Protests in Seattle successfully shut down the World Trade Organization meeting
Around 40,000 protesters created chaos in downtown Seattle, blocking delegates from reaching the convention center. The 'Battle of Seattle' became a d...
Historical Events
1999
1993
President Bill Clinton signed the Brady Bill, establishing federal background checks for gun purchases
MajorNamed after James Brady, who was shot during the 1981 assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan, the law created a mandatory waiting period and backgroun...
1982
Michael Jackson released Thriller, which became the best-selling album of all time
MajorThe album eventually sold over 70 million copies worldwide and produced seven top-10 singles. Its 14-minute music video revolutionized the medium and...
1974
Scientists discovered Lucy, a 3.2 million-year-old human ancestor skeleton in Ethiopia
MajorThe remarkably complete Australopithecus afarensis fossil revolutionized understanding of human evolution. Named after the Beatles song 'Lucy in the S...
1967
The People's Republic of South Yemen became the first and only Marxist state in the Arab world
After British withdrawal, this odd communist experiment emerged in one of the world's poorest regions. The country lasted until 1990, complete with So...
1939
The Soviet Union bombed Helsinki, beginning the Winter War with Finland
MajorDespite vastly superior numbers, the Soviets faced fierce resistance from Finnish forces using guerrilla tactics and ski troops. The conflict became a...
1936
The Crystal Palace in London burned down in a spectacular fire visible from eight counties
The massive glass and iron structure, originally built for the 1851 Great Exhibition, was destroyed in just a few hours. Over 100,000 people gathered...
1872
The first international soccer match took place between Scotland and England, ending in a 0-0 draw
About 4,000 spectators gathered in Glasgow to watch this historic match. The game established football as an international sport and began what would...
1835
Mark Twain was born as Samuel Clemens in Florida, Missouri
The legendary author arrived during a visit by Halley's Comet and famously predicted he would 'go out with it' as well. Remarkably, he died in 1910, o...
1803
Spain officially transferred Louisiana to France, one day before France sold it to the United States
In one of history's quickest real estate flips, Spain handed over the massive territory to France, which immediately sold it to America for $15 millio...
1782
The United States and Britain signed preliminary peace articles in Paris, effectively ending the Revolutionary War
MajorRepresentatives Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and John Jay negotiated terms that were remarkably favorable to the new nation. Britain recognized Amer...