this day in history

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1878 – A yellow fever epidemic in Memphis eventually empties the city (More info) 1918 – Opha Mae Johnson becomes the first woman to enlist in the United States Marine Corps (More info)

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1851 – Isaac Singer patents the sewing machine (More info) 1898 – An Armistice ends the Spanish-American War (More info)

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1934 – The first civilian inmates arrive at the Federal prison on Alcatraz Island (More info) 1965 – The predominately black neighborhood of Watts in Los Angeles erupts in riots that last six days and leave 34 people dead (More info)

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1793 – The Louvre officially opens in Paris (More info) 1846 – The Smithsonian Institution is chartered by the United States Congress (More info)

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1890 – Murderer William Kemmler becomes the first person to be executed by electric chair (More info) 1926 – Harry Houdini performs his greatest feat, spending 91 minutes underwater in a sealed tank before escaping (More info)

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1861 – To help pay for the Civil War, the US government levies its first income tax (More info) 1884 – The cornerstone for the Statue of Liberty is laid in New York Harbor (More info)

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1492 – Christopher Columbus sets sail from Palos de la Frontera, Spain (More info) 1900 – The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company is founded (More info)

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1009 – Pope Sergius IV becomes the 142nd pope, succeeding Pope John XVIII (More info) 1498 – On his third voyage to the Western Hemisphere, Christopher Columbus becomes the first European to discover the island of Trinidad (More info)

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1932 – Walt Disney’s ‘Flowers and Trees,’ the first cartoon short to use Technicolor and the first Oscar-winning cartoon short, premieres (More info) 1945 – The USS Indianapolis is torpedoed by a Japanese submarine and sinks within 15 minutes, killing almost 900 men (More info)

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1940 – Bugs Bunny makes his debut in the animated short ‘A Wild Hare’ (More info) 1974 – The House Judiciary Committee votes to impeach President Richard Nixon for obstruction of justice (More info)

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1903 – Ford Motor Company ships its first car (More info) 1960 – Sirimavo Bandaranaike of Ceylon — now Sri Lanka — is elected as Prime Minister, thus becoming the world’s first elected female head of government (More info)

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1692 – Five women are hanged for witchcraft in Salem, Mass. (More info) 1848 – The first women’s rights convention, called by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia C. Mott, was held in Seneca Falls, N.Y. (More info)

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 64 – A great fire begins that ultimately destroys most of Rome (More info) 1925 – Adolf Hitler publishes the first volume of his personal manifesto, ‘Mein Kampf’ (More info)

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1762 – Catherine II becomes tsar of Russia upon the murder of Peter III (More info) 1898 – Spain surrenders to the United States at Santiago, Cuba, ending the Spanish-American War (More info)

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1790 – The District of Columbia is established as the capital of the United States (More info) 1969 – The first manned space mission to land on the Moon, Apollo 11, launches (More info)

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1535 – Sir Thomas More is executed for treason against King Henry VIII of England (More info) 1785 – The dollar is unanimously chosen as the monetary unit for the United States (More info)

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1865 – The Salvation Army is founded in London (More info) 1937 – The luncheon meat SPAM is introduced by the Hormel Foods Corporation (More info)

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1776 – The United States Declaration of Independence is adopted by the Second Continental Congress (More info) 1826 – Former presidents John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both die on the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence (More info)

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1863 – The final day of the Battle of Gettysburg culminates with Pickett’s Charge (More info) 1884 – Dow Jones and Company publishes its first stock average (More info)

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1881 – Charles J. Guiteau shoots President James Garfield, who dies two months later (More info) 1890 – Congress passes the Sherman Anti-Trust Act (More info)