Today:
1296: The Battle of Dunbar takes place, resulting in a victory for the English army over the Scottish forces.
1521: Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan is killed by warriors led by Lapulapu during the Battle of Mactan in the Philippines.
1667: John Milton sells the copyright for his epic poem Paradise Lost to a printer for ten pounds.
1773: The British Parliament passes the Tea Act, which allowed the East India Company to sell tea directly to the American colonies, fueling tensions that led to the American Revolution.
1810: Ludwig van Beethoven composes the piano piece widely known as Fur Elise.
1865: The steamboat Sultana explodes on the Mississippi River, resulting in one of the deadliest maritime disasters in United States history.
1941: German forces enter Athens, Greece, during World War II.
1961: Sierra Leone achieves its independence from the United Kingdom.
1994: South Africa holds its first post-apartheid general election, marking the first time citizens of all races were permitted to vote.
2005: The Airbus A380, the world’s largest commercial airliner, completes its successful maiden test flight.