Today:
331 BC – Alexander the Great defeated the Persian army of Darius III at the Battle of Gaugamela, one of the decisive battles in his conquest of the Persian Empire.
1795 – Belgium was annexed by revolutionary France following the French Revolutionary Wars. The territory remained under French control until the fall of Napoleon.
1890 – Yosemite National Park was established by an act of Congress, protecting more than 1,500 square miles of spectacular California wilderness.
1908 – Henry Ford’s Model T went on sale for the first time. Its relatively affordable price and mass-production techniques helped transform automobile ownership in the United States.
1931 – The George Washington Bridge opened to traffic, connecting Manhattan with Fort Lee, New Jersey, across the Hudson River.
1949 – Mao Zedong proclaimed the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in Beijing after Communist forces prevailed in the Chinese Civil War.
1958 – NASA officially began operations, replacing the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and taking responsibility for the United States’ civilian space program.
1962 – Johnny Carson hosted The Tonight Show for the first time. He remained the show’s host for nearly 30 years and became one of the most influential figures in American television.
1971 – Walt Disney World opened to the public near Orlando, Florida. The original resort included the Magic Kingdom, two hotels and recreational facilities.
1982 – EPCOT Center opened at Walt Disney World. The park was inspired by Walt Disney’s ideas about technology, innovation and international culture.