas, Fresno, and even Yosemite Valley. More

1969, April 4 - Dr. Denton Cooley implants the first temporary artificial heart in a human.

1969, April 7- This date is often cited as the symbolic birth date of the net because the RFC memoranda contain research, proposals and methodologies applicable to internet technology. There is also support for Jan. 1, 1983, as the birth of the net, which was the date, the National Science Foundation’s university network backbone, a precursor to the World Wide Web, became operational utilizing the TCP/IP communication standard. More 

1970, April 13 -  The Apollo 13 oxygen tank explodes at almost 56 hours into the mission. - Oxygen tank no. 2 exploded, damaging oxygen tank no. 1 and the interior of the service module, blowing off the bay no. 4 cover. With the oxygen stores depleted, the command module was unusable, the mission had to be aborted, and the crew transferred to the lunar module and powered down the command module. More

1970, April 22 - The first Earth Day is celebrated in the United States to promote environmental awareness.

1971, April 29 - The US space probe Mariner 9 is launched toward Mars, becoming the first spacecraft to orbit another planet.

1973, April 4 - The World Trade Center "Twin Towers" in New York City officially open becoming the world’s tallest building at the time and a dominant feature of the city’s skyline. They were destroyed in a terrorist attack in 2001.

1974, April 8 - Hank Aaron breaks Babe Ruth's home run record in Major League Baseball.

1975, April 30 - The Vietnam War officially ends with the fall of Saigon and the reunification of Vietnam.

1980, April 18 - Zimbabwe gains independence from Britain, ending white minority rule.

1980, April 24 - "Eagle Claw" The ill-fated military operation to rescue the 66 American hostages held in Tehran ended with eight U.S. servicemen dead and no hostages rescued. More 

1980, April 25 - Dan-Air Flight 1008,was a fatal accident involving A Boeing 727-46 jet aircraft operated by Dan Air Services Limited  a charter flight from Manchester to Tenerife on the Canary Islands crashes on La Esperanza Mountain killing all 146 on board. More

1981, April 12 - The space shuttle Columbia lifts off from Cape Canaveral, Florida and becomes the first reusable manned spacecraft to travel into space. Carrying the two-person crew of John Young and Robert Crippen., Columbia proved the operational concept of a winged, reusable spaceship. The flight lasted 54 hours in space, with 36 orbits before successfully touching down at California’s Edwards Air Force Base on April 14. Columbia went on to have a total of 27 successful flights. On 2/1/2003, on its 28th flight, Columbia and Crew were lost During reentry More

1986, April 26 - The worst nuclear accident in history occurs at the Chernobyl nuclear site in Ukraine.  The accident was the result of a flawed reactor design that was operated with inadequately trained personnel who were running a poorly designed test. About 350,000 people were evacuated as a result of the accident. The United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation has concluded that, apart from some 5000 thyroid cancers (resulting in 15 fatalities), "there is no evidence of a major public health impact attributable to radiation exposure 20 years after the accident."  More

1988, April 14 - The Geneva Accords to settle the situation relating in Afghanistan, were signed at the Geneva headquarters of the United Nations, between Afghanistan and Pakistan, with the United States and the Soviet Union serving as guarantors. The Afghan resistance, or mujahideen, were neither party to the negotiations nor to the Geneva accords and so refused to accept the terms of the agreement. After the signing of the Geneva accords, the 40th Soviet Army conducted a well-planned and executed nine-month withdrawal. The last Soviet soldier crossed the Freedom Bridge on 15 February 1989. More

1988, April 28 -  Aloha Flight 243, 737 aircraft lands safely after Losing Its Roof at 24,000 feet. The explosive decompression, which tore off the cockpit door and over 18 feet of the aircraft's roof between the cockpit and the wings. The violent rush of air sadly caused flight attendant Clarabelle Lansing to be swept from the aircraft. She was the only fatality, with all passengers seated and belted at the time. Neither her body or the piece of the fuselage blown off the aircraft were ever found. The Investigation by the U. S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) concluded that the accident was caused by metal fatigue exacerbated by crevice corrosion.

More

1989, April 15 - The tragedy at Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield, England, results in the deaths of 96 football fans due to overcrowding.

1990, April 25 - The Hubble Space Telescope, launched aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery on the STS-31 mission. is placed in orbit. More 

1991, April 29 - A deadly tropical cyclone hits Bangladesh, making landfall in the Chittagong district of southeastern Bangladesh with winds of around 155 mph (250 km/h). The tropical cyclone caused a 20 feet 6.1 m (20 ft) storm surge, which inundated the coastline, causing at about 140,000 deaths and US $1.7 billion in damage. More

1992, April 29 - The Los Angeles riots erupt following the acquittal of police officers in the beating of Rodney King. 

1993, April 30 - The World Wide Web (WWW) goes public as CERN makes the source code of the  World Wide Web available on a royalty-free basis, making it free software. By late 1993 there were over 500 known web servers, and the WWW accounted for 1% of internet traffic, which seemed a lot in those days (the rest was remote access, e-mail and file transfer) More

1994, April 6 - The Rwandan Genocide erupts, leading to the mass slaughter of ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus, with neighbors turning on neighbors and family turning on family. Up to 1 million people on some accounts — were brutally slaughtered in just 100 days, leaving the once-beautiful country in ruins as the International community failed to intervine. Against all odds, Rwanda has made remarkable strides in the years since, showing resilience and determination. Despite the lasting scars, Rwanda’s journey of healing, reconciliation, and development stands as an inspiring testament to the unyielding spirit of its people. More

1994, April 27 - South Africa's first multi-racial general election with full enfranchisement is held. The African National Congress won a 63 percent share of the vote at the election, and Mandela, as leader of the ANC, was inaugurated on 10 May 1994 as the country's first Black President, with the National Party's F.W. de Klerk as his first deputy and Thabo Mbeki as the second in the Government of National Unity. More

1995, April 19 - The Oklahoma City bombing takes place at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, killing 168 people. More

1996, April 3 - The infamous "Unabomber," Theodore Kaczynski, is arrested at his Montana cabin. The FBI had spent nearly two decades hunting him down. More 

1997, April 22 - Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori orders an assault of the Japanese ambassador’s residence to rescue the 72 hostages remaining of the 490 taken during a party celebrating Emperor Akihito’s birthday, by armed terrorists from the Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement, a Marxist-Leninist organization, All the rebels, including their leader, were killed during the rescue operation. Only one hostage, Supreme Court Justice, Carlos Giusti, was killed in the attack Two soldiers wounded during the rescue operation died later from their injuries.

1998, April 10 - The Belfast Agreement, also known as the Good Friday Agreement, is signed after three decades of conflict known as the Troubles. The agreement set up a power-sharing arrangement and also restored self-government to Northern Ireland. it was approved by voters on May 22, 1998, and came into force on December 2, 1999.The Agreement still survives today. 

1999, April 20 - The Columbine High School massacre occurs in Colorado, resulting in the deaths of 15 individuals, including the perpetrators.

2000, April 22 - In a symbolic move, Elián González, a Cuban boy at the center of an international custody dispute, is seized by federal agents in Miami.

2001, April 1 - The Netherlands legalizes same-sex marriage, becoming the first country to do so.

2001, April 10 - The Netherlands passed a bill permitting euthanasia, the first such national law in the world. More

2002, April 8 - The International Criminal Court is established to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and aggression.

2003, April 9 - U.S. forces capture Baghdad, effectively toppling Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq.

2004, April 8 - The United States lifts economic sanctions on Libya after the country agrees to eliminate its weapons of mass destruction.

2005, April 2 - Pope John Paul II dies, leading to the election of Pope Benedict XVI.

2006, April 6 - A massive immigration reform protest, known as the "Great American Boycott," takes place across the United States.

2007, April 16 - The Virginia Tech shooting occurs, resulting in the deaths of 32 people in the deadliest school shooting in U.S. history at the time.

2008, April 7 - Prime Minister Kevin Rudd of Australia formally apologizes to the Indigenous Australians for the Stolen Generations policies.

2009, April 7 - The G20 summit is held in London to address the global financial crisis.

2010, April 20 - An explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico leads to a massive oil spill.

2011, April 29 - Prince William and Catherine Middleton marry at Westminster Abbey in London.

2012, April 6 - The discovery of the Higgs boson particle is announced by scientists at CERN.

2013, April 15 - The Boston Marathon bombing occurs, killing three people and injuring hundreds.

2014, April 14 - The extremist group Boko Haram abducts 276 schoolgirls from Chibok, Nigeria, leading to international outrage and the #BringBackOurGirls campaign.

2015, April 25 - Nepal is hit by a devastating 7.8 earthquake, resulting in widespread destruction and more than eight thousand deaths. More

2016, April 22 - The Paris Agreement on climate change is signed by 175 countries at the United Nations headquarters in New York City.

2017, April 13 - The United States drops the "Mother of All Bombs" (MOAB), the largest non-nuclear bomb, on ISIS targets in Afghanistan.

2018, April 27 - The leaders of North and South Korea meet for the first time in more than a decade, pledging to work toward peace and denuclearization.

2019, April 15 - The Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris suffers a devastating fire, causing significant damage to the iconic landmark.

2020, April 22 - The COVID-19 pandemic prompts the cancellation of the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, due to health concerns.

2021, April 20 - Derek Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer, is found guilty of murdering George Floyd, sparking global conversations about racial justice and police brutality.

Note: Sources for the Historical Content shown, include research and reviews of relevant Online History Resources or printed material. When possible, we show a link to a source which provides additional or unique perspective about the event. We do our best to provide accurate information but would appreciate being notified if any incorrect information is found. You may do so by using this link: Feedback

These are some of many widely recognized historic events that occurred during the month of March, listed by year. Dates provided for earlier time events may be approximate. Select another month

900 BCE, March 12 - The approximate time when King Solomon is believed to have begun construction of the First Temple in Jerusalem.

950 BCE, March 5 - Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem is completed.

922 BCE, March 8 - Solomon's son Rehoboam ascends to the throne of the Kingdom of Judah after Solomon's death, leading to the division of the United Monarchy.

776 BCE, March 7 - The traditional founding date of the city of Rome by Romulus and Remus.

776 BCE, March 25 - The first recorded Olympic Games in ancient Greece take place in Olympia.

722 BCE, March 10 - Israel's northern kingdom, Samaria, falls to the Assyrians, leading to the exile of the Israelites.

597 BCE, March 16 - Babylonians capture Jerusalem and replace Jehoiachin with Zedekiah as king.

586 BCE, March 16 - The Babylonian siege of Jerusalem begins, leading to the eventual destruction of the First Temple.

486-483 BCE,  Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, dies at the age of 80 in Kushinagar, India. More

324 BCE, March 21 - The Battle of Gaza occurs between Alexander the Great and Darius III of Persia, leading to Alexander's victory and the collapse of Persian rule.

221 BCE, March 29 - The founding of the Qin Dynasty in China marks the beginning of Imperial China.

202 BCE, March 19 - The Battle of Zama takes place, where Roman general Scipio Africanus defeats Carthaginian leader Hannibal, ending the Second Punic War.

49 BCE, March 9 - Julius Caesar crosses the Rubicon River with his army, initiating a civil war in Rome.

44 BCE, March 15 - Julius Caesar is assassinated by a group of Roman senators, including Brutus and Cassius, in the Roman Senate.

1 CE, March 15 - Germanic tribes led by Arminius defeat the Roman legions at the Battle of Idistaviso.

14 CE, March 18 - Roman Emperor Tiberius dies, and Caligula becomes Emperor.

37 CE, March 18 - Caligula, Roman Emperor, is assassinated, and Claudius becomes the new Emperor.

45 CE, March 20 - Roman Emperor Claudius is poisoned, and Nero ascends to the throne.

51 CE, March 18 - Nero, Roman Emperor, is given the title of Pontifex Maximus, the high priest of the College of Pontiffs.

64 CE, March 19 - The Great Fire of Rome begins, lasting for six days and destroying a significant portion of the city.

69 CE, March 15 - Roman Emperor Galba is assassinated by the Praetorian Guard, leading to the Year of the Four Emperors.

81 CE, March 13 - Roman Emperor Titus, famous for completing the Colosseum, dies.

98 CE, March 18 - Trajan becomes Roman Emperor after the death of Nerva, starting the golden age of the Roman Empire.

117 CE, March 25 - Roman Emperor Trajan dies, and Hadrian becomes Emperor.

180 CE, March 17 - Commodus, Roman Emperor, makes his son Commodus co-emperor.

193 CE, March 28 - Pertinax, Roman Emperor, is assassinated by the Praetorian Guard, leading to the Year of the Five Emperors.

222 CE, March 11 - Roman Emperor Elagabalus is assassinated, and Alexander Severus becomes emperor.

268 CE, March 20 - Pope Dionysius declares March 25 as the official date of celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ (Christmas).

303 CE, March 7 - Roman Emperor Diocletian orders the persecution of Christians.

313 CE, March 1 - Roman Emperors Constantine the Great and Licinius issue the Edict of Milan, granting religious tolerance in the Roman Empire.

363 CE, March 5 - Roman Emperor Julian orders the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem.

410 CE, March 18 - The Visigoths, led by Alaric, plunder Rome, marking the first time the city falls to invaders in over 800 years.

451 CE, March 20 - The Council of Chalcedon declares Jesus Christ to have two natures—fully divine and fully human.

476 CE, March 23 - Romulus Augustulus, the last Roman Emperor, is deposed by Odoacer, marking the fall of the Western Roman Empire.

536 CE, March 24 - A mysterious atmospheric event causes a dense fog over Europe and the Middle East, believed to have been caused by a volcanic eruption.

589 CE, March 7 - Reccared I, Visigothic King of Hispania, converts to Catholicism from Arianism, leading to the conversion of the Visigothic nobility.

632 CE, March 8 - The Islamic prophet Muhammad’s last sermon is delivered during his Farewell Pilgrimage in Mecca.

711 CE, March 26 - Tariq ibn Ziyad, a Muslim commander, crosses the Strait of Gibraltar, beginning the Muslim conquest of Hispania.

732 CE, March 3 - Battle of Poitiers: Frankish leader Charles Martel defeats the Islamic Umayyad Caliphate, halting the Muslim advance into Western Europe.

843 CE, March 14 - The Treaty of Verdun divides the Carolingian Empire among three grandsons of Charlemagne, marking the foundation of France, Germany, and the Middle Kingdom (Lotharingia).

871 CE, March 23 - King Æthelred I of Wessex dies, and his brother Alfred the Great becomes King of Wessex.

922 CE, March 8 - Solomon's son Rehoboam ascends to the throne of the Kingdom of Judah after Solomon's death, leading to the division of the United Monarchy.

950 CE, March 5 - Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem is completed.

999 CE, March 25 - King Olaf Tryggvason of Norway is killed in the Battle of Svolder.

1000, CE, March 11 - Emperor Otto III issues a document establishing the Bishopric of Gniezno, Poland, as an archbishopric. during the Congress of Gniezno which was an amicable meeting between the Polish Duke Bolesław I the Brave and Emperor Otto III. Scholars disagree over the details of others decisions made at the convention, especially whether the ruler of Poland was pledged the king's crown or not. 

1001, March 25 - Emperor Otto III of the Holy Roman Empire dies unexpectedly at the age of 22.

1009, March 13 - First known mention of Lithuania in historical chronicles.

1014, March 23 - Brian Boru, High King of Ireland, wins the Battle of Clontarf against the Vikings but dies in the battle.

1016, March 25 - Æthelred the Unready, King of England, dies and is succeeded by his son Edmund Ironside.

1027, March 12 - Pope John XIX crowns Conrad II as Holy Roman Emperor.

1034, March 19 - King Mieszko II Lambert of Poland dies, leading to a period of instability.

1040, March 17 - Harald Hardrada becomes King of Norway after the death of Magnus I.

1043, March 23 - Edward the Confessor becomes the King of England.

1054, March 23 - Pope Leo IX issues a papal bull excommunicating Michael I Cerularius, leading to the Great Schism between the Eastern and Western Christian churches.

1067, March 20 - Battle at the Tigris: Seljuk Turks defeat the Abbasids near Baghdad.

1071, March 24 - The Battle of Manzikert: The Seljuk Turks defeat the Byzantine Empire, opening the door for Turkish conquest of Asia Minor.

1080, March 7 - King Harald III of Denmark dies at the Battle of St. Alban's Priory.

1085, March 15 - Alfonso VI of Castile takes Toledo, Spain, from the Moors after a siege.

1093, March 24 - Robert Curthose, Duke of Normandy, tries to take England but is repelled by King William II.

1095, March 12 - Bertha of Savoy, wife of Emperor Henry IV, is crowned Holy Roman Empress.

1098, March 12 - Crusaders capture the fortress of Arqa from the Fatimids in the First Crusade.

1099, March 7 - Crusaders begin the siege of Jerusalem, part of the First Crusade.

1100, March 24 - Anselm of Canterbury becomes Archbishop of Canterbury.

1100, March 25 - Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket, is born in Cheapside, London.

1100, March 26 - Empress Matilda, future claimant to the English throne, is born.

1100, March 28 - Raymond IV, Count of Toulouse, dies.

1100, March 29 - Baldwin I of Jerusalem is crowned as the first King of Jerusalem in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

1100, March 31 - The University of Bologna, the oldest university in the world, is founded.

1101, March 13 - Crusaders besiege Sidon but fail to capture it during the Crusade of 1101.

1103, March 23 - Crusaders lay siege to the city of Tripoli in modern-day Lebanon during the Crusade of 1101.

1105, March 16 - Maginulfo is elected as the Antipope Sylvester IV, challenging Pope Paschal II.

1107, March 8 - Edgar, King of Scotland, dies.

1107, March 17 - King Baldwin I of Jerusalem dies.

1111, March 7 - Pope Paschal II crowns Henry V as Holy Roman Emperor.

1113, March 11 - Baldwin II becomes the King of Jerusalem.

1118, March 19 - Pope Gelasius II excommunicates Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor.

1120, March 25 - The Council of Nablus is convened by King Baldwin II of Jerusalem.

1126, March 8 - Alfonso VII becomes the King of Galicia, Leon, and Castile.

1133, March 8 - King Henry II of England marries Eleanor of Aquitaine.

1138, March 13 - Conrad III is crowned as the King of Germany.

1142, March 9 - Pierre Abélard, a French philosopher, dies.

1144, March 1 - The Second Crusade: Bernard of Clairvaux preaches in favour of a crusade at Vézelay.

1147, March 31 - The Second Crusade: Crusaders begin the Siege of Damascus.

1152, March 18 - Frederick I Barbarossa becomes the Holy Roman Emperor.

1153, March 7 - Stephen, King of England, agrees to the Treaty of Winchester, naming Henry Plantagenet as his heir.

1155, March 31 - Alfonso VII, Emperor of Spain, dies.

1158, March 23 - Vladislaus II becomes the King of Bohemia.

1160, March 25 - Victor IV is elected as Antipope by the Holy Roman Empire.

1164, March 20 - Thomas Becket is exiled from England by King Henry II.

1167, March 7 - Battle of El-Babein: A Crusader force led by King Amalric of Jerusalem defeats the Fatimids.

1173, March 15 - Pope Alexander III canonizes Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury.

1179, March 19 - The Third Lateran Council opens in Rome under Pope Alexander III.

1180, March 25 - Murasaki Shikibu, author of "The Tale of Genji," dies in Japan.

1181, March 9 - Emperor Takakura of Japan abdicates the throne in favor of his son, Emperor Antoku.

1188, March 29 - Emperor Antoku of Japan abdicates the throne and is succeeded by his mother, Taira no Tokuko.

1190, March 10 - Third Crusade: Crusaders massacre the Jewish population of York, England.

1199, March 6 - Richard I of England is wounded by a crossbow bolt while besieging the castle of Châlus-Chabrol and dies days later.

1201, March 15 - King Afonso II of Portugal is born.

1204, March 1 - Sack of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade: Crusaders breach the walls and take control of the city.

1205, March 27 - King Amalric II of Jerusalem dies.

1208, March 18 - Pope Innocent III places England under an interdict as part of the dispute with King John.

1212, March 16 - The Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa: Christian forces decisively defeat the Almohads in Spain.

1217, March 19 - Pope Honorius III issues the papal bull Religiosam vitam initiating the Fifth Crusade.

1223, March 18 - Mongol invasion of Central Asia: The Battle of the Kalka River takes place between the Mongol Empire and Kievan Rus'.

1226, March 14 - King Louis IX of France becomes of age and begins to rule independently.

1227, March 18 - Genghis Khan, founder of the Mongol Empire, dies.

1238, March 18 - The Mongols under Batu Khan capture the city of Vladimir, Russia.

1241, March 30 - Battle of Liegnitz: Mongols defeat a Polish army under Henry II the Pious during their invasion of Poland.

1244, March 12 - Siege of Montségur during the Albigensian Crusade: The Cathar stronghold falls to the Crusaders.

1253, March 7 - William of Rubruck departs on his journey to the Mongol Empire.

1258, March 13 - The Mongols under Hulagu Khan capture and sack Baghdad, effectively ending the Abbasid Caliphate.

1260, March 3 - Hulagu Khan's Mongol army defeats the Mamluks at the Battle of Ain Jalut in Palestine, marking the first Mongol defeat.

1266, March 23 - Battle of Benevento: Charles of Anjou defeats Manfred, King of Sicily.

1270, March 30 - King Louis IX of France dies while on the Eighth Crusade, leading to his son, Philip III, becoming king.

1274, March 13 - The Second Council of Lyon opens under Pope Gregory X.

1279, March 19 - The Reign of the Song Dynasty which ruled parts of China ends after ruling for more than three centuries when a Mongol fleet defeated a Song fleet in the Battle of Yamen and completed its conquest of China. More

1282, March 30 - The Sicilian Vespers: A rebellion breaks out against the rule of Charles I of Naples in Sicily.

1286, March 28 - King Alexander III of Scotland dies, leading to a succession crisis.

1290, March 18 - Eleanor of Castile, wife of Edward I of England, dies.

1296, March 28 - Edward I of England sacks the Scottish town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, beginning the First War of Scottish Independence.

1297, March 26 - Robert the Bruce resigns as Guardian of Scotland.

1298, March 27 - Edward I of England issues the Edict of Expulsion, expelling Jews from England.

1300, March 19 - Edmund Crouchback, son of Henry III of England, is created Earl of Lancaster.

1302, March 18 - Battle of the Golden Spurs: Flemish militia decisively defeat the French knights near Kortrijk, Belgium.

1303, March 23 - Battle of Roslin: Scots under Sir Simon Fraser ambush and defeat an English force.

1305, March 18 - William Wallace, Scottish knight and leader of the resistance against England, is captured near Glasgow.

1306, March 20 - Robert the Bruce murders John Comyn, a rival claimant to the Scottish throne, at Greyfriars Church in Dumfries.

1306, March 27 - Robert the Bruce is crowned King of Scotland at Scone.

1309, March 26 - Pope Clement V moves the papal headquarters to Avignon, beginning the period known as the Avignon Papacy.

1314, March 24 - Jacques de Molay, the last Grand Master of the Knights Templar, is burned at the stake.

1316, March 16 - Louis X becomes King of France upon the death of his father, King Philip IV.

1322, March 16 - Battle of Boroughbridge: Edward II of England defeats rebellious barons, capturing Thomas of Lancaster.

1323, March 20 - Treaty of Paris: England recognizes Scotland as an independent kingdom with Robert the Bruce as its king.

1328, March 23 - Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton: England recognizes Scottish independence and Robert the Bruce as King.

1330, March 18 - King Edmund of Woodstock, son of Edward I of England, is executed by order of Roger Mortimer, the de facto ruler of England.

1337, March 6 - Edward, the Black Prince, son of Edward III of England, is created Duke of Cornwall, the first Duke in England.

1338, March 12 - Battle of Arnemuiden: The English defeat a French fleet near the coast of Holland during the Hundred Years' War.

1340, March 29 - Edward III of England is declared King of France, initiating the Hundred Years' War.

1345, March 29 - The Order of the Garter is founded by King Edward III of England.

1351, March 20 - Combat of the Thirty: Thirty Breton knights led by Robert Bemborough fight thirty English knights in Brittany.

1355, March 30 - The St. Scholastica Day riot in Oxford leads to a confrontation between students and townspeople, resulting in numerous deaths.

1360, March 8 - Treaty of Brétigny: End of the first phase of the Hundred Years' War between England and France.

1367, March 10 - Battle of Nájera: English forces under Edward the Black Prince defeat a Franco-Castilian army during the Hundred Years' War.

1371, March 17 - King Robert II of Scotland is crowned, beginning the Stuart dynasty.

1378, March 27 - Gregory XI, the last French pope of the Avignon Papacy, is elected.

1382, March 17 - Siege of Falaise: English forces under Richard II fail to capture the town of Falaise in Normandy.

