Today:
1506: The cornerstone of the current St. Peter’s Basilica is laid in Vatican City.
1775: Paul Revere and William Dawes begin their ride from Boston to Lexington and Concord to warn of approaching British troops.
1906: A major earthquake strikes San Francisco, followed by a fire that destroys much of the city.
1923: Yankee Stadium, often called The House That Ruth Built, officially opens in New York City.
1942: The United States conducts the Doolittle Raid, the first air attack on the Japanese mainland during World War II.
1943: Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto is killed after his plane is shot down by United States fighters over Bougainville Island.
1946: The International Court of Justice holds its inaugural session at the Peace Palace in The Hague.
1949: The Republic of Ireland Act comes into force, formally severing the country’s association with the British Commonwealth.
1951: The Treaty of Paris is signed, establishing the European Coal and Steel Community.
1980: Zimbabwe officially gains its independence from the United Kingdom.