1770: British Soldiers Kill 5 in “Boston Massacre”
On March 5, 1770, British soldiers stationed in Boston fired on a crowd of hecklers, killing five and wounding others.
British Soldiers Open Fire on...
1911: Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire Kills 146
On March 25, 1911, a fire at New York City’s crowded, unsafe Triangle Shirtwaist Factory killed 146 workers. Public outrage over the incident galvanized...
1933: Arsonist Torches the Reichstag
On February 27, 1933, the Reichstag building in Berlin was burned down by a Dutch communist, possibly with the assistance of Nazi officials. The...
1977: 583 Killed as 747s Collide on Tenerife Runway
On March 27, 1977, two 747 airliners collided on a runway in the Canary Island of Tenerife, killing 583 people, more than any plane...
1993: Feds Raid Branch Davidian Compound in Waco
On February 28, 1993, federal agents tried to arrest David Koresh at his Waco, Texas, compound. A gunfight ensued, killing 10 and beginning a...
1962: Cuban Missile Crisis Begins
On Oct. 14, 1962, a United States spy plane spotted missile bases under construction in Cuba, touching off the two-week Cuban Missile Crisis.
Two Weeks...
1773: American Patriots Carry Out Boston Tea Party
On Dec. 16, 1773, members of the Sons of Liberty boarded British ships in Boston Harbor and destroyed their cargo of tea, taking another...
1943: United States Defeats Japan at Guadalcanal
On February 9, 1943, the United States declared victory against Japan in the seven-month World War II campaign for Guadalcanal and nearby islands in...
1990: Nelson Mandela Released From Prison
On February 11, 1990, South African President Frederik Willem de Klerk freed anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela. Mandela had spent 27 years in prison.
Mandela Goes...
1937: President Roosevelt Proposes “Court-Packing” Plan
On February 5, 1937, President Franklin D. Roosevelt presented Congress with legislation intended to manufacture Supreme Court approval for his New Deal.
“Court-Packing” Bill Fails...