1385, March 14 - Battle of Aljubarrota: Portuguese forces under King John I defeat the Castilians, ensuring Portugal's independence.

1387, March 16 - Battle of Castagnaro: Verona is captured by Padua in a battle of the War of the Venetian Succession.

1393, March 18 - Treaty of Salynas: The Teutonic Order cedes Samogitia to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

1394, March 31 - King Charles VI of France announces the end of the Crusade against the Ottoman Empire.

1397, March 29 - Geoffrey Chaucer tells The Canterbury Tales for the first time at the court of Richard II.

1399, March 20 - King Richard II of England relinquishes the throne to Henry IV.

1400, March 20 - Rebellion against Henry IV: Welsh rebel leader Owain Glyndŵr is proclaimed Prince of Wales.

1401, March 31 - Turko-Mongol leader Tamerlane defeats the Ottoman Sultan Bayezid I at the Battle of Ankara.

1405, March 10 - The Chinese admiral Zheng He sets sail on his first voyage to explore the Indian Ocean.

1401, March 20 - Turko-Mongol leader Tamerlane defeats the Ottoman Sultan Bayezid I at the Battle of Ankara.

1402, March 17 - Tamerlane captures the city of Damascus, strengthening his influence in the region.

1403, March 23 - The Battle of Shrewsbury in England takes place between King Henry IV and rebellious forces led by Henry Percy, known as Hotspur.

1404, March 30 - King Henry IV of England grants the bishopric of Dorpat (Tartu) in Livonia to Margrave William of Meissen.

1405, March 10 - The Chinese admiral Zheng He sets sail on his first voyage to explore the Indian Ocean.

1406, March 14 - King James I of Scotland is captured by pirates led by Henry Sinclair, Earl of Orkney.

1407, March 27 - A rebellion in England led by the Earl of Northumberland against King Henry IV begins.

1408, March 20 - The Council of Pisa opens to discuss the Great Schism in the Catholic Church.

1409, March 6 - The Council of Pisa elects Alexander V as the new pope, further deepening the Great Schism.

1410, March 15 - A peace treaty between Poland and the Teutonic Knights ends the Polish–Lithuanian–Teutonic War.

1411, March 25 - The Battle of Harlaw takes place in Scotland between Highlanders and Lowlanders.

1412, March 23 - The Medici family is expelled from Florence, Italy, due to political conflicts.

1413, March 20 - King Henry IV of England dies, and his son becomes King Henry V.

1414, March 6 - The Council of Constance is convened by Pope John XXIII, aiming to resolve the Great Schism.

1415, March 19 - Preparations for Henry V's invasion of France begin in England.

1416, March 15 - The Council of Constance condemns the teachings of Jan Hus and orders his execution.

1417, March 11 - Pope Gregory XII resigns, ending the Western Schism in the Catholic Church.

1418, March 4 - The Council of Constance elects Pope Martin V, officially ending the Great Schism.

1419, March 20 - The Hussite Wars in Bohemia begin with the First Defenestration of Prague.

1420, March 9 - The Council of Basel is convened to address reforms within the Catholic Church.

1421, March 23 - The Siege of Domrémy in France occurs during the Hundred Years' War.

1422, March 21 - King Henry V of England dies, leaving his infant son, Henry VI, as king.

1423, March 25 - The Treaty of Amiens is signed between England and France, temporarily ending hostilities during the Hundred Years' War.

1424, March 28 - James I of Scotland returns to Scotland after 18 years of captivity in England.

1425, March 7 - The Siege of Stirling Castle in Scotland begins, part of the ongoing conflicts between England and Scotland.

1426, March 15 - The Council of Siena convenes to discuss church reforms and address corruption.

1427, March 19 - The Siege of Montargis in France takes place during the Hundred Years' War.

1428, March 23 - Joan of Arc arrives at the court of Charles VII of France, seeking support for her mission.

1429, March 12 - The city of Orléans in France is placed under siege by English forces during the Hundred Years' War.

1492, March 31 - Spain King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castille issue the Alhambra Decree, mandating that all Jews be expelled from the country. The decree came shortly freeing Spain from Muslim rule after nearly 800 years.

1501, March 15 - Michelangelo begins work on his famous statue of David.

1502, March 15 - Cesare Borgia captures Urbino after a long siege.

1503, March 11 - Pope Julius II is elected.

1504, March 13 - Christopher Columbus returns to Spain from his fourth and final voyage to the Americas.

1507, March 25 - The world map containing the name "America," by Martin Waldseemüller, is published.

1513, March 25 - Spaniard Juan Ponce de León sights Florida.

1516, March 10 - Duke Charles of Habsburg becomes Charles I of Spain.

1517, March 19 - Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor, dies.

1519, March 13 - Cortés lands in Mexico.

1521, March 18 - Ferdinand Magellan sights the Philippines.

1522, March 14 - Magellan's expedition circumnavigates the globe, arriving in Spain.

1525, March 24 - Battle of Pavia: Charles V's Imperial army defeats the French, capturing King Francis I of France.

1528, March 3 - Treaty of Delft is signed, formalizing an alliance between the Holy Roman Empire and England against France.

1530, March 28 - English King Henry VIII's request for a divorce with Catherine of Aragon is denied by Pope Clement VII.

1531, March 9 - Henry VIII recognized as Supreme Head of the Church of England.

1534, March 3 - Pope Paul III opens the first session of the Council of Trent.

1535, March 10 - The Galapagos Islands are discovered by chance when the Bishop of Panama, Dominican friar Fray Tomas de Berlanga, was on his way to Peru by order of the Spanish monarch, Charles V, to arbitrate in a dispute between Francisco Pizarro and his subordinates after the conquest of the Inca empire. The combination of calm and strong currents dragged the ship of the Bishop to the Galapagos. 

1536, March 23 - The first English-language Bible, translated by William Tyndale, is printed in Antwerp.

1545, March 10 - The Council of Trent reconvenes, addressing the Church's need for reform.

1547, March 28 - Edward VI is crowned King of England at Westminster Abbey.

1556, March 10 - Thomas Cranmer, former Archbishop of Canterbury, is executed for treason under Mary I of England.

1558, March 17 - Ferdinand I succeeds his father, Charles V, as Holy Roman Emperor.

1561, March 13 - A transit of Venus occurs, observed by a small group of astronomers.

1568, March 23 - Peace of Longjumeau ends the Second War of Religion in France.

1571, March 24 - Queen Elizabeth I prohibits foreign vessels from fishing in English waters.

1578, March 25 - Death of Ivan the Terrible, Tsar of Russia.

1584, March 12 - King John II Casimir of Poland abdicates the throne.

1590, March 22 - John White, governor of the Roanoke Colony, returns to England and finds the settlement deserted.

1599, March 24 - Miguel de Cervantes is released after five years as a captive in Algiers.

1600, March 15 - Giordano Bruno is burned at the stake for heresy in Rome.

1601, March 15 - The first recorded St. Patrick’s Day parade in the U.S. takes place on the Catholic Feast Day of St. Patrick, in the Spanish colony of modern-day St. Augustine, Florida. More than a century later, Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched in Boston in in 1737 and in New York City in 1762. #History">More

1601, March 24 - Treaty of Lyons: France, Savoy, and Spain agree to end hostilities.

1603, March 24 - Queen Elizabeth I of England dies; James VI of Scotland ascends to the English throne as James I.

1607, March 14 - English colonists in Jamestown, Virginia, are attacked by Powhatan warriors, leading to the beginning of the First Anglo-Powhatan War.

1611, March 13 - Johannes Fabricius discovers sunspots.

1617, March 15 - Sweden and Russia sign the Treaty of Stolbovo, ending the Ingrian War.

1621, March 22 - Native American leader Samoset walks into the settlement of Plymouth Colony and greets the Pilgrims in English.

1629, March 4 -The Massachusetts Bay Colony is granted a Royal Charter.

1634, March 29 - The first settlers arrive in Maryland, landing at St. Clements Island in today's St. Mary’s County. On this island, the first Roman Catholic Mass in the English-speaking colonies was celebrated. The colony of Maryland was founded so that the English Catholics could have a place to live where they could escape the intolerance of the English monarchy. Officially the colony is said to be named in honor of Queen Henrietta Maria, the wife of King Charles I although some Catholic scholars believe that George Calvert, who was a publicly declared Catholic named the province after Mary, the mother of Jesus. The name in the charter was phrased Terra Mariae, anglice, Maryland. Cecil Calvert, Lord Baltimore never travelled to Maryland. More 

1638, March 1 - Scottish National Covenant is signed, opposing Charles I's religious policies.

1644, March 29 - English Civil War: The Battle of Cheriton ends in Parliamentarian victory.

1649, March 17 - England's House of Commons passes an act abolishing the House of Lords.

1655, March 24 - Christiaan Huygens discovers Titan, Saturn's largest moon.

1658, March 7 - Louis XIV is crowned King of France.

1665, March 20 - English King Charles II announces a state of emergency due to the plague in London.

1669, March 11 - The largest - recorded eruption of Mount Etna erupts in Sicily takes place causing considerable damage. After several weeks of increasing seismic activity that damaged the town of Nicolosi and other settlements.  Several more fissures became active during 11 March, erupting pyroclastics and tephra that fell over Sicily and accumulated to form the Monti Rossi scoria cone. More

1671, March 29 - Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London, is established by Charles II.

1675, March 19 - The rebuilt Greenwich Observatory is completed by Sir Christopher Wren.

1681, March 4 - England's King Charles II grants a charter to William Penn for the area that will later become Pennsylvania.

1687, March 20 - Rene-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, explores the Mississippi River.

1692, March 1 - Salem witch trials: Sarah Goode, Sarah Osborne, and Tituba are accused of witchcraft in Salem Village, Massachusetts.

1697, March 26 - Spanish King Charles II ratifies the Treaty of Ryswick, ending the Nine Years' War.

1700, March 8 - Swedish King Charles XII begins a campaign to conquer Russia during the Great Northern War.

1701, March 28 - France, Cologne, and Bavaria sign the Treaty of Rastatt, ending the War of Spanish Succession.

1702, March 8 - Queen Anne ascends to the throne of England after the death of William III.

1703, March 5 - The first regular English-language newspaper, "The Daily Courant," is published in London.

1706, March 2 - The first formal French-language newspaper, "Le Mercure Galant," is published in France.

1709, March 22 - The first edition of "Tatler" magazine is published by Richard Steele in London.

1712, March 16 - British privateers assault French and Spanish ships in Cartagena, Colombia, in the Battle of Cartagena.

1702, March 8 - Anne becomes the Queen of England following the death of William III.

1707, March 16 - The Acts of Union 1707 are passed, uniting the Kingdoms of England and Scotland to create the Kingdom of Great Britain.

1713, March 30 - Spain cedes Gibraltar to Britain under the Treaty of Utrecht.

1721, March 19 - Sir Robert Walpole becomes the first Prime Minister of Great Britain.

1727, March 20 - Sir Isaac Newton, English physicist and mathematician, dies.

1733, March 22 - Joseph Priestley, English scientist and clergyman, is born.

1739, March 10 - Treaty of Belgrade: Austria cedes Belgrade to the Ottoman Empire.

1746, March 10 - The Battle of Fort Prince George: British forces defeat the French during King George's War.

1753, March 25 - Voltaire's "Philosophical Letters" is banned in Paris.

1760, March 18 - British forces capture Montreal during the French and Indian War.

1766, March 18 - The British Parliament repeals the Stamp Act.

1770, March 5 - The Boston Massacre: British troops kill five civilians in Boston, Massachusetts.

1775, March 23 - During a speech before the second Virginia Convention, Patrick Henry responds to the increasingly oppressive British rule over the American Colonies by declaring, “I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!. Patrick Henry served as the first and sixth post-colonial Governor of Virginia. More

1776, March 17 - British forces evacuate Boston during the American Revolutionary War.

1776, March 31 - Abigail Adams writes a letter to her husband John Adams. saying in part  "...."I long to hear that you have declared an independency -- and by the way in the new Code of Laws which I suppose it will be necessary for you to make I desire you would Remember the Ladies, and be more generous and favourable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the Husbands. Remember all Men would be tyrants if they could. If particular care and attention is not paid to the Ladies we are determined to foment a Rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any Laws in which we have no voice, or Representation....." More

1781. March 1 - The Articles of Confederation came into force after being ratified by all 13 states.

1781, March 13 - Astronomer William Herschel Identifies Uranus as the Seventh Planet  More 

1781, March 15 - Battle of Guilford Courthouse: American forces under Nathanael Greene defeat the British in North Carolina.

1782, March 8 -  The Gnadenhutten Massacre takes place. Pennsylvania militiamen, led by Col. David Williamson, murdered 96 Christian Indians including 39 children, 29 women and 28 men. The unarmed, Native Americans, who by all accounts were pacifists and held no allegiance in the war and had played no role in any attack. More  

1783, March 20 - The USS Alliance defeats the HMS Sybil in the last naval action of the American Revolutionary War.

1789, March 4 - The first session of the U.S. Congress is held in New York City and the general government was replaced with the Federal government under the present Constitution. 

1791, March 4 - Vermont is admitted as the 14th U.S. state.

1792, March 16 - King Gustav III of Sweden is shot by Count Jacob Johan Anckarström during a masked ball at the Opera; he died on March 29'

1793, March 1 - French Revolutionary War: France declares war on Great Britain and the Netherlands.

1794, March 14 - Eli Whitney receives a patent for the cotton gin, revolutionizing the cotton industry.

1796, March 1 - Napoleon Bonaparte marries Josephine de Beauharnais.

1797, March 17 - Sir Ralph Abercromby lands in Egypt with British troops during the French Revolutionary Wars.

1798, March 22 - The British Royal Navy defeats the French fleet at the Battle of the Nile, led by Admiral Horatio Nelson.

1800, March 2 - The Act of Union between Great Britain and Ireland is passed, creating the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

1801, March 4 - Thomas Jefferson is inaugurated as the third President of the United States. 

1802, March 16 -  The U.S. Military Academy established by Congress at West Point, the site of a Revolutionary-era fort built to protect the Hudson River Valley from British attack.

1802, March 27 - The Treaty of Amiens is signed, temporarily ending hostilities between France and the United Kingdom during the Napoleonic Wars.

1803, March 1 - Ohio is admitted into the United States Union as the 17th State/

1804, March 1 - Napoleon Bonaparte becomes Emperor of the French.

1807, March 2 - The U.S. Congress passes the Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves, banning the importation of slaves into the United States.

1807, March 25 - The British Parliament abolishes the slave trade throughout the British Empire; establishing a penalty of £120 per slave for ship captains violating the law. However, slaves in the colonies (excluding areas ruled by the East India Company) were not freed until 1838 – and only after slave-owners, rather than the slaves themselves, received compensation. More

1808, March 29 - Charles IV of Spain abdicates in favor of his son Ferdinand VII.

1809, March 17 - The Kingdom of Bavaria becomes the first German state to adopt a constitution.

1811, March 1 - Percy Bysshe Shelley is expelled from the University of Oxford for publishing "The Necessity of Atheism."

1812, A massive 7.7 earthquake on the Richter scale hits Caracas, Venezuela, destroying 90% of Caracas and killing an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 people.

1815, March 1 - Napoleon Bonaparte escapes from Elba and begins his "Hundred Days" rule.

1817, March 5 - The New York Stock Exchange is founded.

1820, March 6 - The Missouri Compromise is enacted, allowing Missouri to enter the Union as a slave state and Maine as a free State. so as not to upset the balance between slave and free states in the nation. It also outlawed slavery above the 36º 30' latitude line in the remainder of the Louisiana Territory. In 1857, the Supreme Court ruled in its Dred Scott v. Sandford decision that the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional and upheld slavery in United States territories, denied the legality of black citizenship in America.

1820. March 15 - Maine is admitted into the United States Union as the 23rd State.

1824, March 4 - James Monroe is inaugurated for his second term as President of the United States.

1836, March 2 - The Republic of Texas formally declares independence from Mexico at the convention of Washington-on-the-Brazos which was attended by 45 delegates, representing 21 municipalities. Over the next ten days, delegates prepared a constitution for the Republic of Texas; David G. Burnet was elected president. The new constitution  explicitly legalized slavery which Mexico had officially abolished slavery in Texas in 1829. Texas was annexed by the United States in 1845 and became the 28th state on December 29, 1845. On March 2, 1861, Texas becomes the seventh state to secede from the Union. More

1837, March 4 - Martin Van Buren is inaugurated as the eighth President of the United States.

1839. March 23 - The initials OK came into the lime light when they were published by the Boston Morning Post as part of a joke. The initials stood for "oll korrect." Just as todays teenagers, younger, educated circles during the late 1830s intentionally misspelled words and then abbreviate them to use them as slang. However ,the term has also been attributed to the Native American Indian tribe known as the Choctaw. The Choctaw word okeh means the same as the American word okay. Experts say early explorers in the American West spoke the Choctaw language and spread the term. More

1841, March 4 - William Henry Harrison is inaugurated as the ninth President of the United States.

1845, March 1 - U.S. President John Tyler signs a resolution to annex the Republic of Texas.

1845, March 3 - Florida is admitted into the United States Union as the 27th State

1848, March 13 - The German composer Richard Strauss is born.

1852, March 18 - Henry Wells and William George Fargo found the Wells, Fargo & Company to handle  the  banking and transportation business prompted by the nescient California Gold Rush.  After several mergers and acquisitions,  Wells Fargo is now a major multinational financial services company. 

1854, March 30 - The Crimean War begins with Britain and France declaring war on Russia.

1854, March 31 - The treaty of Kanagawa. between Japan and the United States is signed. Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry, representing the U.S. on an elaborately planned mission to open Japan and an unwavering policy by Japan's government of forbidding commerce with foreign nations found a way to reach agreement. More

1857, March 6 - The Supreme Court delivers its decision in the Dred Scott v. Sandford case, ruling against Dred Scott's freedom.

1861, March 4 - Abraham Lincoln is inaugurated as the 16th President of the United States.

1864, March 10 - President Abraham Lincoln promotes Ulysses S. Grant, to lieutenant-general and assigns him to the command of the Armies of the United States. He relieved General-in-Chief Henry Halleck.

1865, March 4 - Abraham Lincoln is inaugurated for his second term as President of the United States. - 

1867, March 1 - Nebraska is admitted into the United States Union as the thirty seven State.

1867, March 16 - The "Lancet" publishes an article by Doctor Joseph Lister which outlined the discovery of antiseptic surgery. Lister was a prominent British surgeon and medical scientist who established the study of antisepsis. Applying Louis Pasteur's germ theory of fermentation on wound putrefaction. He promoted the idea of sterilization in surgery using carbolic acid (phenol) as an antiseptic. Lister performed the first antiseptic surgery  on August 12, 1865 More

1867, March 30 - The United States purchases Alaska from Russia in what is known as the Alaska Purchase. More

1871, March 4 - President Ulysses S. Grant takes office for his first term.

1872, March 1 - President Grant signs the bill creating the first U.S. national park at Yellowstone. The 2.2 Million acres National Park offers unique hydrothermal and geologic features, the opportunity to observe wildlife in an intact ecosystem. It also contains about half the world’s active geysers and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River. More

1876, March 10 - Alexander Graham Bell makes the first transmission of intelligible speech over electrical wires . He called out to his assistant Thomas Watson, “Mr. Watson, come here! I want to see you.” This transmission took place in their attic laboratory located in a near here at 5 Exeter Place. Alexander Graham Bell transmitted the first words by telephone, to his assistant in another room.  Bell had received his patent for for the telephone, three days earlier on 7 March 1876,  More

1877, March 5 - Rutherford B. Hayes is inaugurated as the 19th President of the United States.

1881, March 4 - James A. Garfield is inaugurated as the 20th President of the United States.

1881, March 13 - Alexander II, the Emperor of Russia, is assassinated in Saint Petersburg, Russia on his way back to the Winter Palace from Mikhailovsky Manège. The assassination was planned and executed by the Narodnaya Volya ("People's Will") organization. The assassination is popularly considered to be the most successful action by the Russian nihilist movement of the 19th century. 

1882, March 24 - Robert Koch publishes his findings on Tuberculosis, stating that the disease was infectious and caused by a bacterium. The believe at the time was that tuberculosis was an inherited disease. He presented his findings before the German Physiological Society at Berlin, that the causative agent of the disease was the slow-growing Mycobacterium tuberculosis. More

1885, March 4 - Grover Cleveland is inaugurated as the 22nd President of the United States.

1888, March 12 - The Great Blizzard of 1888, one of the most severe snowstorms in U.S. history reaches the East Coast of the United States. More

1889, March 31 -  The main structural work of the Eiffel Tower on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France.is completed in time for the opening of the  1889 world's fair (Exposition Universelle), Gustave Eiffel celebrated by leading a group of government officials, accompanied by representatives of the press, to the top of the tower. More

1894, March 12 - Coca-Cola is sold in bottles for the first time.

1896, March 1 - Henri Becquerel discovers radioactivity.

1897, March 4 - William McKinley is inaugurated as the 25th President of the United States.

1899, March 4 - President William McKinley signs a bill authorizing the U.S. flag to have 45 stars for Utah's admission to the Union.

1899, March 6 - Aspirin, probably the best known brand in medicine is entered in the trademark register of the Kaiserliches Patentamt (Imperial Patent Office) in Berlin by the German company Bayer, after being first successfully synthesized. Salicin, which is converted into salicylic acid in the body, is found in the bark of willows. Its therapeutic effect has been known since time immemorial. The progenitor of all physicians, Hippocrates of Kos, described it around 400 B.C. as a medicine against fever and pain; Teutons and Celts cooked a broth from willow bark as medicine. More

1900, March 14 - Gold is discovered in Nome, Alaska, leading to a gold rush.

1901, March 4 - Theodore Roosevelt is inaugurated as the 26th President of the United States following the assassination of William McKinley.

1905, March 3 - Tsar Nicholas II of Russia grants civil liberties and forms a legislative assembly called the Duma in response to the Russian Revolution of 1905.

1912, March 10 - China becomes a republic after the abdication of the last Emperor, Puyi.

1912. March 27 - The U.S. first lady Helen Herron Taft and the Viscountess Iwa Chinda, wife of the Japanese ambassador, plant the first two cherry trees from a gift of 3,020 trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo to Washington, D.C. The two first trees were planted on the northern bank of the Potomac River Tidal Basin. The ceremonial event is now commemorated  at the annual Washington’s National Cherry Blossom Festival.  After the end of the 2024 spring’s National Cherry Blossom Festival, the National Park Service will cut down 158 cherry trees from the nearly 3,700 total to reconstruct a seawall around the Tidal Basin, fortifying the area against sea level rise and extreme precipitation events. More

1913, March 4 - Woodrow Wilson is inaugurated as the 28th President of the United States.

1917, March 15 - Tsar Nicholas II of Russia abdicates the throne, leading to the end of the Romanov dynasty. More

1920, March 18 - The United States Senate rejects the Treaty of Versailles for the second time, preventing U.S. entry into the League of Nations.

1921, March 4 - Warren G. Harding is inaugurated as the 29th President of the United States.

1926, March 16 - Physicist Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket.

1929, March 4 - Herbert Hoover is inaugurated as the 31st President of the United States.

1931, March 3 - President Herbert Hoover signed a Public Law that made the "Star-Spangled Banner” the official U.S. national anthem of the United states. The words are from a poem written by Francis Scott Key in 1814. During the War of 1812, on September 13, 1814, Key watched a night-time battle between Great Britain and America that took place in Baltimore, Maryland at Fort McHenry. When he saw the American flag still flying in the morning, he wrote a poem that tells the story of his experience. More

1932, March 1 - Charles Augustus Lindbergh, Jr., the 20-month-old son of the famous aviator and Anne Morrow Lindbergh, was kidnapped from the nursery on the second floor of the Lindbergh home near Hopewell, New Jersey. More

1933, March 4 - Franklin D. Roosevelt is inaugurated as the 32nd President of the United States and delivers his famous "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself" speech.

1935, March 16 - Adolf Hitler orders the rearmament of Germany including military conscription in violation of The Treaty of Versailles. More

1936, March 7 German troops re-occupied the Rhineland, a de-militarized zone in Germany according to the Treaty of Versailles that bordered on France. This action was directly against the terms which Germany had accepted after the First World War. Hitler argue that it was done in response to France and the USSR signing a treaty of friendship and mutual support, saying it was a hostile move against Germany, and the area of the Rhineland could in turn be used by France to invade Germany. More

1938, March 12 - Hitler orders the invasion of Austria to begin and German soldiers in tanks and armored vehicles crossed the border into Austria, encountering no resistance. Hitler joined the invaded forces as they rushed towards Viena and in Linz, where he had attended school, he called for an immediate Anschluss (Annexation). The next day, Austria’s parliament formally approved the annexation and Austria, no longer a nation became a province of Germany. More

1939, March 28 - The three year Spanish Civil War comes to an end as the Republican defenders of Madrid surrender and the victorious Nationalists entered the capital city. It is estimated that up million lives were lost in the most devastating conflict in Spanish history. General Francisco Franco went on to rule Spain as a ruthless dictator until his death in 1975 when Spain finally became a democracy, More

1941, March 11 - U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the Lend-Lease Act, to provide military aid to Allied nations during World War II.

