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...
1737: First St. Patrick’s Day Celebrated in America
On March 17, 1737, Boston became the first American city to celebrate the feast day of St. Patrick, Ireland’s patron saint.
St. Patrick’s Day Comes...
2002: The Trial of Slobodan Milosevic Begins
On February 12, 2002, the war crimes trial of Serb leader Slobodan Milosevic began at The Hague. The defendant died before a sentence was...
1857: Supreme Court Rules Against Dred Scott
On March 6, 1857, the Supreme Court ruled against Dred Scott, a slave who sued for freedom after spending time in free territory. The...
1587: Mary, Queen of Scots Beheaded
On February 8, 1587, Mary I of Scotland was beheaded for her alleged role in a conspiracy against her cousin Queen Elizabeth I of...
1938: “Kristallnacht” Attacks Mark Unofficial Start of Holocaust
On Nov. 9, 1938, Nazi storm troopers launched a coordinated attack against Jewish communities, destroying property and shipping thousands to concentration camps.
“Night of Broken...
1974: Russian Dissident Writer Alexander Solzhenitsyn Charged With Treason
On February 14, 1974, Alexander Solzhenitsyn, the Russian writer who revealed the horrors of the Soviet gulag, was charged with treason a day after...
1836: Santa Anna Launches Siege on the Alamo
On February 23, 1836, Mexican General Santa Anna began a siege against nearly 200 Texan rebels stationed inside the Alamo. He launched an assault...
1983: Reagan Delivers “Star Wars” Speech
On March 23, 1983, President Ronald Reagan proposed the development of the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), a space and ground-based defense system to intercept...
Eurotunnel Connects Britain and France
On Dec. 1, 1990, British and French construction workers joined the two halves of the Eurotunnel, physically linking Britain and France for the first...
