Today:
425 – The Byzantine Emperor Theodosius II founded the University of Constantinople.
1594 – Henry IV was crowned King of France at Chartres Cathedral, formally ending the Wars of Religion.
1700 – The Pacific Island of New Britain was discovered by English explorer William Dampier.
1801 – Washington, D.C. was placed under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Congress with the passage of the District of Columbia Organic Act of 1801.
1844 – The Dominican Republic gained independence from Haiti after 22 years of occupation.
1860 – Abraham Lincoln gave his famous Cooper Union speech in New York City, which helped propel him to the presidency.
1933 – Germany’s Reichstag building was set on fire, an event used by the Nazis to justify increased repression.
1951 – The 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, limiting the U.S. president to two terms in office.
1976 – The Western Sahara conflict escalated as the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic declared independence, though it was not widely recognized.
2010 – A massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck Chile, triggering a tsunami and causing widespread devastation.