1945, March 7 - U.S. troops capture the strategic bridge of Remagen in Germany during World War II.

1945, March 9 - More than three hundred American bombers drop incendiary bombs on Tokyo during a three-hour raid  A firestorm greater than that in Dresden erupts, killing 130,000 and displacing a million people. The raid was one of over a hundred such raids that eventually laid waste to sixty percent of the city's total area. More

1947, March 12 - President Harry S. Truman outlines the U.S. policy to contain Soviet expansion. n a speech to a joint session of Congress, The announcement is referred to as the "Truman Doctrine" and is considered to be the official start of the Cold War. More 

1951, March 29 - Julius and Ethel Rosenberg (née Greenglass) are convicted of spying and passing secret information about the atomic bomb and other military information to the Soviet Union during and after World War II, The husband and wife were later sentenced to death and were executed in 1953 at the Sing Sing Correctional Facility in Ossining, New York. President Eisenhower had declined to grant executive clemency to the Rosenbergs, stating: "The nature of the crime for which they have been found guilty and sentenced far exceeds that of the taking of the life of another citizen; it involves the deliberate betrayal of the entire nation and could very well result in the death of many, many thousands of innocent citizens…" More

1952, March 20 - The United States Senate ratifies the peace treaty with Japan, officially ending World War II.

1953, March 26 - Dr. Jonas Salk announces on a U.S. national radio show that he has successfully tested a vaccine against poliomyelitis, the virus that causes the crippling disease of polio which is known as “infant paralysis” because it mainly affects children, The first Polio epidemic in the U.S, took place in Vermont in the summer of 1894 and thousands being affected annually by the 20th century. The number of cases is 1952 were 58,000. A massive Polio Vaccine Trial Begins in U.S. More

1955, March 6 - The Supreme Court rules that segregation on buses in Alabama is unconstitutional in the case of Browder v. Gayle.

1957, March 25 - The EEC is created by the signing of the Treaties of Rome. France, West Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg . building on the success of the Coal and Steel Treaty, expand their cooperation to other economic sectors by signing two treaties, creating the European Economic Community (EEC), and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom). These bodies come into being on January 1, 1958. More

1959 May 10 - Tibetans rebel in Lhasa against the Chinese government which had invaded Tibet in1950. Chinese troops launched a counter-offensive against the Tibetans ,capturing Lhasa and resulting in the deaths of some 2,000 Tibetan rebels. The Chinese government dissolved the Tibetan government headed by the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama assumed control of the Tibetan government on April 5, 1959. The Dalai Lama and some 80 supporters fled into exile to India. Some 87,000 Tibetans and 2,000 Chinese government troops were killed, and some 100,000 Tibetans fled as refugees to India, Nepal, and Bhutan during the conflict.

1960, March 21 - The Sharpeville massacre in South Africa occurs as police open fire on a demonstration against apartheid, resulting in numerous deaths.

1962, March 18, The French - Algerian war or the the War of Algerian independence comes to an end with the signing of a peace agreement to end the seven-year Algerian War and bringing an end to 130 years of colonial French rule in Algeria. Between 500,000 and a million Algerians had been killed, out of an estimated population of just three million before the war. French losses were also high; between 150,000 and 200,000 French soldiers lost their lives, with the vast majority of them dying in hospitals. #War_chronology">More

1963, March 21 - Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary in San Francisco Bay closes.

1965, March 7 - Civil rights marchers, including John Lewis and Martin Luther King Jr., are attacked by police on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, in what becomes known as "Bloody Sunday."

1965, March 8 -  The first American combat troops arrive in Vietnam -  3,500 Marines of the 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade arrived in Da Nang to protect the U.S. airbase and to allow the Vietnamese troops then guarding the base from Viet Cong attacks to return to combat. More

1965, March 20 - President Lyndon B. Johnson places the Alabama National Guard under federal control to protect a civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery to the state capital. 2,500 U.S. Army troops and 1,900 Alabama National Guard troops, along with FBI agents and U.S. Marshals were dispatched to provide protection for the marchers. On March 7, demonstrators sought to march there to protest the death of Jimmie Lee Jackson, a black man shot by a state trooper. State and local police had attacked them with billy clubs and tear gas. Televised scenes of “Bloody Sunday” outraged many Americans. More

1967, March 25 - Martin Luther King Jr. leads his first anti-war march in Chicago. Reinforcing the connection between war abroad and injustice at home: “The bombs in Vietnam explode at home—they destroy the dream and possibility for a decent America” the dream and possibility for a decent America” More

1968, March 12 - Mauritius achieves independence from British rule.

1968, March 16 - Vietnamese villagers including women and children are killed by U.S. soldiers in the village of My Lai by members of an army platoon commanded by Lt. William Calley. On September 1969, he was charged with the premeditated murder in the death of 109 Vietnamese civilians at My Lai. His court-martial began on November 1970 and he was convicted on March 1971 of the premeditated murder of twenty-two infants, children, women, and old men, and assault with intent to murder a child of about two years. He was sentenced to be dismissed from the Army and to be confined at hard labor for life. On August 1971, Lieutenant General Albert O. Connor, commanding general of Third U.S. Army, reduced Calley’s sentence to twenty years confinement. In April 1974, the Secretary of the Army, Howard H. Callaway, further reduced Calley’s sentence to ten years confinement, making Calley eligible for parole in 6 months. He was released in November 1974 having served three years of house arrest for the murders. More

1971, March 29 - Lt. William Calley is convicted of murder in the My Lai Massacre during the Vietnam War.

1972,  March 2 - Pioneer 10 is launched to study Jupiter.  It was NASA's first mission to the outer planets. The mission was a spectacular success and the spacecraft notched a series of firsts unmatched by any other robotic spacecraft to date. More 

1974, March 3 - All 346 occupants of a Turkish Airlines McDonnell Douglas DC 10 were killed after the plane  suffered an explosive decompression when an improperly secured hold door detached passing 12000ft in the climb shortly after departing Paris Orly airport. A similar DC10 explosive decompression in Canada two years earlier, had identified an identical fault in the door closure mechanism which had allowed it to indicate and appear secured. Non-mandated corrective actions promulgated after that investigation had not been completed on the aircraft at the time of the accident. More

1974, March 4 - The "People Power" revolution in Portugal ends 48 years of dictatorship and leads to democracy.

1979, March 26 - A peace treaty is signed between Israel and Egypt at the White House, ending 31 years of conflict between the two countries. The historic peace treaty between Israel and Egypt, was agreed to by Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat and was based on the Camp David Accords mediated by U.S. President Jimmy Carter.

1979, March 28 - The Three Mile Island Unit 2 nuclear reactor, near Middletown, Pa., partially melts down. This was the most serious accident in U.S. commercial nuclear power plant operating history. A combination of equipment malfunctions, design-related problems and worker errors led to TMI-2’s partial meltdown and very small off site releases of radioactivity. More

1981, March 30 - President Ronald Reagan is shot and wounded in an assassination attempt in Washington, D.C. More

1985, March 11 - Mikhail Gorbachev becomes the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.

1989, March 24 - The oil tanker Exxon Valdez ran aground in Prince William Sound, Alaska, spilling 11 million gallons of oil and causing one of the largest environmental disasters in U.S. history. More

1990, March 15 - Mikhail Gorbachev is elected as the first President of the Soviet Union. He had served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 and additionally as head of state beginning in 1988 and as Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet from 1988 to 1989. He was awarded the 1990 Nobel Peace Prize 1990. Gorbachev resigned form the presidency on December 25, 1991 when the Soviet Union disintegrated. More

1995, March 20 - Aum Shinrikyo, a Japanese doomsday cult, carries out a sarin gas attack by releasing several packages on the Tokyo subway system, killing 13 and injuring over 5000. The odorless, colorless, and highly toxic nerve gas was invented by the Nazis and is one of the most lethal nerve gases known to man. 

1999, March 24 - NATO begins airstrikes against Yugoslavia, marking the start of the Kosovo War.

2001, March 20 - The Taliban destroy two ancient statues of Buddha in Afghanistan's Bamiyan Valley.

2003, March 20 - The United States and its allies invade Iraq, initiating the Iraq War.

2004, March 11 - Coordinated bombings in Madrid's commuter train system kill 191 people and wounding around 2,000 others. More

2005, March 16 - Israel officially withdraws from the Gaza Strip after 38 years of occupation.

2008, March 14 - The riohttps://admiralcloudberg.mediu...ts and protests in Tibet against Chinese rule and for independence begin.

2011, March 11 - A massive earthquake and tsunami strike Japan, causing the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster.

2013, March 13 - Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio becomes Pope Francis, the first Jesuit pope and the first from the Americas.

2014, March 8 - Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 disappears en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, sparking one of the most extensive searches in aviation history.

2014, March 24 - The co-pilot of a German airliner deliberately flies the plane into the French Alps, killing himself and the other 149 people onboard. The Germanwings flight 9525 had been traveling from Barcelona, Spain, to Dusseldorf, Germany. More

2016, March 22 - Suicide bombings in Brussels, Belgium, at the airport and a metro station kill 32 people and injure more than 300 others.

2017, March 22 - A terrorist attack near the UK Parliament in London leaves five people dead, including the attacker.

2018, March 14 - Students worldwide participate in the "March for Our Lives" protest advocating for stricter gun control laws in the United States.

2019, March 15 - A terrorist attack on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, results in 51 deaths and dozens of injuries.

2020, March 11 - The World Health Organization declares COVID-19 a global pandemic due to its rapid spread worldwide.

2021, March 16 - A gunman attacks massage parlors in the Atlanta area, killing eight people, including six Asian women.

2000, March 10 - NASDAQ Composite stock market index peaks at 5,048.62 during the dot-com bubble.

2001, March 4 - The BBC airs the first episode of "The Office," a British mockumentary sitcom created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant.

2002, March 1 - The International Criminal Court (ICC) is established to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and crimes of aggression.

2003, March 19 - President George W. Bush announces that U.S. forces have begun a military operation into Iraq. U.S. forces invaded Iraq vowing to destroy Iraqi weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and end the dictatorial rule of Saddam Hussein. When WMD intelligence proved illusory and a violent insurgency arose, the war lost public support. 4,700 U.S. and allied troop deaths, and more than one hundred thousand Iraqi civilians were killed and 31,994 U.S. troops wounded in action (WIA). More

2004, March 14 - The first episode of the social media platform Facebook is launched by Mark Zuckerberg and his college roommates.

2005, March 14 - The People's Republic of China passes an anti-secession law, authorizing the use of force against Taiwan if it moves towards formal independence.

2006, March 24 - The UN Human Rights Council holds its first session in Geneva, replacing the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.

2007, March 12 - The seventh and final book in the Harry Potter series, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," is announced by J.K. Rowling.

2008, March 14 - A nationwide protest in Tibet against Chinese rule and for independence begins.

2009, March 9 - The Kepler space observatory, designed to discover Earth-like planets orbiting other stars, is launched by NASA.

2010, March 11 - A magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami strike in Japan causing the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster and considerable damage in the region. The tsunami inundated about 560 km2 and resulted in a human death toll of about 19,500 and much damage to coastal ports and towns, with over a million buildings destroyed or partly collapsed. It was a rare and complex double quake giving a severe duration of about 3 minutes. An area of the seafloor extending 650 km north-south moved typically 10-20 meters horizontally. Japan moved a few metres east and the local coastline subsided half a meter.  More

2011, March 15 - Civil unrest and protests erupt in Syria against President Bashar al-Assad's regime, marking the start of the Syrian Civil War.

2012, March 9 - "The Hunger Games" film adaptation, based on Suzanne Collins' novel, is released in theaters, becoming a box office success.

2013, March 13 - Pope Francis is elected as the 266th pope of the Catholic Church, becoming the first Jesuit pope and the first from the Americas.

2014, March 8 - Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 disappears in route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, sparking a large-scale international search effort. More

2015, March 20 - A total solar eclipse, visible across parts of Northern Europe and the Arctic occurs. 

2016, March 22 - Terrorist attacks in Brussels, Belgium, at the airport and a metro station kill 32 people and injure more than 300 others.

2017, March 22 - A terrorist attack near the UK Parliament in London leaves five people dead, including the attacker.

2018, March 14 - Students worldwide participate in the "March for Our Lives" protest advocating for stricter gun control laws in the United States.

2019, March 15 - A terrorist attack on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, results in 51 deaths and dozens of injuries.

2020, March 11 - The World Health Organization declares COVID-19 a global pandemic due to its rapid spread worldwide.

2021, March 16 - A gunman attacks massage parlors in the Atlanta area, killing eight people, including six Asian women.

Note: Sources for the Historical Content shown, include research and reviews of relevant Online History Resources or printed material. When possible, we show a link to a source which provides additional or unique perspective about the event. We do our best to provide accurate information but would appreciate being notified if any incorrect information is found. You may do so by using this link: Feedback

These are some of many widely recognized historic events that occurred during the month of February, listed by year. Dates provided for earlier time events may be approximate. Select another month

747 BCE, February 11 - Traditional founding date of Rome by Romulus.

660 BCE, February - Traditional accession of Emperor Jimmu, the legendary first Emperor of Japan.

509 BCE, February - Roman Republic established after the overthrow of the Roman monarchy.

490 BCE, February 12-13 - Battle of Marathon, where the Athenians defeated the Persians during the first Persian invasion of Greece.

356 BCE, February 7 - Birth of Alexander the Great in Macedonia.

338 BCE, February - Philip II of Macedon defeats Greek city-states, asserting Macedonian dominance.

310 BCE, February - Birth of the Indian Emperor Ashoka, one of the most influential rulers in history.

272 BCE, February 4 - Death of Pyrrhus of Epirus, a skilled military leader known for the Pyrrhic victories.

218 BCE, February - Hannibal begins his journey across the Alps with his army and elephants during the Second Punic War.

215 BCE, February - The Roman general Fabius Maximus begins his strategy of attrition against Hannibal during the Second Punic War.

207 BCE, February - Scipio Africanus wins the Battle of Metaurus against Carthaginians in Italy.

202 BCE, February - Battle of Zama, where Scipio Africanus defeats Hannibal, ending the Second Punic War.

202 BCE, February - Liu Bang becomes Emperor Gaozu of Han, founding the Han Dynasty in China.

190 BCE, February - The Battle of Magnesia, where the Roman Republic and Pergamon defeated the Seleucid Empire.

176 BCE, February 5 - The third and final Punic War, between Rome and Carthage, comes to an end. The Punic Wars were a series of three wars between 264 and 146 BCE, fought between Rome and Carthage lasting more than 100 years of fighting on land and sea across the western Mediterranean region with immense materiel and human losses on both sides. It ended in 146 BCE with a total Roman victory. More

168 BCE, February - The Roman Senate sends an embassy to Macedonia, leading to the beginning of the Third Macedonian War.

133 BCE, February 15 - Death of Tiberius Gracchus, Roman politician and reformer.

133 BCE, February - Attalus III, King of Pergamon, bequeaths his kingdom to the Roman Republic, marking the beginning of Roman rule in Asia Minor.

45 BCE, February - Julius Caesar abolishes the Roman Republic and becomes dictator perpetuo (dictator in perpetuity).

44 BCE, February 15 - Lupercalia festival during which Julius Caesar was assassinated in Rome.

31 BCE, February - Battle of Actium, where Octavian defeats Mark Antony and Cleopatra, establishing himself as the undisputed ruler of Rome.

8 BCE, February - Dedication of the Ara Pacis Augustae, the Altar of Augustan Peace in Rome, commissioned by Emperor Augustus.

2 BCE, February - Dedication of the Temple of Concordia in Rome by Emperor Augustus.

62 CE, February - Earthquake in Pompeii, Italy, causing significant damage.

303 CE, February 23 - Martyrdom of Saint Polycarp in Smyrna, an important figure in early Christian history.

313 CE, February 27 - Edict of Milan, issued by Constantine the Great and Licinius, granting religious tolerance in the Roman Empire.

380 CE, February 27 - Edict of Thessalonica, Emperor Theodosius I declares Nicene Christianity as the official state religion of the Roman Empire.

395 CE, February 17 - Roman Emperor Theodosius I dies, leading to the division of the Roman Empire between his sons Arcadius and Honorius.

423 CE, February 17 - Emperor Theodosius II is born, becoming one of the longest-reigning emperors of the Eastern Roman Empire.

476 CE, February 28 - Deposition of the last Roman Emperor Romulus Augustulus by Odoacer, marking the end of the Western Roman Empire.

541 CE, February - The first recording of the Justinian Plague, an outbreak of bubonic plague during the reign of Emperor Justinian I.

628 CE, February 11 - Battle of Nineveh, Byzantine Emperor Heraclius defeats the Sassanid Persian Empire, marking a turning point in the Byzantine-Sassanid wars.

628 CE, February 22 - Byzantine Emperor Heraclius issues the Ecthesis, an attempt to reconcile monophysite Christians with the Chalcedonian Church.

740 CE, February 25 - Battle of Bagdoura, Berber forces under Uqba ibn Al-Hajjaj defeat the Berghouata tribe in North Africa.

869 CE, February 28 - Fourth Council of Constantinople concludes, condemning Photius and reconciling the East-West Schism temporarily.

869 CE, February 28 - Eighth Ecumenical Council, the Fourth Council of Constantinople, concludes with decisions against Photius and reaffirming Nicene Christianity.

962 CE, February 2 - Otto I is crowned Holy Roman Emperor, initiating the Ottonian dynasty in Germany.

962 CE, February 14 - Pope John XII crowns Otto I as Holy Roman Emperor.

962 CE, February 15 - Benedict V becomes Pope.

962 CE, February 23 - Pope John XII crowns Otto I's son Otto II as co-emperor.

962 CE, February 26 - Otto I's wife Adelaide is crowned empress by Pope John XII.

964 CE, February 8 - Pope Leo VIII dies, ending the only reign by a layman in papal history.

969 CE, February 13 - Emperor Nicephorus II Phocas is murdered by his wife Theophano and her lover John I Tzimiskes, leading to Tzimiskes' ascent to the throne.

983 CE, February 14 - Pope Benedict VII dies after a reign marked by the struggle between the papacy and the Roman nobility.

987 CE, February 2 - Hugh Capet is crowned King of France, founding the Capetian dynasty.

987 CE, February 6 - Accession of Pope John XV, succeeding Pope John XIV.

987 CE, February 10 - Hugh Capet is crowned King of France in Noyon.

992 CE, February 8 - Otto III becomes Holy Roman Emperor at the age of 16.

998 CE, February 13 - Death of Emperor Taizong of Song, a significant ruler in Chinese history.

999 CE, February 14 - Gerbert of Aurillac becomes Pope Sylvester II.

999 CE, February 28 - Death of Pope Gregory V, the first German Pope.

1001, February - Stephen I becomes King of Hungary.

1004, February 4 - King Sweyn I of Denmark reconquers England.

1009, February 14 - First known mention of the city of Gundelfingen, Germany.

1014, February - Byzantine Emperor Basil II conquers Bulgaria after a long campaign.

1016, February - Cnut the Great becomes King of England after the death of Edmund II.

1027, February 22 - Death of Romanos III Argyros, Byzantine Emperor, possibly murdered by his wife Zoe.

1033, February 3 - Death of Conrad II, Holy Roman Emperor.

1043, February - Edward the Confessor is crowned King of England.

1045, February 19 - Pope Gregory VI resigns as pope amid the scandal of simony (selling of church offices).

1054, February 15 - The Great Schism: Patriarch Michael Cerularius of Constantinople is excommunicated by Pope Leo IX, leading to the East-West Schism.

1055, February 10 - Abdication of Empress Theodora, ending the Macedonian dynasty in the Byzantine Empire.

1066, February 10 - The death of Edward the Confessor triggers the struggle for the English throne, eventually leading to the Battle of Hastings.

1067, February - The first stone of the Tower of London is thought to have been laid.

1071, February 23 - Battle of Manzikert: Seljuk Turks defeat the Byzantine Empire, leading to the loss of Anatolia.

1076, February 14 - Pope Gregory VII excommunicates Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV during the Investiture Controversy.

1079, February 22 - Construction of Rochester Castle in England begins.

1081, February 28 - Alexios I Komnenos becomes Byzantine Emperor after the death of Nikephoros III.

1085, February - Alfonso VI of Castile captures the city of Toledo, Spain, from the Moors.

1086, February - The compilation of the Domesday Book, a survey of England initiated by William the Conqueror, begins.

1087, February 9 - Death of William the Conqueror, King of England.

1091, February 13 - The Barbary Crusade: Norman forces under Roger I of Sicily capture the city of Palermo.

1095, February 14 - Pope Urban II preaches the First Crusade at the Council of Clermont.

1098, February - Crusaders under Bohemond I of Antioch defeat the Fatimid Egyptians at Antioch.

1100, February 2 - Death of King William II of England in a hunting accident, leading to the accession of Henry I.

1100, February 9 - Anselm of Canterbury becomes Archbishop of Canterbury.

1100, February 14 - First known reference to the village of Potten End, England.

1100, February 18 - Henry I of England marries Matilda of Scotland, securing a crucial alliance.

1100, February 23 - Duke Welf I is assassinated, possibly on orders from Emperor Henry IV.

1101, February - King Baldwin I of Jerusalem captures Acre from the Fatimids.

1103, February - Magnus III of Norway becomes King of Norway.

1106, February 6 - Death of Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor.

1107, February 10 - Death of Edgar, King of Scotland.

1107, February 16 - Death of Edgar Ætheling, the last male member of the Anglo-Saxon royal family of England.

1111, February 13 - Henry V is crowned Holy Roman Emperor.

1113, February - Baldwin II becomes King of Jerusalem upon the death of his cousin Baldwin I.

1119, February - The Order of the Knights Templar is officially established.

1120, February 2 - The White Ship sinks in the English Channel, resulting in the death of William Adelin, heir to King Henry I of England.

1126, February 14 - Death of William IX, Duke of Aquitaine, and troubadour poet.

1128, February 24 - Assassination of Charles the Good, Count of Flanders, in the Church of St. Donatian in Bruges.

1130, February 14 - Roger II is crowned King of Sicily.

1130, February 22 - Antipope Anacletus II crowns Roger II of Sicily as King of Sicily.

1135, February 1 - Death of Henry I of England, leading to a period of civil war known as The Anarchy.

1138, February - Battle of the Standard: Scottish forces under King David I are defeated by the English near Northallerton in Yorkshire.

1141, February 2 - Empress Matilda, daughter of Henry I, is declared the Lady of the English.

1144, February - The siege of Edessa: Zengi, Atabeg of Mosul, captures Edessa, sparking the Second Crusade.

1153, February - The Treaty of Winchester: Stephen of Blois recognizes Henry Plantagenet as his heir in exchange for peace.

1154, February - Henry II becomes King of England after the death of King Stephen.

1158, February - Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa grants Lübeck city rights, leading to the establishment of the Hanseatic League.

1162, February - Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, returns to England from exile.

1164, February - The Council of Clarendon: King Henry II of England attempts to assert control over the church and clergy.

1173, February - Revolt of 1173–1174: Henry the Young King rebels against his father, Henry II of England, with the support of King Louis VII of France and other allies.

1177, February - Treaty of Venice: Pope Alexander III and Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa reach an agreement, ending the papal-imperial conflict.

1185, February - The Uprising of Asen and Peter: Asen and Peter declare independence from the Byzantine Empire, establishing the Second Bulgarian Empire.

1189, February - Richard the Lionheart is crowned Duke of Normandy.

1192, February 4 - The Treaty of Jaffa is signed between Richard the Lionheart and Saladin, ending the Third Crusade.

1199, February 6 - Death of King Alfonso II of Aragon.

1204, February - The Fourth Crusade begins the siege of Constantinople.

1208, February 22 - The Papal bull "Ad abolendam" is issued by Pope Innocent III, sanctioning the Albigensian Crusade against the Cathars.

1214, February 27 - Battle of La Roche-aux-Moines: English forces under William Marshal defeat the French.

1215, February 3 - King John of England offers his kingdom to the Pope, making England a papal fief.

1215, February 19 - The Fourth Lateran Council, convened by Pope Innocent III, begins in Rome.

1229, February - Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, crowns himself King of Jerusalem in Jerusalem.

1238, February - The Mongols begin their siege of the city of Ryazan in Russia.

1242, February 5 - Battle of Taillebourg: King Louis IX of France defeats Henry III of England.

