This Week:
October 9, 1635 – Roger Williams was banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony for his religious and political views. He later founded Rhode Island, which became known for religious tolerance.
October 7, 1780 – American Patriot forces defeated Loyalist troops at the Battle of Kings Mountain during the Revolutionary War. The victory helped weaken British efforts in the South.
October 5, 1813 – Shawnee leader Tecumseh was killed at the Battle of the Thames in Ontario during the War of 1812. His death severely weakened Native American resistance in the region.
October 8, 1871 – The Great Peshtigo Fire devastated northeastern Wisconsin, killing an estimated 1,200 or more people. It remains one of the deadliest fires in U.S. history.
October 11, 1899 – The Second Boer War began in South Africa between the British Empire and the Boer republics of the Transvaal and Orange Free State.
October 6, 1927 – The Jazz Singer premiered in New York. Its synchronized dialogue and music helped usher Hollywood from silent films into the era of talking pictures.
October 9, 1936 – Hoover Dam began transmitting hydroelectric power to Los Angeles over transmission lines stretching roughly 266 miles.
October 5, 1947 – President Harry Truman delivered the first televised presidential address from the White House, asking Americans to conserve food to help postwar Europe.
October 10, 1971 – London Bridge officially reopened in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, after being dismantled in England, transported to Arizona, and reconstructed.
October 11, 1975 – Saturday Night Live made its television debut on NBC.