Today:
1307 – King Philip IV of France ordered the mass arrest of the Knights Templar, a powerful medieval military and religious order. Hundreds of knights were imprisoned and accused of heresy and other crimes. The arrests contributed to the eventual dissolution of the order in 1312.
1775 – The Continental Congress authorized the creation of the Continental Navy during the American Revolutionary War. This date is officially recognized as the birthday of the United States Navy, which began with a small fleet intended to intercept British supply ships.
1792 – The cornerstone of the White House was laid in Washington, D.C. Designed by Irish-born architect James Hoban, the presidential residence took eight years to complete. President John Adams became its first occupant in November 1800.
1812 – American forces suffered a major defeat at the Battle of Queenston Heights in Canada during the War of 1812. British and allied Native American forces successfully repelled the American invasion, although British commander Major General Isaac Brock was killed during the fighting.
1884 – The International Meridian Conference in Washington, D.C., adopted the meridian passing through Greenwich, England, as the world’s prime meridian. The decision helped establish a common reference point for longitude and international timekeeping.
1943 – Italy officially declared war on Nazi Germany during World War II. Following the overthrow of Benito Mussolini and Italy’s surrender to the Allies, the Italian government joined the Allied war effort against its former Axis partner.
1960 – Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Bill Mazeroski hit a dramatic ninth-inning home run to defeat the New York Yankees 10–9 in Game 7 of the World Series. It remains the only walk-off home run in a deciding Game 7 of the World Series.
1972 – Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 crashed in the Andes Mountains while carrying a rugby team and other passengers. Sixteen survivors endured 72 days in freezing conditions before being rescued in December. Their remarkable survival story became the subject of books and movies.
2010 – The final group of 33 Chilean miners trapped underground for 69 days was successfully rescued from the San José Mine near Copiapó, Chile. The dramatic rescue operation captivated a worldwide television audience and became one of the most celebrated mine rescues in history.
2021 – Actor William Shatner, famous for portraying Captain James T. Kirk on Star Trek, traveled into space aboard a Blue Origin spacecraft. At age 90, Shatner became the oldest person to reach space at that time, fulfilling a real-life version of the space exploration he had portrayed on television decades earlier.