1244, February 18 - The Sixth Crusade ends with the surrender of the Egyptian city of Damietta to the crusaders.

1258, February 10 - The Mongols under Hulagu Khan capture and sack Baghdad, bringing an end to the Abbasid Caliphate.

1260, February 10 - Hulagu Khan, Mongol ruler, is defeated at the Battle of Ain Jalut in present-day Israel by the Mamluks, halting Mongol expansion into the Middle East.

1261, February 5 - Byzantine Emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos recaptures Constantinople, ending the Latin Empire.

1266, February 26 - Battle of Benevento: Charles of Anjou defeats the Hohenstaufen Frederick II.

1276, February 22 - Pope Innocent V becomes the head of the Catholic Church.

1284, February 23 - Statute of Rhuddlan: King Edward I of England creates laws for Wales.

1288, February - The Battle of Worringen: Duke John I of Brabant defeats Duke Henry VI of Limburg, leading to the collapse of the Duchy of Limburg.

1291, February 19 - Ghazan, the Mongol ruler of the Ilkhanate, converts to Islam, marking a significant shift in the Mongol Empire.

1296, February 10 - First War of Scottish Independence: King Edward I of England sacks Berwick-upon-Tweed during his invasion of Scotland.

1297, February 14 - Battle of Stirling Bridge: William Wallace defeats the English forces under John de Warenne, Earl of Surrey.

1300, February 8 - King Edward of England calls for a parliamentary assembly to discuss taxation and other issues.

1301, February - Edward I of England captures William Wallace, a prominent Scottish rebel, near Glasgow.

1302, February 18 - Battle of the Golden Spurs: Flemish militia defeat French knights in Kortrijk, Belgium.

1303, February 17 - The French Pope Boniface VIII issues the Papal bull "Unam Sanctam," asserting papal supremacy over secular rulers.

1303, February 18 - Battle of Roslin: Scots under John Comyn and Simon Fraser defeat English forces.

1304, February 22 - Scottish independence leader William Wallace is captured by English forces near Glasgow.

1306, February 10 - Robert the Bruce kills John Comyn, his rival for the Scottish crown, in Dumfries.

1307, July 7 - Edward II becomes King of England after the death of his father, Edward I.

1310, February - Dante Alighieri becomes a prior of Florence, Italy.

1312, February 1 - King Edward II of England marries Isabella of France.

1308, February 8 - King Edward II of England marries Isabella of France.1

1310, February - Dante Alighieri becomes a prior of Florence, Italy.

1312, February 1 - King Edward II of England marries Isabella of France.

1314, February - Construction begins on the Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral in France.

1315, February 23 - Battle of Monte Catini: Forces loyal to Florence defeat those of Pisa in Italy

1317, February 4 - Pope John XXII issues the papal bull "Quia vir reprobus," condemning the teachings of Marsilius of Padua.

1322, February - King Edward II of England suppresses the rebellion of Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, at the Battle of Boroughbridge.

1327, February 1 - Edward III becomes King of England after the abdication of his father, Edward II.

1330, February 8 - Birth of William of Ockham, a prominent philosopher and theologian known for Occam's Razor.

1336, February 24 - Battle of Buçaco: Portuguese forces defeat the Castilians during the 14th-century Portuguese Crisis.

1343, February 26 - Pope Clement VI issues the papal bull "Unigenitus," condemning the ideas of the Franciscan Spirituals.

1349, February - Strasbourg Massacre: Jews in Strasbourg, accused of causing the Black Death, are burned at the stake.

1355, February - St. Scholastica Day riot: A confrontation between Oxford University students and townsfolk leads to a two-day riot resulting in numerous deaths.

1360, February 8 - Treaty of Brétigny: A peace treaty ends the first phase of the Hundred Years' War between England and France.

1361, February 1 - Edward III of England proclaims himself King of France, escalating the Hundred Years' War.

1367, February 19 - Battle of Nájera: English forces under Edward, the Black Prince, defeat the Franco-Castilian forces of Henry of Trastámara during the Hundred Years' War.

1377, February 21 - Pope Gregory XI moves the Papal See back to Rome from Avignon, ending the Avignon Papacy.

1386, February 28 - Union of Krewo: Jogaila, Grand Duke of Lithuania, converts to Christianity and agrees to marry the Queen of Poland, Jadwiga, forming a dynastic union.

1389, February 28 - Battle of Kosovo: Ottoman Empire defeats Serbian forces, resulting in heavy casualties on both sides and solidifying Ottoman control in the Balkans.

1397, February 17 - Battle of Rudau: Teutonic Knights defeat the Lithuanians under Grand Duke Vytautas.

1400, February 18 - Richard II of England orders the execution of Henry Percy, sparking the rebellion known as the Percy Rebellion.

1400, February 20 - Battle of Erquelinnes: Armies of the County of Hainaut and the Duchy of Brabant engage in conflict, marking the start of the Brabant Revolution.

1400, February 21 - Rebellion of Owain Glyndŵr: Welsh forces under Owain Glyndŵr revolt against English rule in Wales.

1400, February 23 - Battle of Kassel: German mercenaries under Enguerrand VII of Coucy defeat Hainaut forces during the Brabant Revolution.

1403, February 1 - Henry IV of England's forces defeat rebel forces led by Henry "Hotspur" Percy at the Battle of Shrewsbury.

1405, February 22 - The Hongxi Emperor ascends to the throne of China following the death of his father, the Yongle Emperor.

1408, February 4 - Death of Roman Catholic theologian and philosopher William of Ockham.

1413, February 20 - Henry V becomes King of England upon the death of his father, Henry IV.

1416, February 17 - Duke John the Fearless of Burgundy orders the assassination of his cousin, Louis I, Duke of Orléans, leading to a civil war in France known as the Armagnac-Burgundian Civil War.

1420, February 10 - Treaty of Troyes: Henry V of England and Charles VI of France sign an agreement declaring Henry as heir to the French throne and marrying him to Charles's daughter Catherine of Valois.

1429, February 12 - Joan of Arc arrives in the city of Orléans during the Hundred Years' War, eventually leading French forces to victory.

1431, February 21 - The trial of Joan of Arc begins in Rouen, France, led by a pro-English ecclesiastical court.

1435, February 17 - The Congress of Arras is convened to negotiate peace between Burgundy and France during the Hundred Years' War.

1440, February 7 - The Prussian Confederation is established to oppose the Teutonic Knights and seek autonomy within the Kingdom of Poland.

1447, February 23 - Vlad the Impaler (Dracula) becomes the ruler of Wallachia for the first time, starting his legacy.

1450, February - Jack Cade leads a rebellion against King Henry VI of England in the Kent region, known as Cade's Rebellion.

1451, February 3 - Mehmed II, inherits the throne to the Ottoman Empire when his father Murad II dies.  Mehmed II also known as The Conqueror is one of the famous sultans of Ottoman Empire. He had ruled the Ottoman for a brief time, from 1444 to 1446, after his father. After that time Sultan Murad II renounced the throne. Mehmed II ruled the Ottoman Empire from 1451 to 1481. More

1455, February 22 - Johannes Gutenberg prints the first book, the Gutenberg Bible, using movable type in Mainz, Germany.

1459, February 17 - The Battle of Rovine: Vlad the Impaler defeats a large Ottoman army, temporarily halting Ottoman expansion into Wallachia.

1461, February 29 - The Battle of Towton: Edward IV defeats Henry VI during the Wars of the Roses, becoming the King of England.

1466, February 19 - The Second Peace of Thorn is signed, ending the Thirteen Years' War between the Kingdom of Poland and the Teutonic Order.

1478, February 23 - George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence, is executed for treason against his brother, King Edward IV of England.

1483, February 11 - King Edward IV of England dies, and his son, Edward V, ascends to the throne, initiating the brief reign known as the Princes in the Tower.

1484, February 12 - Pope Innocent VIII issues the papal bull "Summis desiderantes affectibus," authorizing the Inquisition to prosecute witchcraft.

1488, February 28 - Bartolomeu Dias, Portuguese explorer, reaches the Cape of Good Hope in his attempt to establish a sea route to India.

1492, February 18 - Pope Innocent VIII launches the Spanish Inquisition to combat heresy, contributing to the persecution of Jews and Muslims in Spain.

1493, February 20 - Explorer Christopher Columbus arrives back in Lisbon, Portugal, following his first voyage to the Americas.

1497, February 11 - Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci leaves Cadiz, Spain, on his first voyage to the New World.

1498, February 20 - Vasco da Gama's fleet reaches Mozambique during his voyage to India, exploring the East African coast.

1500, February 29 - Spanish explorer Vicente Yáñez Pinzón discovers Brazil while captaining a ship in a fleet led by Pedro Álvares Cabral.

1502, February 17 - Vasco da Gama sets sail on his second voyage to India, aiming to secure Portugal's trade interests.

1503, February 18 - Pope Julius II issues a papal bull against slavery, condemning the enslavement of indigenous peoples in the Americas.

1504, February 29 - Christopher Columbus uses a lunar eclipse to secure provisions during his stranded stay in Jamaica.

1503, February 8 - Construction begins on the Holy Trinity Bridge in Paris, France.

1509, February 3 - The naval Battle of Diu takes place in the Arabian Sea, in the port of Diu, India, between the Portuguese and the Ottoman Empires. The Portuguese prevailed establishing control of the trade. More

1509, February 21 - Henry VIII becomes King of England following the death of his father, Henry VII.

1512, February 29 - Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci arrives back in Spain after his final voyage to the New World.

1513, February 24 - Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León sets foot in Florida, the first known European arrival in what is now the United States.

1516, February 23 - The Fifth Council of the Lateran, an important council of the Roman Catholic Church, is convened by Pope Leo X in Rome.

1525, February 24 - Battle of Pavia: Spanish and Imperial forces defeat the French, capturing King Francis I of France during the Italian Wars.

1533, February 23 - King Henry VIII secretly marries Anne Boleyn, leading to the English Reformation and the separation of the Church of England from the Roman Catholic Church.

1542, February 14 - Catherine Howard, the fifth wife of Henry VIII, is executed for adultery and treason.

1547, February 28 - King Edward VI of England is crowned at Westminster Abbey at the age of nine following the death of Henry VIII.

1554, February 12 - Lady Jane Grey, who briefly ruled as Queen of England, is executed for treason.

1559, February 15 - Queen Elizabeth I of England is crowned in Westminster Abbey.

1564, February 15 - Galileo Galilei, Italian astronomer, mathematician, and physicist, is born in Pisa, Italy.

1570, February 25 - Pope Pius V excommunicates Queen Elizabeth I of England with the papal bull "Regnans in Excelsis."

1575, February 24 - Université de Reims is founded in France by a bull of Pope Gregory XIII.

1582, February 24 - Pope Gregory XIII issues the papal bull "Inter gravissimas," reforming the calendar and introducing the Gregorian calendar.

1587, February 8 - Mary, Queen of Scots, was executed at Fotheringhay Castle, in Northamptonshire. After nineteen years in captivity, she was found guilty of plotting the assassination of her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I. More

1590, February 8 - The first recorded performance of Shakespeare's play "Henry VI, Part 1" takes place.

1594, February 5 - Flemish painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder dies in Brussels, Belgium.

1597, February 28 - Irish rebel Hugh O'Neill signs the Second Treaty of Dungannon, effectively ending the Nine Years' War in Ireland.

1600, February 8 - Giordano Bruno, Italian philosopher and astronomer, is burned at the stake for heresy by the Roman Inquisition in Rome.

1600, February 19 - The stratovolcano Huaynaputina,  located on the southern Peruvian Andes range, explodes in the most violent eruption in South American recorded history and one of the largest volcanic eruptions in world history over the past 2000 years. eruptions and earth tremors continue until the first week in March. It has been reported that this event dramatically affected the weather and environment in China and the Korean Peninsula. More

1613, February 21 - The Zemsky Sobor elects Michael Romanov, the 16-year-old son of Patriarch Filaret of Moscow, tsar of Russia. He was was crowned on 21 July becoming the founder of the Romanov dynasty, which ruled Russia until 1917. More

1653, February 2 -  New Amsterdam is given municipal rights and becomes a city. In 1664, the English took over New Amsterdamand renamed it New York after the Duke of York (later James II & VII).

1700. February 12 - The Great Northern War begins between Sweden and the coalition of Russia, Saxony, Poland, and Denmark-Norway, during the reign of Peter I of Russia (Peter the Great), who wanted to gain access to the Black Sea. In 1715 Prussia and Hannover joined the war against Sweden. The King of Hannover was also King George II of Great Britain. Many battles were fought over the 21 years, but Russia finally defeated Sweden at the Battle of Poltava in 1709, although a formal peace treaty was not signed until 1721. More

1703, February 16 - The Tsar of Russia, Peter the Great, founds St. Petersburg, later established as the capital of Russia.

1709, February 11 - Alexander Selkirk is rescued by Woodes Rogers after being marooned on a desert island, inspiring Daniel Defoe's novel "Robinson Crusoe."

1713, February 13 - The Treaty of Utrecht is signed, ending the War of the Spanish Succession and reshaping European alliances.

1725, February 8 - Peter I,  also known as Peter the Great dies from bladder gangrene at he age of 52. He was a very controversial and absolute monarch that managed to expand and westernize Russia's culture and to establish it as a major European power and an empire. Peter the Great moved the capital of Russia from Moscow to St. Petersburg. where it remained the capital of Russia until the communist revolution in 1918. More

1726, February 8 - The Supreme Privy Council is established in Russia, streamlining administrative processes.

1732, February 22 - The first president of the United States, George Washington, is born in Westmoreland County, Virginia.

1744, February 22 - War of the Austrian Succession: The French fleet bombards Plymouth, England.

1757, February 8 - The British recapture Calcutta when Robert Clive led forces defeat  Siraj-ud-daullah on the battlefield of Plassey. More

1757, February 23 - The Battle of Chandannagar takes place, leading to the capture of the French fort by the British during the Seven Years' War.

1763, February 10 - The Treaty of Paris is signed, ending the Seven Years' War and transferring Canada from France to Britain.

1768, February 6 - The first American chartered fire insurance company, the Philadelphia Contributionship, is founded.

1778, February 6 - France recognizes American independence and signs the Treaty of Alliance and the Treaty of Amity and Commerce with the United States during the American Revolutionary War.

1783, February 4 - Britain formally declares an end to hostilities with its former colonies, recognizing the independence of the United States in the Treaty of Paris.

1787, February 21 - The Confederation Congress convenes to put the United States' newly written Constitution into effect.

1793, February 1 - France declares war on Great Britain and the Netherlands, marking the beginning of the War of the First Coalition.

1796, February 9 - Napoleon Bonaparte marries Josephine de Beauharnais, marking the beginning of their tumultuous relationship.

1789, February 4 - The State electors under the Constitution unanimously elect George Washington, the first president of the United States by all 69 presidential electors who cast their votes. John Adams of Massachusetts, who received 34 votes, was elected vice president. More

1799, February 9 - The USS Constellation, the first American warship under the Constitution, is launched in Baltimore, Maryland.

1800, February 9 - The Treaty of San Ildefonso is signed between France and Spain, leading to the retrocession of Louisiana from Spain to France.

1801, February 3 - John Marshall is appointed as Chief Justice of the United States.

1803, February 24 - The United States Supreme Court establishes its power of judicial review in the landmark case of Marbury v. Madison.

1806, February 11 - A British expeditionary force captures the Cape of Good Hope from the Dutch during the Napoleonic Wars.

1815, February 26 - Napoleon's escapes from Elba where he was exiled after his forced abdication as French emperor in 1814. 
Napoleon gathered support e route to Paris, retook power on March 20 as ruler of France and wage war against the English and Prussian armies. All ending in his final defeat at the Battle of Waterloo on June 18 1815. More

1818, February 12 - Chile formally declares independence from Spain, on the first anniversary of the pivotal victory over the Spanish at Chacabuco by the forces of Argentinian Jose San Martin and Chilean Bernardo O'Higgins, Although the decisive victory over the Spanish did not come until April 1818 at the Battle of Maipú. Chile's independence was formally recognized by Spain in 1844, when full diplomatic relations were established.

1819, February 22 - Spain cedes Florida to the United States via the Adams–Onís Treaty whereby Spain ceded East Florida to the United States and renounced all claim to West Florida. Spain received no direct compensation, but the United States agreed to assume liability for $5 million in damage done by American citizens who rebelled against Spain. The Treaty (also called the Transcontinental Treaty and ratified in 1821) also defined the western limits of the Louisiana Purchase and Spain surrendered its claims to the Pacific Northwest. In return, the United States recognized Spanish sovereignty over Texas.

1824, February 9 - The United States adopts a new flag, featuring 24 stars to represent the number of states in the union after Missouri's admission.

1827, February 27 - The city’s new Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday in French), tradition began in 1827 when the group of students,  donned masks and costumes and staged their own Fat Tuesday festivities. Over time, Mardi Gras grew into a more formal event, one now deeply embedded in New Orleans culture. Mardi Gras is followed by Ash Wednesday, a solemn day in Christian tradition, which denotes the beginning of Lent, a 40 day season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving that ends at sundown on Holy Thursday. It's a period of preparation to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus at Easter.

the six weeks of Lent, preparation to mark the crucifixion and then, on Easter Sunday, the resurrection of Christ. Lent is a 40 day

1828, February 12 - George Washington's birthday is declared a federal holiday in the United States, later becoming Presidents' Day.

1836, February 23 - The Battle of the Alamo begins in San Antonio, Texas, between Texan rebels and Mexican forces during the Texas Revolution.

1841, February 24 - John Quincy Adams begins arguments in Amistad case - The U.S. Supreme Court case of the 53 Africans captured in the Spanish ship Amistad opens and  John Quincy Adams begins his oral arguments for the defense., speaking for four hours and a half. More

1844, February 27 - The Dominican Republic declares independence from the Republic of Haiti. The War of Independence (Spanish: Guerra de Independencia Dominicana)  ended twelve years later on January 24, 1856. Before the war, the island of Hispaniola had been united for 22 years when the newly independent nation, previously known as the Captaincy General of Santo Domingo, was unified with the Republic of Haiti in 1822. The criollo class within the country overthrew the Spanish crown in 1821 before unifying with Haiti a year later. More

1848, February 2 - The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which brought an official end to the Mexican-American War (1846-48), is signed at Guadalupe Hidalgo, a city to which the Mexican government had fled with the advance of U.S. forces. By its terms, Mexico ceded 55 percent of its territory, including the present-day states California, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, most of Arizona and Colorado, and parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Wyoming. Mexico also relinquished all claims to Texas, and recognized the Rio Grande as the southern boundary with the United States.
 
1848, February 21 - Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels publish "The Communist Manifesto." More

1852, February 11 - The first British public toilets for women are opened in Bedford Street, London.

1855, February 22 - The Pennsylvania State University is founded as the Farmers' High School of Pennsylvania.

1858, February 11 - Fourteen-year-old Bernadette Soubirous (Later St. Bernadette) claims to have seen the Virgin Mary in a small town located near Lourdes in the foothills of the Pyrenee mountains. in southern France. This was the first of 18 reported encounters, the last one took place on July 16, 1858. More

1859, February 14 - Oregon is admitted as the 33rd state of the United States.

1861, February 4 - Seven seceding states  — South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas  meet in Montgomery, Alabama, and create the Confederate Constitution, a document similar to the United States Constitution, but with greater stress on the autonomy of each state. Jefferson Davis was named provisional president of the Confederacy until elections could be held. Four more States followed the secession path — Virginia (April 17, 1861), Arkansas (May 6, 1861), North Carolina (May 20, 1861), and Tennessee (June 8, 1861). These eleven states eventually formed the Confederate States of America. More 

1863, June 20 - West Virginia Is Born. Residents of the western counties of Virginia did not wish to secede along with the rest of the state. This section of Virginia was admitted into the Union as the state of West Virginia on June 20, 1863.

1865, February 1 - Abraham Lincoln approves the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution, abolishing slavery.

1867, February 1 - The United States Congress passes the Reconstruction Act, targeting the South for reconstruction after the Civil War.

1870, February 3 - The 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Voting Rights, is ratified allowing suffrage for all races and colors. More 

1870, February 25 - Hiram Rhodes Revels, a Republican from Mississippi, becomes the first African American to serve in the United States Senate. Revel was sworn in to fill the Senate seat once held by Jefferson Davis, two days after Mississippi was granted representation in Congress for the first time since it seceded in 1861. More

1873, February 20 - University College London becomes the first university in England to admit women.

1878, February 19 - The patent for the phonograph is issued to Thomas Edison. More 

1883, February 27 - Oscar Wilde's play "Salomé" is premiered in Paris.

1885, February 21 -  The Washington monument is formally dedicated one day before George Washington's birthday (which fell on a Sunday that year).. More

1891, February 15 - All-time high temperatures are recorded in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia.

1896, February 15 - The Western Australian gold rush begins, leading to significant gold discoveries in Kalgoorlie.

1897, February 2 - Alfred L. Cralle, is granted a patent for the first ice cream scoop, Cralle was an African American businessman and inventor who noticed ice cream servers having difficulty getting the popular confection desired by the customer into the cone they were usually holding. The ice cream tended to stick to spoons and ladles, requiring the server to use two hands and at least two separate implements to serve customers. The invention solved a real problem and spread so quickly that people soon forgot or never knew ,Cralle as the inventor, so he never profited from his invention. More

1897. February 9 - The British invasion of the Kingdom of Benin begins. The operation was named the Benin Punitive Expedition and part of its objectives was to capture the Benin Oba. The British invasion force of about 1,200 Royal Marines, sailors and Niger Coast Protectorate Forces. Eventually, Benin City was captured by the expedition, looted and set ablaze including the Palace building itself. The British occupied Benin, which was absorbed into the British Niger Coast Protectorate and eventually into British colonial Nigeria. More

1898, February 15 - The USS Maine explodes and sinks in Havana Harbor, leading to the start of the Spanish-American War. More

1901, February 25 - J.P. Morgan incorporates the United States Steel Corporation, the first billion-dollar corporation.

1903, February 15 -  The first "Teddy bear" goes on sale. Named after President Theodore Roosevelt, the stuffed bear was designed by Rose Michtom, wife of Morris Michtom, a Brooklyn, New York, resident who owned a candy shop where the first Teddy bear went on sale. More 

1903, February 18 - The first successful powered airplane flight is made by the Wright brothers in North Carolina.

1904, February 8 - Japan launches a surprise attack against the Russian-held Port Arthur, along the coast of Manchuria, beginning the Russo-Japanese War. Russia faced many defeats as it battled Japan while also fighting a revolution on the home front. In September 1905, President Teddy Roosevelt negotiates peace between the two countries, earning him the Nobel Peace Prize. More

1909, February 12 - The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is founded. More

1912, February 12 - Pu Yi, the last Qing dynasty Emperor of China, is forced to abdicate, ending 267 years of Manchu rule in China and 2,000 years of imperial rule. The former emperor, only six years old at the time, was allowed to keep up his residence in Beijing’s Forbidden City, and he took the name of Henry Pu Yi. More

1913, February 2 - The Grand Central Terminal officially opened to great fanfare at 12:01am on Sunday, February 2, 1913. Although construction was not yet entirely complete, more than 150,000 visited on opening day. New York City would never be the same. More

1913, February 3 - The 16th Amendment to the United States Constitution is ratified, establishing the federal income tax. More

1917, February 7 - The Scottish ship, SS California , homeward-bound and approaching Ireland at full steam, was attacked by the German U-boat SM U-85 and sank in nine minutes, 38 miles off the coast of Ireland. More

1918, February 3 - The Twin Peaks Tunnel in San Francisco begins service as the world's longest streetcar tunnel.

1922, February 6 - The Washington Naval Treaty is signed, limiting the naval armaments of major world powers.

1923, February 16 -  The burial chamber of King Tutankhamun is unsealed and British archaeologist Howard Carter enters the ancient tomb. The tomb had been discovered  in the Valley of the Kings the previous year on November 22, more than 3,300 years after Tutankhamun's death and burial. Most pharaohs were plundered by graverobbers in ancient times, however Tutankhamun's tomb was hidden by debris for most of its existence and became the first known largely intact royal burial from ancient Egypt.

1929, February 14 - The St. Valentine's Day Massacre occurs in Chicago, involving a gang-related shooting that left seven dead.

1930, February 18 - The dwarf planet Pluto is discovered by Clyde Tombaugh at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona. Tombaugh, was  24-year-s old at the time and had no formal training in astronomy.

1933, February 15 -  President-Elect Franklin Delano Roosevelt narrowly escapes an assassination attempt shortly after giving a speech at Bayfront Park in Miami. The would-be assassin, Guiseppe Zangara, an unemployed bricklayer, fired 5 shots towards Roosevelt who was standing on stage, fatally wounding the Mayor of Chicago Anton Cermak and injuring four others. Zangara, was arrested, found guilty of murder , received the death penalty and was electrocuted on March 20, 1933. More

1933, February 27 - The Reichstag fire in Berlin allows Adolf Hitler to seize emergency powers, ultimately leading to Nazi dictatorship in Germany.

