Today:
31 BC: The Battle of Actium took place, a pivotal naval engagement where Octavian’s fleet defeated the combined forces of Mark Antony and Cleopatra, leading to Octavian’s rise as the first Roman Emperor, Augustus.
1666: The Great Fire of London began in a bakery on Pudding Lane. The fire raged for four days, destroying a large portion of the city, including over 13,000 houses and St. Paul’s Cathedral.
1789: The United States Department of the Treasury was established. This act was fundamental in shaping the financial system of the newly formed United States, with Alexander Hamilton serving as the first Secretary of the Treasury.
1864: During the American Civil War, Union forces led by General William T. Sherman captured Atlanta, Georgia. This victory was a major turning point in the war and significantly boosted Northern morale.
1901: Vice President Theodore Roosevelt delivered his famous “Speak softly and carry a big stick” speech at the Minnesota State Fair, outlining his foreign policy approach.
1945: Japan formally surrendered aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, officially ending World War II. This event marked the conclusion of the most widespread war in history.
1945: Ho Chi Minh declared Vietnam’s independence from France, establishing the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. This proclamation marked a significant moment in the country’s struggle for self-determination.
1969: The first successful automatic teller machine (ATM) in the United States was installed at a Chemical Bank branch in Rockville Centre, New York, revolutionizing the banking industry.
1998: Swissair Flight 111, traveling from New York to Geneva, crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, resulting in the deaths of all 229 people on board.
2013: American swimmer Diana Nyad, at the age of 64, became the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida without the protection of a shark cage, completing a 110-mile journey.