Historical Events
- 1492 Christopher Columbus signs a contract with the Spanish monarchs to find the "Indies" with the stated goal of converting people to Catholicism. This promises him 10% of all riches found, and the governorship of any lands encountered.
- 1895 Treaty of Shimonoseki is signed ending the First Sino-Japanese War (1894-95)
- 1961 1,400 Cuban exiles land in the Bay of Pigs in a doomed attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro
- 1982 Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and Queen Elizabeth II sign the "Proclamation of the Constitution Act", establishing the "Charter of Rights and Freedoms" as part of the country’s new Constitution
- 2012 The 8th century St. Cuthbert Gospel, Europe's oldest intact book, is purchased by the British Library for 9 million pounds
- Historical Events Today Events in 2024
Today in Film & TV
- 2011 "Game of Thrones", based on the fantasy novels by George R. R. Martin premieres on HBO
Today in Music
- 1970 Paul McCartney releases his 1st solo album "McCartney"
Today in Sport
- 1860 Champion of England Tom Sayers and American John Heenan fight out brutal 2 hour, 27 minute draw near Farnborough, England; police stop fight acknowledged as first world title bout
- 1976 NL greatest comeback: trailing 12-1, Philadelphia Phillies beat Chicago Cubs, 18-16 in 10 innings at Wrigley Field; Mike Schmidt hits 4 consecutive HRs
Did You Know?
The fictional characters in Geoffrey Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales" begin their pilgrimage to Canterbury (according to scholars)
Famous Birthdays
Marguerite Bourgeoys
1620 - 1700
Alexander Cartwright
1820 - 1892
J. P. Morgan
1837 - 1913
Thornton Wilder
1897 - 1975
Sirimavo Bandaranaike
1916 - 2000
William Holden
1918 - 1981
Celebrity Birthdays
Harry Reasoner
1923 - 1991
Roddy Piper
1954 - 2015
Jennifer Garner
52nd Birthday
Victoria Beckham
50th Birthday
Fun Fact About Today
Modern Snooker invented by Sir Neville Chamberlain, a bored British officer in Jabalpur, India
Famous Weddings
Famous Divorces
- 2006 American actor Eddie Murphy (44) divorces Nicole Mitchell after 13 years of marriage
Benjamin Franklin
Alexander Mackenzie
Ralph Abernathy
Linda McCartney
Gabriel García Márquez
Doris Roberts
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