1937, February 6 - The Flint sit-down strike ends with a General Motors agreement recognizing the United Auto Workers union.

1939. February 20 - A Nazi rally with more than 20,000 people was held at the Madison Square Garden. It was sponsored by the German American Bund, an organization with headquarters in Manhattan and thousands of members across the United States. The stage had a large image of Washington hung between American flags — and swastikas. Their vision for America was a combination of white supremacy, fascist ideology and American patriotism. More

1942, February 19 - 10 weeks after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, authorizing the forced removal of all persons deemed a threat to national security from the West Coast to "relocation centers" further inland – resulting in the incarceration of more than 110, 000 Japanese Americans, Two thirds of those incarcerated were U.S. citizens. For the next two and a half years, they endured extremely difficult living conditions and poor treatment by their military guards. During the course of World War II, 10 Americans were convicted of spying for Japan, but not one of them was of Japanese ancestry. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed a bill to recompense each surviving internee with a tax-free check for $20,000 and an apology from the U.S. government. More

1942, February 27 - USS Langley the U.S. Navy's first aircraft carrier is attacked by Japanese aircraft while transporting U.S. Army P-40's to the Netherlands East Indies. The damaged carrier was scuttled by her escorting destroyers. More 

1943, February 2 - The battle of Stalingrad ends as the German 6th Army surrenders in a major turning point in World War II

1945, February 4 - The Yalta Conference starts. Attended by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin to discuss post-World War II plans. The Yalta Conference took place in a Russian resort town in the Crimea from February 4–11, 1945, during World War Two. Important decisions were made regarding the future progress of the war and the postwar world. More

1945, February 19 - The U.S. Marines begin the invasion of Iwo Jima during the final phases of World War II. The Japanese put up fierce resistance. About 21,000 Japanese troops were killed and some 1,000 captured. U.S. casualties totaled about 28,000, including about 6,800 killed. Iwo Jima and the other Volcano Islands were administered by the United States from 1945 until they were returned to Japan in 1968.

1945, February 23 - The raising of the U.S. flag over Mount Suribach is photographed by Joe Rosenthal of the Associated Press, The iconic photograph went on to become one of the best-known photographic images of the Pacific war.

1948, February 25 - The 1948 Czechoslovak Coup D'état takes place as the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia assumes undisputed control over the government and beginning four decades of Communist rule. More

1952, February 6 - Elizabeth II becomes queen of the United Kingdom following the death of her father, King George VI. The coronation was held more than a year later on June 2, 1953.  because of the tradition of allowing an appropriate length of time to pass after a monarch dies. It also gave the planning committees adequate time to make preparations for the ceremony. More

1953, February 28 - Cambridge University scientists, James Watson and Francis Crick determined the structure of the double helix, the twisted-ladder structure of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). Their work was aided by use of Rosalind Franklin's X-ray photographic work showing crystallographic evidence of the structure of DNA, which was shown to them, without her knowledge. Watson and Crick were awarded the Nobel Prize in 1962. More

1959, February 3 - The music album "Music from Big Pink" by The Band is released, influencing the Americana music genre.

1959, February 16 - Fidel Castro becomes prime minister of Cuba, replacing José Miró Cardona who was the head of the country's new provisional government. Fidel Castro had led the guerrilla campaign that forced right-wing dictator Fulgencio Batista into exile. Castro, had become commander in chief of Cuba’s armed forces after Batista was ousted on January 1, 1959. More

1960, February 1 - Four African American students at North Carolina, Agricultural and Technical College, stage a sit-in at a segregated Woolworth's lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina, sparking similar protests. The “Greensboro Four,” were Ezell Blair Jr. (now known as Jibreel Khazan), David Richmond, Franklin McCain, and Joseph McNeil. Their protest led to the Woolworth Department Store chain ending its policy of racial segregation in its stores in the southern United States. More

1962, February 7 - President John F. Kennedy proclaimed an embargo on trade between the United States and Cuba, in response to certain actions taken by the Cuban Government, and directed the Departments of Commerce and the Treasury to implement the embargo, which remains in place today. More

1962, February 20 - John H. Glenn, Jr., one of NASA’s original seven Mercury astronauts, becomes the first American to orbit Earth, circling it three times. Glenn went on to become a U.S. Senator in 1974. More 

1964, February 7 - The Beatles arrive in the United States for the first time, starting the "British Invasion" of music.

1965, February 15 -  Canada adopts a new National flag. The new maple leaf flag originally proposed by George Stanley was made official was inaugurated in a public ceremony on Parliament Hill.  More 

1965, February 21 - Malcolm X is assassinated in New York City. More

1966, February 3 - The Soviet Union's Luna 9 (Lunik 9) makes the first soft landing on the moon and transmits photographic data from the Moon's surface to Earth. It was the first spacecraft to achieve a soft lunar landing, preceding the U.S. Surveyor 1 soft lander by about 4 months. The probe also proved that the lunar surface could support the weight of a lander and that an object would not sink into a loose layer of dust as some models predicted. Luna 9 launched on 31 January 1966 at 11:41 UT (14:41 Moscow time) from Baikonur Cosmodrome and reached the Moon on 3 February. More

1968, February 1 - The Viet Cong launch the Tet Offensive during the Vietnam War, marking a turning point in the conflict.

1970, February 11 - Japan launches Ohsumi , it first man-made satellite, making Japan the fourth country in the world (after the former Soviet Union, the United States and France) to have launched a satellite without aid from outside sources. More

1971, February 5 -  Apollo 14's  Lunar module with astronauts, Alan B. Shepard Jr. (Commander) and Edgar D. Mitchell (Lunar Module Pilot) descends to the lunar surface on the third U.S. moon landing. The 3rd Apollo 14 astronaut was Stuart A. Roosa, (Command Module Pilot). The astronauts returned to earth on Feb. 9, 1971 Landing on the Pacific Ocean.  More

1971, February 9 - The Sylmar earthquake strikes Los Angeles, registering a magnitude of 6.6 and causing significant damage.

1974, February 8 - The U.S. Senate votes to confirm Nelson Rockefeller as Vice President of the United States under President Gerald Ford.

1977, February 18 - The first 10 episodes of "Roots," a groundbreaking TV miniseries about slavery, air in the United States.

1978, February 22 - The first NAVSTAR satellite, Navstar 1, was launched. The U.S. Department of Defense previously launched the first experimental Block-I GPS satellite in February, 1977, which later also became part of the NAVSTAR GPS (Navigation Digital Timing and Ranging Global Positioning System. 

1980, February 22 - The United States Olympic hockey team pulls off the "Miracle on Ice," defeating the Soviet team during the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid.

1983, February 11 - The "MAS*H" finale becomes the most-watched television episode in history at the time.

1984, February 7 - Navy captain Bruce McCandless II, on the Space Shuttle Challenger’s STS 41-B mission, becomes the first human being to do a spacewalk without a safety tether linked to a spacecraft. McCandless donned a backpack mobility device—the Manned Maneuvering Unit—and ventured about 320 ft (98 m) away from the vehicle, becoming the first human satellite. His solo ride lasted 1 hour and 22 minutes. More 

1986, February 25 - Philippine President Ferdinand E. Marcos, leaves his country with his family for Hawaii after a fraudulent electoral victory over Corazon Aquino. After Ferdinand Marcos's death1989, the remaining members of the family were allowed to return to the Philippines to face various corruption charges in 1992. However, they were able to return to political power that same year, to the dismay of many Filipino people, with the election of Bongbong Marcos (Son of Ferdinand E. Marcos) as congressman for the second district of Ilocos Norte. He was elected to president of the Philippines in June 30, 2022.

1986, February 28 - Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme is gunned down in the street outside a cinema in Stockholm. His killer was never found.

1989, February 14 - Iranian leader Ayatollah Khomeini calls for the execution of British author Salman Rushdie over his novel "The Satanic Verses."

1990, February 11 - Nelson Mandela is released from Victor Verster Prison in South Africa after 27 years in captivity as South African President F.W. de Klerk lifts the 30-year ban on the African National Congress, and other black liberation parties, allowing freedom of the press, and releasing political prisoners marking the beginning of the end of apartheid. More

1992, February 7 - The Treaty of the European Union, also known as Treaty of Maastricht is signed in Maastricht. In accordance with that Treaty, the Union is founded on the European Communities (first pillar), with two additional areas of cooperation (second and third pillars): the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CSFP) and Justice and Home Affairs (JHA). Upon entry into force of the Treaty on European Union, the EEC becomes the European Community(EC). More

1993, February 26 - A bomb planted by terrorists explodes beneath the World Trade Center in New York City, killing six and injuring over 1,000 people. The World Trade Center building suffered more than $500 million in damage. The attack was carried out by Ramzi Yousef and 6 conspirators. One of them was never captured. More 

1995, February 3 - American astronaut Eileen Collins becomes, the first woman to pilot a Space shuttle as she pilots the Discovery in what was the first flight of the new joint Russian- American Space Program. In July 1999, Collins went on to be the first woman to be a Shuttle commander on the STS-93 Columbia. More

1996, February 9 - The Irish Republican Army (IRA) declares an end to its 18-month ceasefire in Northern Ireland.

1998, February 10-26 - The 1998 Winter Olympics are held in Nagano, Japan.

2000, February 1 - Malaysia Airlines Flight 363 is hijacked, but the attempt is foiled by passengers and crew.

2000, February 5 - The World Health Organization (WHO) declares the measles virus eliminated in the United States.

2001, February 18 - FBI agent Robert Hanssen is arrested for spying for Russia for more than 15 years.

2002, February 12 - The trial of Slobodan Milošević begins at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague.

2003, February 1 - Space Shuttle Columbia breaks apart upon re-entry, tragically killing all seven crew members. Columbia lifted off on time on the first shuttle mission of the year on Jan. 16, 2003, at 10:39 a.m. EST, It carried seven crew members, on a marathon international scientific research flight. More

2003, February 15 - Millions protest the impending invasion of Iraq. A coordinated day of protests was held across the world in which people in more than 600 cities expressed opposition to the imminent Iraq War. The demonstrations were believed to be the largest single day of anti-war protest in history. It was part of a series of protests and political events that had begun in 2002 and continued as the invasion, war, and occupation took place. More

2004, February 1 - The social networking website Facebook is launched by Mark Zuckerberg and his college roommates.

2005, February 14 - Former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri is assassinated in Beirut, sparking the Cedar Revolution.

2006, February 10 - The Winter Olympics open in Turin, Italy.

2007, February 17 - Kosovo formally declares independence from Serbia.

2008, February 10 - The British film "Slumdog Millionaire" wins eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

2009, February 1 - Australian wildfires, known as "Black Saturday," claim the lives of 173 people and destroy thousands of homes.

2010, February 12 - The 2010 Winter Olympics open in Vancouver, Canada.

2010, February 16 - The Web site WikiLeaks begins posting classified U.S. government documents provided by army intelligence analyst Bradley (later Chelsea) Manning. The release of information is believed to be the largest unauthorized release of state secrets in U.S. history.

2011, February 11 - Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak resigns amidst widespread protests in Cairo's Tahrir Square.

2012, February 11 - Singer Whitney Houston dies at the age of 48.

2013, February 15 - A meteor explodes over Chelyabinsk, Russia, injuring over 1,000 people from its shockwave.

2014, February 7-23 - The 2014 Winter Olympics are held in Sochi, Russia.

2015, February 16 - "Birdman" wins the Academy Award for Best Picture at the 87th Academy Awards.

2016, February 12 - Pope Francis meets Patriarch Kirill in Havana at the first meeting between Catholic and Russian Orthodox church heads for nearly 1,000 years

2016, February 13 - Justice Antonin Scalia of the U.S. Supreme Court dies at the age of 79.

2017, February 5 - Super Bowl LI sees the New England Patriots come back from a 28-3 deficit to defeat the Atlanta Falcons.

2018, February 9-25 - The 2018 Winter Olympics are held in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

2019, February 5 - The U.S. Senate acquits President Donald Trump of impeachment charges.

2020, February 2 - Super Bowl LIV sees the Kansas City Chiefs defeat the San Francisco 49ers.

2020, February 11 - The World Health Organization names officially names the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the virus that causes it.  The first case of COVID -19 had been confirmed On January 20, 2020, a day after  35-year-old man presented to an urgent care clinic in Snohomish County, Washington, with a 4-day history of cough and subjective fever. He disclosed that he had returned to Washington State on January 15 after traveling to visit family in Wuhan, China. More 

2021, February 18 - NASA's Perseverance rover successfully lands on Mars, beginning its mission to explore the planet's surface.

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These are some of many widely recognized historic events that occurred during the month of January, listed by year.  Dates provided for earlier time events may be approximate. Select another month

753 BCE, January 1 -  Traditional date of the founding of Rome by Romulus and Remus.

753 BCE, January 11 -  According to Roman tradition, Romulus dedicates the Temple of Jupiter Stator on the Capitoline Hill.

535 BCE, January 18 - Thales of Miletus, a Greek philosopher often considered the first Western philosopher, dies in Greece.

509 BCE, January 1 - The Roman Republic is established after the overthrow of the Roman monarchy.

509 BCE, January 24 - The Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus on Rome's Capitoline Hill is dedicated on the ides of January.

480 BCE, January 1 - Leonidas I, King of Sparta, is born.

475 BCE, January 19 -  The Greek city-state of Argos defeats Sparta at the Battle of Tiryns.

460 BCE, January 21 - Greek playwright Aeschylus dies in Gela, Sicily.

450 BCE, January 29 - Birth of the historian and philosopher, Herodotus, often called the "Father of History."

431 BCE, January 1 - The Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta officially begins.

429 BCE, January 8 - Pericles, influential Athenian statesman and general, dies during the Plague of Athens.

396 BCE, January 1 - The Romans celebrate a triumph for their victory over the Etruscans.

323 BCE, January 1 - Death of Alexander the Great, leaving his empire to be divided among his generals after his passing.

73 BCE, January 1 - The Roman Senate recognizes the legal validity of the will of the wealthy Roman merchant Lucius Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus.

68 BCE, January 9 - Birth of Roman statesman and orator, Publius Clodius Pulcher.

49 BCE, January 10 - Julius Caesar, defying the order of the Roman Senate not to so, crosses the Rubicon River with his legion, famously uttering "alea iacta est" meaning "the die has been cast and leading to the Roman Civil War. He was assassinated in 44 BCE

48 BCE, January 4 - Caesar decisively defeats Pompey at the Battle of Pharsalus.

47 BCE, January 10 - Cleopatra VII of Egypt declares her son co-ruler as Ptolemy XV Caesarion with her.

45 BCE, January 1 - The Julian Calendar takes effect replacing the traditional Roman calendar which had been introduced around the seventh century B.C. which followed the lunar cycle.

44 BCE, January 14 -  Assassination of Julius Caesar by a group of Roman senators led by Brutus and Cassius.

44 BCE, January 15 - Birth of the Roman historian and politician, Gaius Sallustius Crispus (Sallust).

40 BCE, January 15 - Birth of the Roman poet and philosopher, Gaius Maecenas.

31 BCE, January 16 - Octavian (later known as Augustus) celebrates a triple triumph in Rome for his victories in the Battle of Actium.

27 BCE, January 16 - Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus is granted the title "Augustus" by the Roman Senate, marking the beginning of the Roman Empire.

9 BCE, January 12 - The Roman general Drusus completes the conquest of Raetia (modern-day Switzerland and Bavaria).

4 BCE, January 1 - The day considered by some scholars as the possible date of the birth of Jesus Christ.

6 BCE, January 2 - Jesus is presented at the Temple in Jerusalem in accordance with Jewish law.

2 BCE, January 25 - Emperor Augustus renews the law against bachelors and childless marriages in Rome.

1 BCE, January 16 - Herod the Great dies in Jericho, according to historical calculations by some scholars.

1 BCE, January 1 - The Roman Senate and people honor Caesar Augustus with the title "Pater Patriae" (Father of the Country).

1 CE, January 1 - The first day of the Julian calendar in the Roman Empire, inaugurated by Emperor Augustus.

5 CE, January 17 - Birth of the Roman historian Tacitus.

29 CE, January 6 - According to some Christian traditions, the Baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River occurs.

49 CE, January 24 - The Roman Senate confers upon Claudius the title "Pater Patriae" (Father of the Country).

64 CE, January 18 - The Roman Emperor Nero orders the construction of the Domus Aurea (Golden House) after the Great Fire of Rome.

69 CE, January 15: Roman legions in Germania Superior proclaim their commander, Vitellius, as emperor.

95 CE, January 14 - Birth of the Roman historian and senator, Gaius Cornelius Tacitus.

98 CE, January 27 - Trajan becomes Roman emperor following the death of Nerva.

167 CE, January 24 - The Roman Empire defeats the Marcomanni in the Battle of Sirmium under the reign of Marcus Aurelius.

212 CE, January 19 - Emperor Caracalla grants Roman citizenship to all free inhabitants of the Roman Empire.

225 CE, January 16 -  The Roman Emperor Severus Alexander is born.

303 CE, January 23 - Saint Emerentiana, a Christian martyr, is stoned to death in Rome during the Diocletianic Persecution.

378 CE, January 19 - The Eastern Roman Emperor Theodosius I defeats the Western Roman usurper Magnus Maximus at the Battle of Siscia.

395 CE, January 17 - The Roman Empire is permanently divided into Eastern and Western halves upon the death of Emperor Theodosius I.

418 CE, January 10 - Theodosius II becomes co-emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire at the age of 7.

457 CE, January 27 - Leo I becomes the Byzantine Emperor following the death of his predecessor Marcian.

532 CE, January 18 - The Byzantine general Belisarius enters Rome during the Gothic War.

565 CE, January 2 - Justin II succeeds his uncle Justinian I as Eastern Roman Emperor.

632 CE, January 23 - The Rashidun Caliphate is established following the death of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.

681 CE, January 4 - The Bulgarian Khan Asparukh defeats the Byzantine Emperor Constantine IV at the Battle of Ongal.

742 CE, January 26 - Charlemagne, King of the Franks, is born in modern-day Belgium.

814 CE, January 28 - Charlemagne's son, Louis the Pious, succeeds him as Holy Roman Emperor.

861 CE, January 20 - The Byzantine Empire defeats the Abbasid Caliphate at the Battle of Lalakaon.

871 CE, January 6 - Alfred the Great leads the West Saxon army to repel a Danish invasion at the Battle of Ashdown.

899 CE, January 26 - Arnulf of Carinthia, King of East Francia, dies, leading to a period of instability in the Carolingian Empire.

919 CE, January 14: The coronation of Henry the Fowler as King of East Francia (Germany) marks the beginning of the Saxon Dynasty.

949 CE, January 7 - The caliphate of Abd al-Rahman III in Al-Andalus is recognized by the Fatimid Caliphate in North Africa.

962 CE, January 6 - Otto I is crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope John XII in Rome.

988 CE, January 1 - Baptism of Kievan Rus' ruler Vladimir the Great, leading to the Christianization of the region.

999 CE, January 1 - Gregory V becomes Pope of the Roman Catholic Church.

1000, January 1 - Stephen I becomes the first Christian king of Hungary following his coronation.

1001, January 1 - Vikings led by Leif Erikson land in present-day Canada, possibly becoming the first Europeans to reach North America.

1002, January 23 - Emperor Otto III, ruler of the Holy Roman Empire, dies unexpectedly at the age of 22.

1007, January 5 - Henry II becomes King of Germany after the death of his father, Henry the Quarrelsome.

1014, January 30 - King Sweyn Forkbeard of Denmark dies, and his son, Cnut the Great, becomes king of Denmark.

1016, January 6 - Edmund Ironside, King of England, dies, solidifying Cnut the Great's rule over England.

1028, January 20 - Constantine VIII, Byzantine Emperor, dies, ending the Macedonian dynasty.

1035, January 5 - King Canute the Great of England and Denmark dies, leading to disputes over succession.

1046, January 28 - Pope Clement II, who had been installed by Emperor Henry III, dies suddenly.

1066, January 5 - Edward the Confessor, King of England, dies, leading to a succession crisis and the events of the Norman Conquest.

1066, January 6 - Harold Godwineson, head of the most powerful noble family in England, is crowned King Harold II, following the death of Edward the Confessor, leading to a war of succession involving Tostig, brother of Harold, King Harald III Hardraade of Norway and William, duke of Normandy. King Harold managed to fight and kill Tostig and King Harald III at the Battle of Stamford Bridge near York but was himself soon defeated and killed by William at the Battle of Hastings. Almost a year after Edward the Confessor's death, on Christmas Day, 1066, William the Conqueror was crowned the first Norman king of England. More

1077, January 27 - Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV arrives at the fortress of Canossa, beginning the famous Walk to Canossa to seek forgiveness from Pope Gregory VII.

1078, January 9 - Sultan Malik Shah I, ruler of the Seljuk Empire, dies, leading to a period of internal strife.

1086, January 14 - The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England, is completed by order of William the Conqueror.

1092, January 8 - Prince Vsevolod I becomes Grand Prince of Kiev, marking a significant period in Kievan Rus' history.

1094, January 22 - Alfonso VI of León and Castile conquers the city of Valencia from the Moors.

1095, January 10 - The Council of Clermont begins, where Pope Urban II delivers a sermon urging Christians to reclaim the Holy Land, sparking the First Crusade.

1097, January 13 - Crusaders led by Bohemond I of Antioch begin the siege of Antioch during the First Crusade.

1098, January 13 - Crusaders under Raymond IV of Toulouse capture Ma'arrat al-Numan in Syria during the First Crusade.

1098, January 31 - The Crusaders, besieged in Antioch, capture a tower, gaining a strategic advantage in the ongoing siege.

1099, January 12 - Crusaders start constructing siege engines for the siege of Arqa during the First Crusade.

1099, January 13 - Raymond IV of Toulouse leads Crusaders in capturing the town of Arqa, Lebanon, during the First Crusade.

1099, January 20 - The Crusaders besiege the city of Arqa, an important strategic point in Lebanon, during the First Crusade.

1099, January 31 -  Crusaders begin constructing siege engines for the siege of Tripoli during the First Crusade.

1100, January 6 - Henry I of England marries Matilda of Scotland, consolidating his rule after the turmoil following his brother's death.

1100, January 7 - Henry I is crowned King of England at Westminster Abbey, succeeding his brother William II.

1100, January 8 - Archbishop Anselm is consecrated as Archbishop of Canterbury, restoring ecclesiastical authority in England.

1100, January 27 -  Grand Prince Sviatopolk II of Kiev is murdered, leading to political unrest in Kievan Rus'.

1100, January 31 - William II of England's courtier and rumored successor, William de Warenne, dies, furthering uncertainties over succession.

1100, January 31 -  Hugh d'Avranches, 1st Earl of Chester, a prominent Norman magnate in England, dies, impacting the power dynamics of the time.

1107, January 24 - Edgar the Ætheling, the last male member of the House of Wessex, dies in England.

1110, January 13 - Henry V is crowned Holy Roman Emperor in Rome by Pope Paschal II.

1118, January 29 - Pope Gelasius II succeeds Pope Paschal II as the 161st pope.

1124, January 14 - Lothair III, Holy Roman Emperor, is crowned King of Italy.

1129, January 13 - The Council of Troyes, convened by Bernard of Clairvaux, acting as a Legate of Pope Honorius II, grants official sanction from the papacy to the Templar Order (Knights Templar) which had been founded in 1119 by some French noblemen. The order and the rules were subsequently approved by Pope Honorius II. The Templar Order gradually increase it size,  power and gaining considerable influence. It was eventually abolished by Pope Clement V who disbanded the order in 1312. More

1131, January 13 - King Sigurd I of Norway dies, and his son Magnus IV becomes king at the age of 11.

1138, January 24 - The Treaty of Durham between Scotland and England recognizes the River Tees as the boundary between the two countries.

1141, January 2 - Pope Innocent II is elected.

1143, January 15 - The Kingdom of Portugal is recognized by the Kingdom of León.

1145, January 19 -  The archbishopric of Uppsala in Sweden is established.

1152, January 29 - King Stephen of England and Empress Matilda sign the Treaty of Wallingford, recognizing Stephen as king while allowing Matilda's son to inherit the throne.

1158, January 1 - Vladislaus II, King of Bohemia, is crowned.

1169, January 14 - A severe earthquake strikes the Levant, causing significant damage and loss of life in Palestine.

1170, January 8 - Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, is assassinated in Canterbury Cathedral.

1173, January 1 - Pope Alexander III canonizes Saint Thomas Becket.

1177, January 10 - Pope Alexander III issues the papal bull "Manifestis Probatum," recognizing Portugal as an independent kingdom.

