1820: The “Mayflower of Liberia” Sets Sail

On February 6, 1820, a ship of freed black slaves set sail from New York for the coast of West Africa, where they would...

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...

1461: Edward IV Deposes Henry VI in Wars of the Roses

On March 4, 1461, Edward, Duke of York, was crowned king of England, ending 62 years of Lancastrian rule. The Yorkists would rule England...

1887: First Groundhog Day Celebrated in Punxsutawney

On February 2, 1887, Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, celebrated the first official Groundhog Day, a holiday with roots in ancient traditions. The Origins of Groundhog Day On February...

1964: The Beatles Arrive in New York

On February 7, 1964, the Beatles were greeted by thousands of screaming fans as they landed at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York...
Saddam Hussein

On This Day: Iraq Invades Kuwait, Leading to Persian Gulf War

On Aug. 2, 1990, Iraqi soldiers invaded the Gulf state of Kuwait in the early morning hours, precipitating the start of the Persian Gulf...

1978: Aldo Moro Kidnapped by the Italian Red Brigades

On March 16, 1978, former Italian Prime Minister Aldo Moro was kidnapped by a left-wing extremist group; he was killed 55 days later when...

1952: British WWII Code Breaker Alan Turing Goes on Trial for Homosexuality

On March 31, 1952, Alan Turing, computer technology pioneer and breaker of the Nazi Enigma code, was put on trial for homosexual acts. Found...

On This Day: Bodies of Three Civil Rights Workers Discovered in Mississippi

On Aug. 4, 1964, the bodies of missing civil rights volunteers Michael Schwerner, James Chaney and Andrew Goodman were discovered in a dam outside...

USSR established -1922

In post-revolutionary Russia, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) is established, comprising a confederation of Russia, Belorussia, Ukraine, and the Transcaucasian Federation (divided...