Today in History

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1577: Sir Francis Drake sets out from Plymouth, England, on his round-the-world voyage (more info) 1862: At the Battle of Fredericksburg, Confederate General Robert E. Lee defeats the Union Major General Ambrose E. Burnside in a decisive loss for the Union army (more info)

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1901: Italian physicist and radio pioneer Guglielmo Marconi succeeds in sending the first radio transmission across the Atlantic Ocean (more info) 1913: Two years after it was stolen from the Louvre museum in Paris, Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece 'The Mona Lisa' is recovered inside Italian waiter Vincenzo Peruggia's

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1941: Following the American declaration of war on Japan after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Germany and Italy declare war on the United States (more info) 1946: The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) is established (more info)

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1898: The Treaty of Paris is signed, officially ending the Spanish-American War (more info) 1901: The first Nobel Prizes are awarded in Stockholm, Sweden, in the fields of physics, chemistry, medicine, literature and peace (more info)

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1863: President Abraham Lincoln offers his conciliatory plan for reunification of the United States with his Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction (more info) 1980: Music icon John Lennon is murdered by a mentally unstable fan in front of the Dakota apartment building in New York City (more info)

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1787: Delaware becomes the first state to ratify the United States Constitution (more info) 1941: In an early-morning sneak attack, Japanese warplanes bomb the U.S. naval base at Oahu Island's Pearl Harbor, causing the United States to enter World War II (more info)

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1848: In a message before Congress, President James K. Polk sparks the Gold Rush when he confirms that large amounts of the precious metal had been discovered in California (more info) 1933: The 21st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is ratified, bringing an end to the prohibition of alcohol in America (more info) Re

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1875: Notorious New York City politician Boss Tweed escapes from prison and flees the country (more info) 1918: President Woodrow Wilson sails for the World War I peace talks in Versailles, becoming the first U.S. president to travel to Europe while in office (more info)

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1818: Illinois becomes the 21st U.S. state (more info) 1964: Police arrest over 800 students at the University of California-Berkeley following their takeover and sit-in at the administration building to demonstrate against the regents' decision to forbid protests on U.C. property (more info)

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1981: In Geneva, representatives from the United States and the Soviet Union begin to negotiate intermediate-range nuclear-weapons reductions in Europe (more info) 1982: Michael Jackson's 'Thriller,' the best-selling album of all time, is released (more info)