1189, January 6 - Richard I (Richard the Lionheart) of England is crowned at Westminster Abbey.

1192, January 1 - Emperor Henry VI is crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Celestine III in Rome.

1198, January 8 - Lotario dei Conti di Segni is elected Pope Innocent III.

1199, January 13 - King Richard I of England is wounded while besieging the castle of Châlus-Chabrol in France and dies shortly after.

1199, January 20 - King Richard I's brother, John, becomes King of England after Richard's death.

1200, January 15 - King Philip II of France and King John of England sign the Treaty of Le Goulet, marking the end of a conflict.

1200, January 20 - King Philip II of France marries Agnes of Merania.

1200, January 24 - King John of England marries Isabella of Angoulême, causing tensions in the region.

1201, January 21 - The Fourth Crusade begins with a call for a crusade against Alexios III Angelos, the Byzantine Emperor.

1202, January 1 - The Fourth Crusade reaches Venice, negotiating with the Venetians for transport to Egypt.

1202, January 28 - Alexios IV Angelos is crowned co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire, following the Fourth Crusade's arrival in Constantinople.

1204, January 17 - Crusaders of the Fourth Crusade capture the Byzantine city of Thessalonica.

1204, January 26 - Crusaders sack the city of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade, leading to the fall of the Byzantine Empire.

1205, January 7 - Theodosius III is proclaimed Byzantine Emperor after the deposition of Alexios V.

1205, January 24 - Pope Innocent III excommunicates Otto IV, Holy Roman Emperor, for supporting the antipope.

1208, January 15 - Philip of Swabia becomes King of Germany.

1215, January 6 - King John of England marries Isabella of Angoulême.

1215, January 17 - King John of England appoints Stephen Langton as Archbishop of Canterbury.

1215, January 27 - The Fourth Lateran Council is convened by Pope Innocent III, addressing church reform and promulgating decrees.

1225, January 6 - Louis VIII of France enters into negotiations with Henry III of England for the release of English lands in France.

1236, January 28 - The city of Ryazan in Russia is captured and burned by Mongol forces under Batu Khan.

1248, January 7 - Construction of the Cologne Cathedral in Germany begins.

1259, January 18 - Michael VIII Palaiologos is proclaimed co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire.

1264, January 16 - The Parliament of Ireland meets at Castledermot in County Kildare, the first Irish parliament on record.

1265, January 20 - The first English Parliament summoned by Simon de Montfort meets in London.

1272, January 20 - Alfonso X is crowned King of Castile and León.

1274, January 18 - The Second Council of Lyon is convened by Pope Gregory X, focusing on church reunification and crusade plans.

1277, January 22 - The University of Paris condemns the teachings of philosopher and theologian Peter Abelard.

1283, January 22 - War breaks out between England and Wales as King Edward I launches a campaign against Llywelyn ap Gruffudd.

1284, January 13 - The Principality of Wales becomes united with England following the Statute of Rhuddlan.

1287, January 14 - A massive flood known as the "Saint Lucia's flood" strikes the Netherlands, causing widespread destruction.

1290, January 18 - King Edward I of England issues the Edict of Expulsion, ordering the expulsion of Jews from England.

1291, January 18: The Council of Acre ends, marking the collapse of the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem.

1292, January 20 - John Balliol is crowned King of Scotland.

1293, January 10 - King Rudolf I of Germany grants the Privilegium Majus, a document asserting the independence of Austria.

1297, January 8 - François Grimaldi, disguised as a monk, captures the fortress of Monaco, establishing the Grimaldi family's rule.

1298, January 26 - Duke Albert I of Austria defeats King Adolf of Germany at the Battle of Göllheim.

1299, January 1 - Ottoman Turks led by Osman I begin the Ottoman Empire's expansion from their base in Anatolia.

1299, January 25 - The Mongols under Ghazan Khan capture the Syrian Citadel of Aleppo, marking Mongol expansion into the region.

1299, January 26 - Pope Boniface VIII issues the papal bull "Super Cathedram," affirming papal supremacy over temporal rulers.

1299, January 31 - Edward I of England summons Parliament, instructing on measures to raise funds for military campaigns.

1299, January - The Mamluks capture the city of Jaffa, ending Crusader control in the Holy Land.

1299, January - Serbian King Stefan Milutin conquers the city of Skopje from the Byzantine Empire.

1299, January - The city of Pamplona in Spain becomes a part of the Kingdom of Navarre.

1299, January - Scottish forces under William Wallace achieve victory against English troops at the Battle of Scone Moor.

1300, January 1 - Dante Alighieri becomes one of the six priors of Florence, Italy.

1301, January 27 - Andrew III of Hungary dies, leading to succession disputes and internal conflicts in Hungary.

1302, January 18 - The Pope confirms the Knights Templar's privileges despite ongoing controversies surrounding the order.

1302, January 27 - Dante  Alighieri is accused of corruption in political office like others from the White Guelphs political party (supporters independence for the city-state who were not aligned with the Pope). Dante's sentence was a hefty fine  and banishment for two years from Florence and permanent exclusion from public office. Dante refused any pardon that required him to admit guilt against the city he loved and later that year, he was banned for life and threatened with execution if he returned. The poet never returned to Florence and died of malaria 20 years later in Ravenna on the Adriatic coast. 

1303, January 16 - The papal fortress of Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome is seized by forces loyal to Pope Boniface VIII.

1304, January 3 - The town of Helsingborg in Sweden receives its city rights.

1305, January 5 - Pope Clement V is elected, beginning the Avignon Papacy.

1306, January 5 - Robert the Bruce renounces his allegiance to England's King Edward I, beginning his campaign for the Scottish throne.

1307, January 12 - Marriage negotiations between King Edward II of England and Isabella of France, daughter of King Philip IV, begin.

1308, January 19 - Edward II of England marries Isabella of France at Boulogne-sur-Mer.

1309, January 7 - The papal court moves from Rome to Avignon, beginning the Avignon Papacy.

1310, January 27 - The Knights Templar's leadership is condemned by the Council of Vienne, leading to their suppression.

1311, January 6 - The Council of Vienne begins, discussing various church matters including the Templar Order.

1312, January 23 - Pope Clement V officially dissolves the Knights Templar by papal decree.

1313, January 20 - Emperor Henry VII is crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Clement V in Rome.

1314, January 2 - Pope Clement V sends a letter to King Philip IV of France regarding the suppression of the Templars.

1315, January 23 - The Council of Ten established in Venice to safeguard internal security and stability.

1316, January 4 - Louis X of France dies, leading to a succession crisis in France.

1317, January 16 - The first Treaty of Leake is signed between England and Scotland, temporarily ending hostilities.

1318, January 24 - The Council of Ravenna convenes to address church reform and discipline.

1319, January 30 - A peace treaty is signed between the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England.

1320, January 25 - King Władysław I of Poland issues the formal establishment of the Kingdom of Poland and the Polish-Lithuanian Union with the coronation of his son.

1321, January 1 - Marsilius of Padua presents his political treatise "Defensor Pacis" to the Archbishop of Mainz.

1322, January 16 - The Battle of Burton Bridge takes place during the Despenser War in England.

1323, January 23 - Treaty of Paris between England and Scotland recognizes Scottish independence.

1324, January 24 - Louis IV becomes King of Germany, later Holy Roman Emperor.

1325, January 16 - Alfonso IV becomes King of Aragon after the death of his father, James II.

1326, January 24 - Isabella of France and Roger Mortimer invade England, starting the downfall of Edward II.

1327, January 25 - Edward II of England is formally deposed, and his son, Edward III, becomes king.

1328, January 6 - The Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton is signed, recognizing Scottish independence from England.

1329, January 13 - King Casimir III of Poland begins his reign, focusing on domestic reforms and strengthening the kingdom.

1330, January 8 - Emperor Frederick III of Sicily dies, leading to a succession crisis.

1331, January 10 - The Battle of Emesa takes place during the Byzantine civil war between factions led by Andronikos III and John Kantakouzenos.

1332, January 10 - A truce is agreed upon between England and Scotland during the Second War of Scottish Independence.

1333, January 19 - The English capture the town of Dunbar in Scotland during the Second War of Scottish Independence.

1334, January 13 - King Edward III of England convenes Parliament at York, establishing the principle of the northern host.

1335, January 30 - A peace treaty is signed between England and Scotland in the midst of the Second War of Scottish
Independence.

1336, January 7 - Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor, confirms the city rights of Bern, Switzerland.

1337, January 24 - King Edward III of England proclaims himself rightful heir to the French throne, initiating the Hundred Years' War.

1338, January 13 - The English Parliament grants funds for King Edward III's war against France.

1339, January 10 - Philip VI of France creates a naval blockade against English wool exports in retaliation for the Hundred Years' War.

1340, January 22 - Pope Benedict XII is consecrated as Pope in Avignon.

1341, January 25 - King David II of Scotland holds a Parliament at Scone, attempting to raise funds for the ransom to free himself from English captivity.

1342, January 5 - King Edward III of England creates the Knights of the Garter, an elite chivalric order.

1343, January 26 - King Edward III of England establishes the Truce of Malestroit with France, temporarily halting hostilities.

1344, January 20 - The Scots under Sir Andrew Murray defeat the English at the Battle of Happrew, part of the Second War of Scottish Independence.

1345, January 8 - Pope Clement VI confirms the privileges of the University of Prague, Bohemia.

1346, January 6 - The House of Commons convenes for the first time in England.

1347, January 12 - Henry, Duke of Lancaster, arrives in Calais to aid King Edward III during the Hundred Years' War.

1348, January 13 - Charles IV of Luxembourg is crowned Holy Roman Emperor in Bonn.

1349, January 17 - An earthquake strikes the region of Huesca, Spain, causing significant damage.

1350, January 17 - King John II of France, a prisoner in England, agrees to the Treaty of London, promising to pay a large ransom.

1351, January 18 - The Cortes of Leiria in Portugal is convened by King Afonso IV to address various issues in the kingdom.

1352, January 18 - The Golden Bull of Emperor Charles IV establishes the electoral college of the Holy Roman Empire.

1353, January 5 - A peace treaty is signed between Sweden and Denmark, known as the Treaty of Gottorp.

1354, January 7 - Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor, issues the Golden Bull of 1354, formalizing the electoral college of the Holy Roman Empire.

1355, January 10 - The St. Scholastica Day riot occurs in Oxford, England, resulting in significant violence between town and gown.

1356, January 1 - Edward Balliol, supported by England, is crowned King of Scotland in Scone.

1357, January 25 - King Edward III of England establishes the Order of the Garter, England's highest chivalric order.

1358, January 17 - The Jacquerie peasant revolt begins in France, triggered by social and economic grievances.

1359, January 30 - The Battle of Saintes takes place during the Hundred Years' War between England and France, resulting in an English victory.

1360, January 6 - The Treaty of Calais is signed, ending the first phase of the Hundred Years' War between England and France.

1361, January 9 - King Henry of Trastámara becomes King Henry II of Castile after defeating his half-brother, King Peter, at the Battle of Campo de Montiel.

1362, January 11 - A truce is agreed upon between England and Scotland, temporarily halting hostilities during the Hundred Years' War.

1363, January 27 - King Charles V of France creates the first franc coin, a new currency for France.

1364, January 22 - Charles V is crowned King of France at Reims Cathedral after the death of his father, King John II.

1365, January 19 - The Parliament of Ireland meets in Dublin, strengthening English control over Ireland.

1366, January 9 - King Peter I of Portugal leads a successful expedition to conquer the city of Badajoz in Spain.

1367, January 6 - Richard II of England begins his reign as king at the age of 10 following the death of his grandfather, Edward III.

1368, January 23 - The Ming Dynasty officially begins in China with the ascension of Zhu Yuanzhang as the Hongwu Emperor.

1369, January 12 - King Peter I of Portugal dies, succeeded by his daughter, Beatrice, and her husband, John I of Castile.

1370, January 25 - Pope Gregory XI publishes five papal bulls condemning the doctrines of John Wycliffe.

1371, January 22 - King Robert II of Scotland defeats a much smaller English force at the Battle of Invernahavon.

1372, January 9 - The Treaty of Calais is renewed, extending the truce between England and France.

1373, January 23 - Pope Gregory XI sends a letter to England denouncing the teachings of John Wycliffe.

1374, January 6 - An earthquake strikes Cyprus, causing significant damage and loss of life.

1375, January 9 - The Parliament of England convenes in Westminster, focusing on financial matters and reforms.

1376, January 23 - The Great Schism in the Catholic Church begins when Pope Gregory XI dies, leading to rival papal claimants.

1377, January 28 - Richard II of England marries Anne of Bohemia, daughter of Emperor Charles IV.

1378, January 17 - Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch), Italian poet and scholar, dies in Arquà Petrarca, Italy.

1379, January 9 - The Treaty of Neuberg is signed, ending a war between Austria and Bavaria.

1380, January 20 - King Charles VI of France is crowned at Reims Cathedral at the age of 11 following the death of his father, Charles V.

1381, January 7 - John Wycliffe presents his views on church reform to Parliament in England.

1382, January 9 - The Golden Horde under Tokhtamysh attacks Moscow, leading to the Battle of Kulikovo.

1383, January 19 - King Richard II of England marries Anne of Bohemia at Westminster Abbey.

1384, January 25 - Louis I of Anjou is crowned King of Naples, initiating the Angevin dynasty's rule in southern Italy.

1385, January 10 - Portuguese forces under Nuno Álvares Pereira defeat Castilian forces at the Battle of Trancoso.

1386, January 8 - King John I of Castile marries Beatrice of Portugal, sealing the Treaty of Windsor.

1387, January 23 - King Charles III of Naples is crowned King of Hungary in Naples, beginning a personal union between the two kingdoms.

1388, January 23 - Ming forces under Zhu Yuanzhang defeat the Mongol army at the Battle of Yongtai, consolidating Ming control in China.

1399, January 22 - King Richard II of England meets with Henry Bolingbroke, later Henry IV, leading to his eventual deposition.

1400, January 7 - John Montacute, Earl of Salisbury, and Thomas Holland, Duke of Surrey, are executed for their involvement in a plot against King Henry IV of England.

1401, January 10 - The Welsh rebel leader, Owain Glyndŵr, proclaims himself Prince of Wales, initiating a revolt against English rule.

1402, January 6 - King Henry IV of England declares Owain Glyndŵr a traitor and offers a reward for his capture.

1403, January 21 - King Henry IV of England grants a royal charter to the Guild of Tailors in London.

1404, January 4 - The English Parliament passes the Act of Multipliers, addressing economic issues by controlling wages and prices.

1405, January 3 - French forces under Louis, Duke of Orléans, capture the city of Bordeaux, a significant English stronghold.

1406, January 3 - The Treaty of Windsor is signed between England and Scotland, establishing peace and a marriage alliance between the two kingdoms.

1407, January 6 - Pope Gregory XII issues a papal bull against the Avignon Pope, Benedict XIII, as part of efforts to end the Western Schism.

1408, January 13 - The Council of Pisa is announced, aiming to resolve the Western Schism by deposing both Pope Gregory XII and Antipope Benedict XIII.

1409, January 3 - The Council of Pisa officially opens, attempting to resolve the Western Schism by electing a new pope, Alexander V.

1410, January 8 - The Peace of Bicêtre is signed, temporarily halting the Armagnac-Burgundian civil war in France.

1411, January 26 - The University of St. Andrews in Scotland is chartered by a papal bull from Pope Benedict XIII.

1412, January 6 - The Medici family gains power in Florence as Giovanni de' Medici becomes head of the family's bank.

1413, January 4 - King Henry IV of England dies, and his son becomes King Henry V.

1414, January 11 - Pope Gregory XII resigns from the papacy as part of efforts to resolve the Western Schism.

1415, January 20 - The Council of Constance is convened, aiming to resolve the Western Schism and address church reform.

1416, January 6 - The Council of Constance condemns the teachings of Jan Hus, leading to his trial for heresy.

1417, January 6 - The Council of Constance elects Cardinal Oddone Colonna as Pope Martin V, effectively ending the Western Schism.

1418, January 4 - The Hussite Wars in Bohemia intensify as followers of Jan Hus take control of Prague and overthrow King Wenceslaus IV's regents.

1419, January 9 - Jan Žižka leads the Hussites in the Battle of Sudoměř, defeating King Wenceslaus IV's forces.

1420, January 14 - The Treaty of Troyes is signed, establishing Henry V of England as heir to the French throne.

1421, January 23 - The University of St. Andrews in Scotland receives its papal bull of confirmation from Pope Martin V.

1422, January 11 - King Henry V of England dies, and his infant son becomes King Henry VI.

1423, January 15 - The Council of Siena is convened by Pope Martin V to discuss church reforms and the Crusades.

1424, January 2 - The Treaty of Melun is signed, temporarily ending hostilities between France and England.

1425, January 17 - The reign of King Henry VI of England officially begins with his coronation at Westminster Abbey.

1426, January 7 - The Medici Bank in Florence suffers a financial crisis, leading to its restructuring.

1427, January 6 - The University of Basel is founded in Switzerland.

1428, January 6 - King Alfonso V of Aragon establishes the University of Barcelona.

1429, January 8 - The Siege of Orléans by the English during the Hundred Years' War begins, marking a turning point in the conflict.

1431, January 9  - The trial of Joan of Arc begins in Rouen, France, presided over by an ecclesiastical court.

1432, January 10 - The Battle of San Romano takes place between Florence and Siena, a conflict depicted in famous Renaissance artworks.

1433, January 1 - Pope Eugenius IV succeeds Pope Martin V as the 207th pope.

1434, January 15 - Pope Eugenius IV grants the privileges of the University of Leuven in Belgium.

1435, January 6 - The Congress of Arras opens, aiming to negotiate peace between Burgundy and France.

1436, January 1 - The Council of Basel suspends Pope Eugene IV, beginning a period of tension between the Council and the papacy.

1437, January 21 - James I of Scotland is assassinated in Perth, Scotland.

1438, January 9 - Albert II of Habsburg is crowned Holy Roman Emperor in Rome.

1439, January 18 - The Union of Florence is signed, aiming to reconcile the Eastern and Western churches.

1440, January 15 - Gilles de Rais, a companion-in-arms of Joan of Arc, is condemned and executed for crimes including murder and heresy.

1441, January 17 - Afonso V becomes King of Portugal at the age of six following the death of his father, Edward of Portugal.

1442, January 10 - Alfonso V of Aragon reconquers Naples from the Angevins, establishing Aragonese rule in southern Italy.

1443, January 5 - Albert II, Holy Roman Emperor, dies, leaving Frederick III as his successor.

1444, January 2 - The Peace of Szeged is signed, ending the 1443-1444 Crusade of Varna between Hungary and the Ottoman Empire.
1445, January 6 - Alfonso V of Aragon is crowned King of Sicily, consolidating his control over the Italian peninsula.

1446, January 17 - The Treaty of Ragusa is signed, establishing peace between Venice and the Kingdom of Hungary.

1447, January 21: The Eton College Foundation Charter is signed, establishing Eton College near Windsor, England.

1448, January 2 - Christopher of Bavaria, King of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, dies.

1449, January 23 - The siege of Constantinople by the Ottoman Empire begins, leading to the fall of the Byzantine Empire in 1453.

1450, January 1 - The University of Barcelona is established by King Alfonso V of Aragon.

1451, January 3 - Sultan Murad II of the Ottoman Empire abdicates the throne in favor of his son, Mehmed II.

1452, January 23 - The Gutenberg Bible, the first major book printed with movable type in the West, begins production in Mainz, Germany.

1453, January 6 - Mehmed II ascends the throne as Sultan of the Ottoman Empire after the death of his father, Murad II.

1454, January 28 - The Treaty of Prenzlau is signed, ending the war between the Teutonic Order and Poland.

1455, January 2 - The Gutenberg Bible is completed, marking a pivotal moment in the history of printing.

1456, January 6 - The Siege of Belgrade begins, with Hungarian and Serbian forces defending the city against the Ottomans.

1457, January 28 - King Henry VII of England is born, later becoming the first Tudor monarch.

1458, January 6 - Alfonso V of Aragon takes control of the Kingdom of Naples after his victory over René of Anjou.

1459, January 28 - The Treaty of Olomouc is signed, establishing a peace settlement between Hungary and Austria.

1460, January 10 - Richard, Duke of York, is proclaimed King of England, challenging the reign of King Henry VI during the Wars of the Roses.

1461, January 14 - The Battle of Mortimer's Cross takes place during the Wars of the Roses in England, where Yorkists defeat Lancastrians.

1462, January 2 - The Ottomans capture Constantinople's strategically important region, the Morea, completing their conquest of the Byzantine Empire.

1463, January 13 - Completion of the Trondheim Cathedral in Norway after several decades of construction.

1464, January 10 - The Treaty of Westminster is signed between England and Scotland, securing peace between the two kingdoms.

1465, January 15 - Charles the Bold of Burgundy marries Margaret of York, sister of Edward IV of England, solidifying an alliance.

1466, January 27 - The Second Peace of Thorn is signed, ending the Thirteen Years' War between the Teutonic Order and Poland.

1467, January 21 - The Battle of Nancy takes place, resulting in the death of Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, at the hands of the Swiss.

1468, January 5 - During the Wars of the Roses, the Duke of Clarence, brother of Edward IV, is executed for treason.

1469, January 19 - Ferdinand II of Aragon marries Isabella I of Castile, leading to the unification of Spain.

1470, January 7 - The Battle of Tewkesbury is fought during the Wars of the Roses, resulting in a decisive Yorkist victory.

1471, January 10 - The Battle of Harlaw in Scotland sees the victory of the Scottish over the Highland clans.

1472, January 4 - Florentine painter Sandro Botticelli is commissioned to paint "Adoration of the Magi."

1473, January 6 - Nicolaus Copernicus, the astronomer who proposed a heliocentric model of the universe, is born in Poland.

1474, January 5 - The University of Copenhagen is founded in Denmark.

1475, January 17 - Battle of Vaslui between the Moldavian Prince Stephen the Great and the Ottoman Empire.

1476, January 5 - Birth of Anne of Brittany, future queen consort of France and duchess of Brittany.

1477, January 5 - The Battle of Nancy takes place, where Duke Charles the Bold of Burgundy is killed.

1478, January 7 - The Grand Duke of Muscovy, Ivan III, marries Zoe Palaiologina, niece of the last Byzantine Emperor.

1479, January 17 - Treaty of Alcáçovas is signed, ending the War of Castilian Succession between Portugal and Castile.

1480, January 6 - Ivan III of Russia launches the Great Stand on the Ugra River, halting the advance of the Golden Horde.

1481, January 26 - King Afonso V of Portugal dies, and his son, John II, becomes king.

1482, January 8 - The inauguration of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican takes place.

1483, January 26 - King Richard III of England convenes the first Parliament of his reign.

1484, January 18 - The first printed edition of the Vulgate Bible is published by Johann von Speyer in Rome.

1485, January 7 - The reign of King Henry VII of England begins after his victory at the Battle of Bosworth Field.

1486, January 18 - The Treaty of Bagnolo is signed, ending the War of Ferrara between Venice and the Papal States.

1487, January 6 - The funeral of Henry VI of England takes place in Windsor.

1488, January 4 - Bartolomeu Dias, Portuguese explorer, anchors near the mouth of the Congo River during his expedition.

1492, January 2 - Granada, the last stronghold of the Moorish kingdom in Spain surrenders to Spain ending the Reconquest led by the Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand II and Isabella I

1497, January 2 - Vasco da Gama departs from Lisbon on his first voyage to India.

1498, January 25 - During his third voyage, Christopher Columbus discovers the island of Isla de Margarita off the coast of Venezuela.

1501, January 1 - The Battle of Vedrosha is fought between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Grand Duchy of Moscow.

1502, January 6 - Portuguese explorer Gaspar de Lemos reaches the Bay of Guanabara in Brazil.

1503, January 26 - The Treaty of Lyons is signed, establishing peace between France and Spain.

1504, January 2 - King Ferdinand II of Aragon abandons the Kingdom of Naples, leaving it under the control of Louis XII of France.

1505, January 13 - The University of Copenhagen is officially inaugurated in Denmark.

1506, January 8 - The construction of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome begins under Pope Julius II.

1507, January 16 - Leonardo da Vinci is commissioned to paint the Mona Lisa by Francesco del Giocondo.

1508, January 23 - Construction of the Basilica of St. Peter in the Vatican City begins.

1509, January 28 - The accession of Henry VIII to the throne of England after the death of his father, Henry VII.

1510, January 2 - King Henry VIII of England orders the burning of all Lutheran books.

1511, January 3 - The Swiss Confederation defeats the Holy League at the Battle of Ravenna in Italy.

1512, January 6 - The cornerstone of the Sistine Chapel's ceiling is laid in the Vatican City.

1513, January 25 - Spanish conquistador Vasco Núñez de Balboa reaches the Pacific Ocean after crossing the Isthmus of Panama.

1514, January 4 - The Treaty of Maline is signed, forming an alliance between King Henry VIII of England and Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I.

1515, January 14 - François I of France is crowned king in Reims.

1516, January 23 - The Habsburg Charles I of Spain becomes the ruler of the Spanish Empire after the death of Ferdinand II of Aragon.

1517, January 29 - The Ottoman Sultan Selim I occupies Egypt, marking the end of the Mamluk Sultanate.

1518, January 3 - Cardinal Wolsey becomes Lord Chancellor of England under Henry VIII.

1519, January 22 - Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I dies, and his grandson Charles V becomes the new emperor.

1520, January 28 - The Diet of Worms begins in Germany, where Martin Luther defends his religious beliefs.

1521, January 9 - Pope Leo X excommunicates Martin Luther from the Catholic Church.

1522, January 11 - The Treaty of Brussels is signed, ending the Anglo-French War of 1522–1526.

1523, January 6 - Christian II is crowned King of Denmark and Norway.

1524, January 22 - The French troops under King Francis I capture the city of Milan from the Holy Roman Empire.

1525, January 17 - The Swiss Confederation defeats the French at the Battle of Pavia during the Italian War of 1521–1526.

1526, January 26 - King Charles V's troops sack Rome, capturing Pope Clement VII.

1527, January 28 - The Anabaptist movement starts in Zurich, Switzerland, with the first adult baptism by Conrad Grebel.

1528, January 23 - England and France sign the Treaty of Westminster, establishing peace between the two nations.

1529, January 26 - The Spanish defeat the French at the Battle of Landriano during the War of the League of Cognac.

1530, January 3 - Cardinal Thomas Wolsey is arrested for high treason in England.

1531, January 5 - Pope Clement VII  forbids  Henry VIII from remarrying until his first marriage is resolved and forbidding the clergy in England from trying the case. More

 forbidding Henry from remarrying until his first marriage is resolved and forbidding the clergy in England from trying the case.

1531, January 21 - The Protestant city of Zürich declares independence from the Catholic cantons, leading to the First War of Kappel in Switzerland.

1532, January 26 - The English parliament bans payments to Rome, marking a step towards the English Reformation.

1533, January 25 - King Henry VIII of England secretly marries Anne Boleyn.

1534, January 6 - French explorer Jacques Cartier lands in Newfoundland, marking the beginning of French exploration in North America.

1535, January 10 - Henry VIII declares himself head of the Church in England, formally separating from the Roman Catholic Church.

1535, January 18 - The city of Lima, Peru, is founded by Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro on the central coast of Peru.  Founded on the then Julian Calendar's Catholic holiday of Epiphany, when the Three Kings visited the baby Jesus, and was therefore known as Ciudad de los Reyes or City of the Kings.

1536, January 25 - Henry VIII of England marries his third wife, Jane Seymour, following the execution of Anne Boleyn.

1537, January 14 - The first complete English-language Bible, the Matthew Bible, is printed.

1538, January 1 - King Francis I of France issues the Ordinance of Villers-Cotterêts, making French the official language of legal documents.

1539, January 27 - Spain annexes Cuba.

1540, January 6 - King Henry VIII of England marries Anne of Cleves, a marriage that will be annulled after a few months.

1541, January 18 - Santiago, Chile, is founded by Spanish conquistador Pedro de Valdivia.

1542, January  - King James V of Scotland dies, leaving his daughter Mary, Queen of Scots, as his heir.

1543, January 9 - England and Scotland sign the Treaty of Greenwich, aiming to unite the two kingdoms through the marriage of King Henry VIII's son, Edward, to Mary, Queen of Scots.

1544, January 12 - King Henry VIII of England leads an invasion of France during the Italian War of 1542–1546.

1545, January 10 - The Council of Trent reconvenes in Trento, Italy, to discuss reforms in response to the Protestant Reformation.

1546, January 18 - Protestant reformer Martin Luther dies in Eisleben, Germany.

1547, January 28 - King Henry VIII of England dies, and his nine-year-old son Edward VI succeeds him as king.

1548, January 7- The city of Nuestra Señora de La Paz (La Paz) is founded in Bolivia by Spanish conquistadors.

1549, January 22 - The execution of Thomas Seymour, brother of Jane Seymour and uncle of King Edward VI, takes place for treason.

1550, January 1 - The first version of the Gutenberg Bible is auctioned in London. More

1552, January 15 -  The German cities of Würzburg and Bamberg surrender to the forces of Albert Alcibiades, Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach.

1554, January 18 - A French army led by Henry II of France and the Duke of Guise capture the city of Siena, Italy, during the Italian War of 1551–1559.

1554. January 25 -  The City of São Paulo is founded in Brazil. The city’s name derives from its having been founded by Jesuit missionaries on the anniversary of the conversion of St. Paul.

1555, January 5 - The election of Pope Julius III takes place, succeeding Pope Paul IV.

1556, January 24 - The Shaanxi earthquake, believed to be the deadliest earthquake ever recorded, strikes China's Shaanxi and neighboring Shanxi province, killing or injuring and estimated 830,000 people. Although the quake lasted only seconds, it leveled mountains, altered the path of rivers, ignited fires that burned for days and caused massive flooding. More

1557, January 17 - England declares war on France during the Italian War of 1551–1559.

1558, January 7 - Calais, the last English possession on mainland France, falls to the French, ending English territorial claims in France.

1559, January 6 - The Council of Trent concludes its discussions on the Counter-Reformation.

1559, January 15 - Elizabeth I is crowned Queen of England. Elizabeth was the daughter of Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn and succeeded to the throne on the death of her half-sister Mary I .1558. Elizabeth's 45-year reign is generally considered one of the most glorious in English history. During it, a secure Church of England was established. Its doctrines were laid down in the 39 Articles of 1563, a compromise between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism. More

1560, January 20 - The Treaty of Berwick is signed, ending hostilities between England and Scotland.

1562, January 1 - The Edict of Saint-Germain is signed, granting French Protestants limited religious freedoms.

1563, January 2 - The Council of Trent concludes its meetings, marking the end of the Council's discussions on church reform.

1564, January 14 - The Council of Trent formally adopts the Tridentine Creed as the official doctrine of the Catholic Church.

1565, January 18 - Battle of Talikota in India sees the defeat of the Vijayanagara Empire by a coalition of Deccan Sultanates.

1566, January 5 - Antonio de Espinosa, Spanish viceroy of Peru, issues an ordinance banning foreign silver coins in the Americas.

1567, January 17 - The Battle of Rio de Janeiro takes place between the Portuguese and French, resulting in a Portuguese victory.

1568, January 18 - The Netherlands' Duke of Alva sets the penalty for treason at confiscation of property and death.

1569, January 4 - The Union of Lublin establishes the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, uniting the Kingdom of Poland and Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

1570, January 1 - Tsar Ivan the Terrible suppresses a rebellion in Novgorod, Russia, executing thousands.

1571, January 22 - The Royal Exchange opens in London, designed by Sir Thomas Gresham as a center for commerce.

1572, January 23 - The stipulations of the 1571 Marriage Act in England are published, requiring approval from the Queen or Privy Council for marriages of nobles.

1573, January 13 - English astronomer Thomas Digges publishes a work promoting the Copernican system of astronomy.

1574, January 31 - Louis de Nogaret de La Valette becomes the Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller after the death of Jean Parisot de Valette.

1575, January 6 - King Frederick II of Denmark establishes a Lutheran state church in Norway.

1576, January 1 - The Union of Arras is signed, reconciling the Catholic southern provinces of the Netherlands with King Philip II of Spain.

1577, January 4 - The Truce of Bergerac is signed, temporarily halting the French Wars of Religion.

1578, January 23 - The Battle of Gembloux sees Spanish forces defeat the rebel States Army during the Eighty Years' War.

1579, January 6 - The Union of Arras unites Catholic provinces in the southern Netherlands against the Calvinist Dutch Revolt.

1580, January 25 - The assassination of Henry I, Duke of Guise, takes place during the French Wars of Religion.

1581, January 23 - The States-General of the Netherlands declare independence from Spain with the Act of Abjuration.

1582, January 1 - The Gregorian calendar is adopted in Catholic countries, adjusting the calendar by 10 days to correct discrepancies.

1583, January 25 - Geneva expels Catholic residents, following the escalation of religious tensions.

1584, January 10 - Spain's King Philip II revokes William the Silent's amnesty, renewing hostilities in the Dutch Revolt.

1585, January 5 - The Treaty of Nonsuch is signed between England and the Dutch rebels, formalizing their alliance against Spain.

1586, January 6 - Sir Francis Drake takes the fort at Santo Domingo in the Caribbean, capturing it briefly.

1587, January 25 - Elizabeth I of England signs the death warrant for Mary, Queen of Scots, who is executed three days later.

1588, January 7 - A document detailing the Spanish Armada's preparations for invasion is discovered in Madrid.

1591, January 18 - King Naresuan of Siam kills the Crown Prince of Burma in single combat, leading to Siamese independence.

1600, January 1 - Scotland adopts January 1 as the start of the new year, aligning with the Gregorian calendar but only in part. More

1601, January 7 - The Long Parliament of England is convened, marking a significant period in English history.

1602, January 1 - The Dutch East India Company is chartered by the Netherlands government, beginning its trade dominance in Asia.

1603, January 7 - Queen Elizabeth I of England dies, and James VI of Scotland becomes James I of England, uniting the crowns.

1604, January 19 - Tsar Boris Godunov of Russia grants trading privileges to the English Muscovy Company.

1605, January 16 - Miguel de Cervantes’s masterpiece Don Quixote ("The Ingenious Nobleman Don Quixote of La Mancha")  is published. The second portion of the book was published in 1615. More
  
1605, January 25 - A document detailing the Gunpowder Plot is anonymously delivered to English authorities, leading to the plot's exposure.

1606, January 1 - The Union Flag, combining the flags of England and Scotland, is adopted for the first time.

1607, January 21 - San Agustin Church in Manila, the oldest stone church in the Philippines, is completed.

1608, January 4 - Fire destroys a significant portion of Edo (modern-day Tokyo), leading to the rebuilding of the city.

1609, January 5 - The publication of Galileo Galilei's "Sidereus Nuncius" announces the discovery of Jupiter's moons.

1610, January 14 - Galileo Galilei discovers Callisto, the fourth moon of Jupiter.

1611, January 7 - Johannes Fabricius observes sunspots through a telescope, contributing to early astronomy studies.

1612, January 5 - Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei observes Neptune but mistakes it for a fixed star.

1613, January 21- Michael Romanov is elected as the Tsar of Russia, founding the Romanov dynasty.

1614, January 4 - The University of Groningen is established in the Netherlands.

1615, January 7 - The New River, an artificial waterway supplying London with fresh water, is opened.

1616, January 15 - French explorer Samuel de Champlain discovers Lake Champlain in North America.

1617, January 16 - The Treaty of Stolbovo ends the Ingrian War between Sweden and Russia.

1618, January 23 -  The Thirty Years' War begins with the Defenestration of Prague, where Protestant officials are thrown from a window.

1619, January 1 - The first recorded African slaves arrive in North America at Jamestown, Virginia.

1620, January 21 - The Mayflower Compact is signed by Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower, establishing a self-governing colony in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

1621, January 1 - The Old Burying Ground, the oldest cemetery in North America, is established in Massachusetts.

1622, January 26 - The Dutch colony of New Amsterdam (later New York City) is incorporated.

1623, January 22 - William Shakespeare's "First Folio" is published, compiling his plays.

1624, January 19 - The first submarine is tested in London's River Thames by its inventor, Cornelius Drebbel.

1625, January 4 - England's King James I dies, and his son Charles I ascends to the throne.

1626, January 2 - The Dutch buy Manhattan Island from Native Americans for trinkets and tools, founding New Amsterdam.

1627, January 6 - The Spanish galleon "Nuestra Señora de Atocha" sinks off the coast of Florida with a significant cargo of treasure.

1628, January 19 - The Petition of Right is accepted by England's King Charles I, limiting his power.

1629, January 26 - Charles I dissolves the English Parliament, initiating the period known as the Eleven Years' Tyranny.

1631, January 16 - The Treaty of Bärwalde is signed between Sweden and the Electorate of Brandenburg during the Thirty Years' War.

1632, January 23 - Galileo Galilei publishes "Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems," defending the Copernican theory of heliocentrism.

1633, January 8 - The Dutch East India Company retakes the city of Quilon in India from the Portuguese.

1634, January 27 - The first recorded sighting of Maryland is made by English settlers.

1635, January 16 - France establishes the Académie Française, a council for matters related to the French language and literature.

1636, January 16 - The Papal States release Galileo Galilei from house arrest after his trial for heresy.

1637, January 24 - The Dutch attempt to capture the Portuguese fort at Elmina in West Africa but fail.

1638, January 2 - The Scottish National Covenant is signed in Edinburgh, opposing religious reforms imposed by King Charles I of England.

1639, January 14 - The Puritan political leaders in Connecticut, representing the populations of Hartford, Windsor, and Wethersfield, approved and adopt a set of written laws agreed upon by the colonists, known as the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut  which stated the powers and limits of government. This document became the first complete, written constitution in the history of the world.

1639, January 28 - The Treaty of Madras is signed between the English East India Company and the Maratha Empire.

1640, January 13 - Cardinal Richelieu lays the foundation stone for the Church of the Sorbonne in Paris.

1641, January 3 - The United East India Company (VOC) conquers Malacca from the Portuguese.

1642, January 4 - King Charles I of England attempts to arrest five members of the Parliament, leading to tension between the king and parliamentarians.

1643, January 24 - Abel Tasman's expedition reaches Tongatapu, the main island of Tonga.

1644, January 20 - The Ming dynasty in China falls as Beijing is captured by Li Zicheng's rebel forces.

1645, January 9 - Archbishop William Laud is executed in London for high treason during the English Civil War.

1646, January 12 - The Royalist stronghold of Bolesworth Castle surrenders to the Parliamentarians during the English Civil War.

1647, January 30 - King Charles I is handed over to the English Parliamentarians by the Scots, marking a pivotal moment in the English Civil War.

1648, January 25 - The Thirty Years' War ends with the Treaty of Westphalia which changed the map of Europe irrevocably. The peace was negotiated, from 1644, in the Westphalian towns of Münster and Osnabrück. The Spanish-Dutch Peace of Münster treaty was signed on January 30, 1648. 

1649, January 30 - King Charles I of England is executed by beheading after being found guilty of treason. Thousands had perished during the seven years of fighting between Charles’ supporters and Oliver Cromwell’s Parliamentarians and finally the life of the King himself. #gs.4c0dnr">More

1651, January 20 - Charles II of England is crowned king of Scotland at Scone.

1652, January 3 - The Dutch East India Company's forces defeat the Portuguese at the Battle of Colombo in Sri Lanka.

1653, January 20 - Oliver Cromwell dissolves the English Parliament, leading to the establishment of the Protectorate.

1654, January 23 - The Dutch surrender Recife, Brazil, to the Portuguese after an unsuccessful attempt to regain control.

1655, January 1 - The Bishop's War between England and Scotland ends with the Treaty of Edinburgh.

1656, January 4 - The Portuguese defeat the Dutch at the Battle of São Jorge da Mina, leading to the recapture of Elmina Castle in West Africa.

1657, January 30 - The English Parliament passes the Humble Petition and Advice, seeking to reinstate a monarchy under Oliver Cromwell.

1658, January 9 - Swedish troops under Charles X Gustav invade Denmark during the Dano-Swedish War.

1659, January 19 - The Treaty of the Pyrenees is signed between France and Spain, ending the Franco-Spanish War.

1661, January 1 - Samuel Pepys completes his famous manuscript of "Diary of Samuel Pepys," documenting daily life in London which he had started a year before.

1662, January 18 - The first portrait of a reigning monarch, King Charles II of England, is painted by Sir Peter Lely.

1663, January 29 - The Ottoman Empire agrees to the Peace of Vasvar with Austria and Holy Roman Empire, ending the Fifteen Years' War.

1664, January 9 - England's King Charles II grants a trading charter to the Royal African Company to facilitate the Atlantic slave trade.

1665, January 30 - The colonial territory of New Jersey is established.

1666, January 7 - The first edition of French newspaper "Mercure Galant" is published in Paris.

1667, January 21 - The Treaty of Andrusovo ends the Russo-Polish War and establishes the Truce of Andrusovo between Russia and Poland.

1668, January 20 - England, the Dutch Republic, and Sweden sign the Triple Alliance against France.

1669, January 26 - The island of Saint Helena in the South Atlantic is named after Saint Helena by the English East India Company.

1670, January 15 - Henry Morgan, a Welsh pirate, attacks Panama City, Panama, looting and causing destruction.

1671, January 1 - Pirate Henry Morgan is knighted by England's King Charles II for protecting Jamaica from French attacks.

1672, January 19 - France declares war on the Dutch Republic, initiating the Franco-Dutch War.

1673, January 31 - France's King Louis XIV suspends the Edict of Nantes, revoking the religious rights of Huguenots.

1674, January 4 - The Treaty of Westminster ends England's involvement in the Franco-Dutch War.

1675, January 30 - The Royal Greenwich Observatory in London is established by King Charles II.

1676, January 14 - King Charles II disbands the English Parliament due to conflicts over foreign policy and taxation.

1677, January 24 - King Charles II ratifies the Treaty of Middle Plantation, guaranteeing peace between the Virginia colonists and Native American tribes.

1678, January 30 - The Treaty of Nijmegen ends the Franco-Dutch War, resulting in territorial changes and peace in Europe.

1679, January 30 - King Charles II calls the English Parliament to session after a prolonged period of dissolution.

1680, January 4 - A great comet appears in the night sky, visible in the Americas, Europe, and Asia.

1681, January 28 - English Quaker William Penn receives a land grant from King Charles II, founding Pennsylvania.

1682, January 6 - Jean-Baptiste Colbert, the French minister of finance, creates the Académie Royale d'Architecture.

1683, January 31 - The Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, England, the world's first university museum, opens to the public.

1684, January 8 - King Charles II grants a charter to the Massachusetts Bay Colony, reaffirming its rights.

1685, January 31 - King Charles II of England dies, and James II ascends to the throne.

1686, January 28 - The Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb reopens the Hindu temple at Kashi Vishwanath in Varanasi, India.

1687, January 5 - Isaac Newton's "Principia Mathematica" is published, outlining the laws of motion and universal gravitation.

1688, January 11 - England's Glorious Revolution begins as William of Orange lands at Torbay to overthrow King James II.

1689, January 16 - The Convention Parliament declares that James II has abdicated the throne, leading to the crowning of William III and Mary II.

1690, January 26 - The Iroquois League signs the Treaty of Lachine, ending hostilities with the New France government.

1691, January 7 - The Williamite War in Ireland concludes with the Treaty of Limerick, granting religious freedom to Catholics under certain conditions.

1692, January 13 - The Massacre of Glencoe occurs in Scotland when government troops slaughter the MacDonald clan.

1693, January 26 - Mount Etna in Sicily erupts, causing significant destruction to nearby towns.

1694, January 25 - The Bank of England is chartered by the English Parliament, becoming the first national bank in the world.

1695, January 1 - The window tax, a property tax based on the number of windows in a house, is imposed in England.

1696, January 16 - The Bank of Scotland is established by an Act of the Scottish Parliament.

1697, January 26 - The Treaty of Ryswick ends the Nine Years' War (War of the Grand Alliance) between France and the Grand Alliance.

1698, January 16: Russia's Peter the Great imposes a tax on beards as part of his efforts to modernize the country.

1699, January 1 - A treaty is signed between Denmark and the Tsardom of Russia, ending the Russo-Swedish War.

1700, January 30 - Sweden introduces the Julian calendar, shifting from the old-style calendar to the Gregorian calendar.

1701, January 30 - Frederick I of Prussia crowns himself as King in Prussia.

1702, January 15 - The Palace of Versailles in France catches fire, causing substantial damage to the building.

1703, January 2 - Tsar Peter the Great founds Saint Petersburg, Russia, as the new Russian capital.

1704, January 24 - The Battle of Ayubale establishes Russian dominance in the Caucasus, securing territories.

1705, January 6 - The Spanish ship San Jose y las Animas sinks off the coast of Florida, becoming a subject of treasure hunting.

1707, January 16 - The Acts of Union between England and Scotland are ratified, forming the Kingdom of Great Britain.

1708, January 15 - James Francis Edward Stuart, known as the Old Pretender, declares himself King of England and Scotland.

1709, January 26 - The Great Northern War sees Swedish forces defeat a Russian army at the Battle of Poltava.

1710, January 6 - The first copyright legislation is enacted in Great Britain, known as the Statute of Anne.

1711, January 17 - The Ottoman Empire declares war on Venice, initiating the Ottoman-Venetian War.

1712, January 5 - The Duke of Marlborough is dismissed from his command by Queen Anne during the War of the Spanish Succession.

1713, January 11 - A peace conference begins in Utrecht, aiming to end the War of the Spanish Succession.

1714, January 22 - The German mathematician and physicist Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit invents the mercury thermometer.

1715, January 17 - The Boston Riot of 1715 erupts in Boston, Massachusetts, protesting taxation without representation.

1716, January 6 - The Battle of Rio de Janeiro sees Portuguese forces repel a French attack during the War of the Spanish Succession.

1717, January 24 - The first Freemasons' Grand Lodge is founded in London, establishing modern Freemasonry.

1718, January 28 - France declares war on Spain, escalating the War of the Quadruple Alliance.

1719, January 25 - The Principality of Liechtenstein is created within the Holy Roman Empire.

1720, January 23 - The South Sea Bubble bursts, leading to a financial crisis in England and affecting the stock market.

1721, January 22 - Peter the Great of Russia establishes the city of Saint Petersburg as the new capital.

1722, January 15 - Czar Peter the Great begins a military campaign in Persia, capturing the Persian capital of Isfahan.

1723, January 28 - Christopher Wren, the English architect who designed St. Paul's Cathedral in London, dies at the age of 90.

1724, January 11 - Royal astronomer Edmond Halley presents his paper on the periodicity of his namesake comet to the Royal Society.

1725, January 14 - Alexander Selkirk, the inspiration for Daniel Defoe's "Robinson Crusoe," is rescued after being marooned on an island for four years.

1726, January 28 - The Grafton Estate in Virginia is established by the colonial governor, Sir William Gooch.

1727, January 28 - Sir Isaac Newton, renowned mathematician, physicist, and astronomer, dies in London at the age of 84.

1728, January 16 - The Chinese Emperor Yongzheng bans Christian missions in China.

1729, January 7 - Johann Beringer, a German scholar, discovers the controversial "Lügensteine" or "lying stones," later
revealed as a hoax.

1730, January 29 - The "Baltimore News-Letter," the first newspaper in the American colonies, is published.

1731, January 17 - Benjamin Franklin opens the first library in the United States in Philadelphia.

1732, January 7 - The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, opens in London.

1733, January 12 - James Oglethorpe and 130 English colonists arrive at Charleston, South Carolina, establishing the colony of Georgia.

1734, January 29 - A fire destroys the Palace of Whitehall in London.

1739, January 15 - The British East India Company captures the city of Madras in India from the French.

1740, January 30 - Charles de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu, French philosopher, publishes "The Spirit of the Laws."

1741, January 16 - The city of Milan surrenders to Austrian forces during the War of the Austrian Succession.

1742, January 12 - Astronomer Edmond Halley observes the comet that bears his name.

1743, January 23 - The French defeat the Austrians at the Battle of Campo Santo during the War of the Austrian Succession.

1744, January 24 - Charles Edward Stuart, known as Bonnie Prince Charlie, arrives in France after his defeat in the Jacobite Rising.

1745, January 17 - The city of Prague surrenders to the Prussian army during the War of the Austrian Succession.

1746, January 31 - Bonnie Prince Charlie's Jacobite forces defeat government troops at the Battle of Falkirk Muir in Scotland.

1747, January 8 - The Austrian army secures a victory against the French at the Battle of Bergen in the Netherlands.

1748, January 18 - The Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle ends the War of the Austrian Succession, restoring territorial boundaries.

1750, January 30 - The publication of "Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society" features Benjamin Franklin's account of his kite experiment to study electricity.

1751, January 1 - Sweden adopts the Gregorian calendar, moving from the Julian calendar.

1752, January 17 - The first hospital in the United States, the Pennsylvania Hospital, is founded in Philadelphia.

1753, January 11 - The first American professional librarian, Louis Timothee, is hired in Philadelphia.

1754, January 5 - Columbia University in New York City holds its first classes.

1755, January 9 - The British Museum opens its doors to the public in Montagu House, London.

1756, January 16 - The Treaty of Westminster between France and Great Britain marks the start of the Seven Years' War.

1758, January 9 - Charles Edward Stuart, known as Bonnie Prince Charlie, flees to France following his failed Jacobite Rising in Scotland.

1759, January 8 - George Washington marries Martha Dandridge Custis in Virginia.

1759, January 15 - The British Museum, established in 1753, opens to the public. The Elgin Marbles and the Rosetta Stone are among its world-renowned antiquities and archaeological holdings.

1760, January 5 - Afghani ruler Ahmad Shah Durrani defeats the Marathas in the Battle of Barari Ghat, consolidating power in India.

1761, January 22 - The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, the first African-American denomination in the United States, is founded in New York City.

1762, January 5 - Catherine the Great becomes Empress of Russia after a coup that deposes her husband, Peter III.

1763, January 10 - The Treaty of Paris ends the Seven Years' War, redistributing territories and marking significant colonial changes.

1764, January 14 - The English Parliament passes the American Revenue Act, which initiates the taxation of the American colonies.

1765, January 17 - The Leiden University Library, one of the oldest in the Netherlands, burns down with over 100,000 books lost.

1766, January 29 - The British Parliament repeals the Stamp Act, a major concession to the American colonies.

1768, January 17 - English explorer Captain James Cook anchors at Botany Bay in Australia during his first voyage.

1769, January 19 - The first institution dedicated to the study of volcanoes, the Osservatorio Vesuviano, is established in Naples, Italy.

1770, January 18 - The first shipment of rhubarb from the American colonies arrives in London.

1771, January 28 - The Spanish mission San Gabriel Arcángel is founded in California, becoming one of the oldest Catholic missions.

1772, January 5 - The first traveler's cheques are issued by the London Credit Exchange Company.

1773, January 6 - The Royal Colony of North Carolina issues a legislative act offering £1,000 for the capture of pirate Blackbeard.

1774, January 11 - The first session of the Continental Congress convenes in Philadelphia.

1775, January 19 - The American Continental Army is established by the Continental Congress, with George Washington appointed as its commander-in-chief.

1776, January 10 - Thomas Paine publishes "Common Sense," advocating American independence from Britain. More

1777, January 2 - American forces defeat the British at the Battle of the Assunpink Creek in the American Revolutionary War.

1777, January 15 - Vermont declares independence from the British crown and from the Colony of New York. They called the territory New Connecticut but when they met in June to write a constitution, they changed the name to Vermont, loosely  based on the French term for “green mountain,” or “ montagne verte.” Vermont became the 14th State  when it was admitted into the Union on on March 4 1791. More 

1778, January 18 - English Captain James Cook, traveling aboard the 100-foot flagship HMS Resolution and its 90-foot companion HMS Discovery. sights O‘ahu and two days later steps ashore at Waimea on Kaua‘i, becoming the first European to travel to the Hawaiian Islands. After a short stay Capitan Cook went on to explore the west coast of North America, to continue his search for the Northwest Passage. A year later, he returned to Hawaii where he was killed by the Hawaiian natives at Kealakekua Bay on February 14, 1779 after he attempted to kidnap Kalaniʻōpuʻu, the ruling chief (aliʻi nui) of the island and hold him in exchange for the return of a small stolen cutter. A fatal error that led to his death. Cook's arrival in Hawaii eventually led to large migrations of Europeans and Americans to the islands resulting a century later in 1893, in the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii by pro-American elements. More

1778, January 27 - The first state constitution of Georgia is adopted.

1779, January 16 - Spain declares war on Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War.

1780, January 17 - American forces win the Battle of Cowpens in South Carolina during the American Revolutionary War.

1781, January 17 - American forces under Daniel Morgan defeat the British at the Battle of Cowpens in South Carolina during the American Revolutionary War.

1782, January 20 - The Siege of Gibraltar ends with the lifting of the Spanish and French blockade.

1783, January 14 - The signing of the Treaty of Paris formally ends the American Revolutionary War between Great Britain and the United States.

1784, January 14 -  The Continental Congress ratified the Treaty of Paris on January 14, 1784, officially establishing the United States as an independent and sovereign nation. The treaty, signed in Paris on September 3, 1783, required Congress to return the ratified document to England within six months. More

1785, January 7 - French balloonist Jean-Pierre Blanchard and American John Jeffries make the first aerial crossing of the English Channel in a hydrogen balloon. More

1786, January 9 - The first successful balloon flight in America takes place in Philadelphia, piloted by Jean-Pierre Blanchard.

1787, January 6 - The Ordinance of 1787 is passed, establishing the Northwest Territory and laying the groundwork for the eventual creation of new states.

1788, January 2 - Georgia becomes the fourth  State of the Union.

1788, January 26 - The British colony of New South Wales is established as a penal colony. Led by Governor Arthur Phillip, the first settlement, at Sydney, consisted of about 850 convicts and their Marine guards and officers. The early years were increasingly difficult ones as the colony struggled to establish and be able to feed. By 1792, the first signs of stability were appearing but Governor Phillip, weakened by illness and the deprivations of those years, returned to England, leaving the colony in the hands of military Lieutenant-Governors. January 26 is now celebrated nationally as "Australia Day". Many Aboriginal Australians refer to it as "Invasion Day" More

1789, January 9 -  Connecticut becomes the fifth State of the Union.

1788, January 26 - The First Fleet, led by Captain Arthur Phillip, arrives at Port Jackson, Australia, establishing the first European settlement.

1789, January 7 - The first U.S. presidential election is held, resulting in George Washington's unanimous election as the nation's first president.

1790, January 8 - George Washington delivers the first State of the Union Address in New York City.

1791, January 27 - The British Parliament passes the Constitutional Act, dividing Canada into Upper Canada and Lower Canada.

1792, January 21 - The French National Convention declares King Louis XVI guilty of treason, leading to his execution.

1793, January 21 - King Louis XVI of France is executed by guillotine during the French Revolution after voting unanimously to find the King guilty.  For the first time in a thousand years, the French people were not ruled by a monarch. More

1794, January 14 - Dr. Jesús H. García discovers the healing powers of the "Niagara" medicinal spring in Colombia.

1795, January 19 - The Batavian Republic, a French client state, is established in the Netherlands.

1796, January 11 - John Jay, on behalf of the United States, signs the Jay Treaty with Great Britain, easing tensions between the two countries.

1797, January 15 - The first top hat is worn in public by John Etherington in London, England.

1798, January 22 - The French Revolutionary Wars see the British fleet under Admiral Horatio Nelson defeat the French fleet off the Egyptian coast at the Battle of the Nile.

1799, January 1 - The income tax is introduced in Britain to finance the Napoleonic Wars.

1800, January 1 - The Dutch East India Company is dissolved by the Netherlands government.

1801, January 1 - The Act of Union between Great Britain and Ireland comes into effect, creating the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

1802, January 25 - The Treaty of Amiens is signed, temporarily ending hostilities between France and the United Kingdom during the Napoleonic Wars.

1803, January 18 - Thomas Jefferson secretly commissions Meriwether Lewis to explore the newly acquired Louisiana Territory.

1804, January 1 - Haiti gains independence from France, becoming the first independent black-led nation in the Western Hemisphere.

1805, January 22 - The Lewis and Clark Expedition reaches the Pacific Ocean, completing their journey across the American continent.

1806, January 23 - The Pall Mall Gazette becomes the first London newspaper to be published daily.

1807, January 1 - The importation of slaves into the United States is banned by an act of Congress, taking effect in 1808.

1808, January 27 - The Rum Rebellion in Australia sees Governor William Bligh deposed by the New South Wales Corps.

1809, January 19 - Edgar Allan Poe, American author and poet, is born in Boston, Massachusetts.

1810, January 20 - The Argentine Primera Junta is established, marking the beginning of Argentina's independence from Spain.

1811, January 12 - An earthquake in the Midwest, known as the New Madrid earthquake, shakes the central United States.

1812, January 19 - Peninsular War: French forces under Napoleon Bonaparte storm the city of Valencia, Spain.

1813, January 8 - The Creek War ends with the signing of the Treaty of Fort Jackson, ceding Creek territory to the United States.

1814, January 14 - Denmark cedes Norway to Sweden, following the Treaty of Kiel between Sweden and Denmark-Norway.

1815, January 8 - American forces, led by General Andrew Jackson, defeat the British in the Battle of New Orleans during the War of 1812.

1816, January 1 - The Bank of America opens its doors in New York City.

1817, January 27 - Argentine General José de San Martín begins his crossing of the Andes during the South American Wars of Independence.

1818, January 28 - The British explorer and navigator John Ross reaches the North Magnetic Pole.

1819, January 15 - Simon Bolivar, the South American revolutionary, proclaims the Republic of Colombia.

1820, January 8 - Britain's King George III dies, and his son, King George IV, ascends to the throne.

1821, January 25 - The Mexican War of Independence concludes with the signing of the Treaty of Córdoba, recognizing Mexican independence from Spain.

1822, January 8 - The Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire begins with an uprising in the Peloponnese.

1823, January 2 - Stephen F. Austin receives a grant of land in Texas from Mexico, initiating American colonization.

1824, January 26 - Peru defeats Spain in the Battle of Ayacucho, effectively securing South American independence.

1825, January 10 - The first freight train is introduced in the United States, operating in Quincy, Massachusetts.

1826, January 22 - The Treaty of Yandabo is signed, ending the First Anglo-Burmese War and ceding Assam, Manipur, and Arakan to Britain.

1827, January 27 - Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 8 in F Major premieres in Vienna, Austria.

1828, January 30 - The London Metropolitan Police, led by Sir Robert Peel, begins operating at Scotland Yard.

1829, January 8 - Frenchman Louis Braille publishes his system of raised dots for blind readers.

1830, January 14 - The Great Fire of New Orleans destroys over 200 buildings in the city.

1831, January 1 - William Lloyd Garrison publishes the first edition of the abolitionist newspaper, "The Liberator."

1832, January 26 - The Kingdom of Poland adopts a constitution, granting limited freedoms.

1833, January 1 - The United Kingdom abolishes slavery in its colonies, leading to the gradual emancipation of slaves.

1834, January 1 - The United States Congress approves a plan to dismantle Native American tribes' governments and relocate them west of the Mississippi River.

1835, January 8 - The United States national debt is zero for the first and only time in its history.

1836, January 5 - Davy Crockett arrives in Texas, joining the fight for independence from Mexico.

1837, January 30 - Michigan becomes the 26th state of the United States.

1838, January 11 - Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail demonstrate their telegraph system publicly for the first time at the Speedwell Iron Works in Morristown, New Jersey, by sending a telegram across two miles of wire. Morse continued to improve the system as well as invented the Morse Code while trying to get financial backing. It wasn't until  four years later, on March 1843, that Congress, awarded him $30,00 to construct an experimental telegraph line from Washington to Baltimore, a distance of 44 miles. In May 24, 1844 the now famous message "WHAT HATH GOD WROUGHT" was sent over those lines from the Capitol in Washington to the old Mt. Clare Depot in Baltimore marking the beginning of a new era of faster communications. More 

1839, January 25 - The British East India Company captures Aden, establishing a strategic foothold in Yemen.

1840, January 9 - Upper Canada and Lower Canada are merged into the Province of Canada by an Act of Union.

1840. January 19 - The United States Naval officer, Lt. Charles Wilkes, exploring expedition of the South Seas reaches the Antarctic continent. The six U.S. Navy vessels  under Wilkes command had set out in 1838 on a great voyage of exploration with several hundred seamen and scientists to explore and map the Pacific, Antarctica, and the northwest coast of the United States. Lt. Charles Wilkes' tremendous feat of navigation during his 4 year expedition helped broadened the knowledge of uncharted areas of the world and to expand American scientific knowledge, commerce, industry, and world standing. Wilkes is credited with proving the existence of Antarctica as a land continent, a vital contribution to world geography. More

1840, January 22 -  The first group of European settlers arrive at Petone aboard the ship the Aurora, to found the settlement that would become Wellington, named after Named for the first Duke of Wellington. By July of 1840 there were over 1000 settlers in New Zeeland .On May 21 1840, Lieutenant-Governor William Hobson proclaimed British sovereignty over all of New Zealand even though copies of the treaty were still circulating throughout the country for  the Māori to sign.

1841, January 4 - China cedes the Island of Honk Kong to the British as a result of the First Opium War. The treaty was followed in 1898 by a 99-year lease in 1898 that allowed Britain to control even more land. The lease ran out in 1997.

1842, January 29 - The Treaty of Nanking is signed, ending the First Opium War between Britain and China.

1843, January 4 - Richard Wagner's opera "Der fliegende Holländer" premieres in Dresden, Germany.

1844, January 13 - The University of Notre Dame is founded in Indiana, United States.

1845, January 3 - Texas is admitted as the 28th state of the United States.

1846, January 13 - The United States Congress establishes the Smithsonian Institution.

1847, January 26 - The Battle of the Sacramento River takes place during the Mexican-American War.

1848, January 24 - Gold is discovered at Sutter's Mill in California by James W. Marshall as he sees shining flecks of gold in the tailrace of the sawmill he was building in partnership with John Sutter. This discovery unleashed the California Gold Rush changing the course of California's and the nation's history. More

1849, January 23 - Elizabeth Blackwell becomes the first woman in the United States to earn a medical degree.

1850, January 29 - Henry Clay presents the Compromise of 1850 to the U.S. Senate in an attempt to prevent a civil war over slavery.

1851, January 29 - The British East India Company conquers the Kingdom of Punjab.

1852, January 27 - The United Kingdom recognizes the independence of the Transvaal (South African Republic).

1853,  January 4 -  Solomon Northrup, who was born a free person of color in what is now Minerva, New York, legally regains his freedom after being kidnapped, sold into slavery and spending 12 years as a slave. Northrup was a farmer, laborer, and musician.  He later wrote about his experiences in "Twelve Years a Slave"  More  

1853, January 4 - The first private mental health hospital in the United States, the Asylum for the Relief of Persons Deprived of the Use of Their Reason, opens in Philadelphia.

1854, January 23 - The San Francisco steamer sinks in the Pacific Ocean, resulting in a significant loss of life.

1855, January 23 - The first bridge over the Mississippi River opens in what is now Minneapolis, Minnesota.

1855, January 31 -  Treaty of Neah Bay: Makah Reservation established in US Territory of Washington for Makah nation, preserving tribal rights but ceding over 300,000 acres to the US government  More

1856, January 28 - The Victoria Cross, the highest British military decoration, is established.

1857, January 10 - The Great Eastern ship is launched in England, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

1858, January 11 - The Wedding March by Felix Mendelssohn is played for the first time at a wedding in Germany.

1859, January 1 - The French conquest of Cochinchina (Vietnam) begins.

1860, January 10 - The Pemberton Mill in Lawrence, Massachusetts, collapses, resulting in the death of over 145 workers.

1861, January 9 - Mississippi becomes the second state to secede from the Union before the American Civil War.

1861, January 29 - Kansas is admitted into the Union, becoming the 34th State  

1863, January 1 - The Emancipation Proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln goes into effect, freeing slaves in Confederate-held territories. The proclamation declared "that all persons held as slaves" within the rebellious states "are, and henceforward shall be free." More

1863, January 1 - The first claim under the Homestead Act is made by Daniel Freeman for a farm in Nebraska.

1864, January 17 - General William T. Sherman begins his march through the Carolinas during the American Civil War.

1865, January 31 - The United States Congress passes the 13th Amendment, abolishing slavery and sends it to the States for ratification. The amendment passed 119 to 56, barely above the required two-thirds majority. Ratification from the States was received on December 1865, ending the institution of slavery in the U.S. with a final constitutional solution. More

1866, January 1  The Royal Aeronautical Society is formed in London, becoming the world's oldest aeronautical society.

1867, January 30 - The United States buys Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million, known as the Alaska Purchase.

1868, January 1 - The Shogunate in Japan is abolished, marking the beginning of the Meiji Restoration.

1869, January 1 - The construction of the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City begins.

1870, January 1 - Construction of the Brooklyn Bridge begins.

1870, January 23 - The Bear River Massacre (also known as the Marias Massacre or the Baker Massacre) was the largest massacre of Indigenous people in present-day Montana. Over 150 Blackfeet—most of whom were women, children, the elderly, and those suffering from disease—were massacred by U.S. Second Cavalry soldiers under the command of Major Eugene Baker  near the Marias River. More 

1871, January 18 - Wilhelm I is proclaimed the first German Emperor in the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles. Following the surrender by the French army in Sedan and the  south German states, except for Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein, joined the North German Confederation  and recognized the Prussian King as the German Emperor More

1873, January 9 - French poet Arthur Rimbaud decides to stop writing at the age of 18.

1874, January 1 - New York City annexes the Bronx, increasing the city's land area by about a third.

1875, January 23 - The first electric dental drill is patented by George F. Green in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

1876, January 8 - Alexander Graham Bell receives a patent for the telephone.

1877, January 10 - Crazy Horse and his warriors fight their last battle against the U.S. Cavalry at Wolf Mountain, Montana. More

1878, January 22 - The world's first telephone directory is issued, by the New Haven District Telephone Company in Connecticut.

1879, January 1 - Thomas Edison demonstrates incandescent lighting to the public for the first time.

1879, January 11 - The Anglo - Zulu war begins when British troops invade Zululand from the southern African republic of Natal after Zululand King Cetshwayo refuses the British demands for him to disband his army or join a federation of British colonies and Boer Republics. The Zulus proved to be formidable opponents but could not overcome the technological advantage the British and were eventually defeated after a series of particularly bloody battles which lasted eight months. It wasn't until 1887 that Zululand was declared British territory and finally annexed to Natal ten years later. More

1880, January 10 - The Salvation Army begins operations in the United States.

1881, January 20 - -The United States Senate ratifies the Treaty of Paris, officially ending the Spanish-American War.

1882, January 1 - John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil Trust is formed.

1883, January 4 - The Philippines formally becomes a Spanish colony.

1884, January 11 - Supreme Court rules that Native Americans cannot be barred from voting in the U.S.

1885, January 27 - The first successful appendectomy is performed by Dr. William Grant in Iowa.

1886, January 29 - Karl Benz patents the first successful gasoline-driven automobile.

1887, January 9 - Record Snow and cold hit the Northern Plains. The winter of 1886–1887, also known as the Big Die-Up, was extremely harsh for much of continental North America, especially the northern plains of the United States where the cattle industry was decimated. The cattle, already weak from lack of forage from the previous dry summer became weaker as they trudged through the deepening snow in search for food. Hundreds of thousands of cattle are said to have died, Montana ranchers alone lost an estimated 362,000 head of cattle, more than half the territory's herd. The disaster led  to a major reorganization of ranching and ending the open range era. More

1888, January 12 - One of the deadliest winter storms hits the upper Midwest. The blizzard with an epicenter in present-day South Dakota caused the deaths of hundreds of people, including 213 children who never made it home from their one-room schoolhouses and became known as the “Children’s Blizzard”. The frigid temperatures were a nationwide phenomenon. Sub-zero temperatures reached all the way to Texas and Georgia, people could ice skate in San Francisco, and water mains froze in Los Angeles. More

1888, January 14 - The National Geographic Society is founded in Washington, D.C.

1889, January 22 - Columbia Phonograph is formed in Washington, D.C., later merging with Edison's company to form Columbia Records.

1890, January 2 - Alice Sanger becomes the first female White House staffer.

1891, January 1 - The British South Africa Company is chartered, marking the start of British colonization in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe and Zambia).

1892, January 19 - The first official basketball game is played at the YMCA gymnasium in Springfield, Massachusetts.

1893, January 4 - The Independent Labour Party of the UK holds its first meeting.

1893, January 17 - The Kingdom of Hawaii is overthrown by a group which called themselves the Committee of Safety, staged a coup d'état against Queen Liliuokalani and her government. The group composed of 13 Caucasian businessmen and lawyers, six citizens of the Kingdom and seven foreign residents of Hawaii (five Americans, one Scotsman, and one German). Their ultimate goal was annexation to the United States. However it took five years until that goal was achieved. More

1894, January 1 - The Manchester Ship Canal in England opens to traffic, becoming the largest navigation canal in the world.

1895, January 4 - Dreyfus Affair: French army officer Alfred Dreyfus is stripped of his rank and sentenced to life imprisonment on Devil's Island.

1896, January 4 - Utah is admitted into the Union, becomingthe 45th U.S. state.

1897, January 6 - The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty is founded in England.

1898, January 25 - The United States battleship Maine is commissioned.

1899, January 13 - The Spanish-American War ends with the signing of the Treaty of Paris, ceding Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to the United States.

1900, January 8 - -U.S. President William McKinley places Alaska under military rule.

1901, January 1 - The Commonwealth of Australia is established by the Federation of six colonies.

1901, January 10 - The Lucas Gusher at Spindletop, just south of Beaumont, Texas, blew a stream of oil over 100 feet high until it was capped nine days later and flowed an estimated 100,000 barrels a day. It was found at a depth of 1,139 feet and it herald the beginning of the American Oil era. While some made fortunes, others lost everything. More

1902, January 4 - The first American college football bowl game, the Rose Bowl, is held in Pasadena, California.

1903, January 1 - Edward VII is proclaimed King after the death of Queen Victoria in the United Kingdom.

1904, January 16 - The first large-scale bodybuilding competition in America is held at Madison Square Garden, New York City.

1905, January 9 - The Russian Revolution of 1905 begins as a peaceful protest by Russian workers in St. Petersburg turns violent.

1905, January 25 - The Cullinan Diamond, the largest diamond ever found is discovered near Pretoria in modern-day South Africa. It was named after the chairman of the mining company, Thomas Cullinan. In its uncut state, it weighed 3,106 metric carats with a size of 10.1 x 6.35 x 5.9 cm. with extraordinary blue-white color and exceptional clarity. The rough stone was gifted to King Edward VII in 1907  and cut into nine major diamonds named Cullinan I through IX, ranked from largest to smallest.   More

1906, January 10 - The British SS Valencia runs aground off Vancouver Island, resulting in over 100 deaths.

1907, January 18 - The Short Magazine Lee-Enfield rifle (SMLE) becomes the official service rifle of the British Army.

1908, January 11 - U.S, President Theodore Roosevelt declares the Grand Canyon in Arizona a National Monument after having it established it as a Game Preserve by Proclamation in 1906. Theodore Roosevelt,  protected approximately 230 million acres of public land during his presidency. More

1908, January 21 - New York City passes the Sullivan Ordinance, prohibiting women from smoking in public establishments.

1909, January 7 - Ernest Shackleton's expedition reaches the magnetic South Pole.

1910, January 20 - The first public radio broadcast takes place in the United States, a live performance from the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City.

1911, January 11 - The first landing of an aircraft on a ship occurs as Eugene Ely lands a Curtiss Pusher biplane on the USS Pennsylvania in San Francisco Bay.

1912, January 6 - New Mexico is admitted into the Union, becoming the 47th U.S. state.

1912, January 18 - British explorer Robert Falcon Scott and four members of his expedition reached the South Pole, only to discover that Norwegian explorer Roald Engelbregt Amundsen had reached the South Pole a month earlier. Scott and his men died when trying to return to their base camp.

1913, January 12 - The Mona Lisa is recovered in Florence after being stolen from the Louvre Museum in Paris in 1911.

1914, January 16 - The first telephone line across the Atlantic Ocean is established between New York and London.

1915, January 13 - An earthquake in Avezzano, Italy, kills over 29,000 people.

1915, January 28 - A German cruiser sinks first American merchant ship, the William P. Frye, off the coast of Brazil. More

1915, January 28 - The U.S. Congress  creates the Coast Guard by combining the Revenue Cutter Service was merged with the U.S. Life-Saving Service, and was officially renamed the Coast Guard. In 1939, the Lighthouse Service was folded in and the Commerce Department's Bureau of Marine Inspection and Navigation was added to the USCG in 1946. More

1916, January 10 - The Professional Golfers' Association of America (PGA) is established in New York City.

1917, January 22 - President Woodrow Wilson pleads for "peace without victory" in World War I.

1918, January 8 - United States President Woodrow Wilson outlines his "Fourteen Points" for peace after World War I.

1919, January 16: The Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, prohibiting the sale, manufacture, or transportation of intoxicating liquors, is ratified. More

1919, January 18 - The Paris Peace Conference convenes at Versailles just outside Paris. The conference was called to establish the terms of the peace after World War I. More

1920, January 10 - The League of Nations officially comes into existence holding its first council meeting in Paris. On November 15, 1920, 41 members states, representing more than 70% of the world’s population, gathered in Geneva for the opening of the first session of the Assembly. More

1921, January 10 - The Irish War of Independence begins as Irish guerrillas attack and burn down the Custom House in Dublin.

1922, January 3 - Arthur Griffith is elected President of Dáil Éireann (Irish Republic).

1923, January 3 - British archaeologist Howard Carter unseals the burial chamber of Pharaoh Tutankhamun in Egypt's Valley of the Kings.