1954: Puerto Rican Nationalists Launch Assault on U.S. Congress

On March 1, 1954, Puerto Rican nationalists opened fire on the House of Representatives, injuring five congressmen. Nationalists Attack Congress Three members of the Puerto Rico...

1974: Heiress Patty Hearst Kidnapped

On February 4, 1974, members of the Symbionese Liberation Army kidnapped Patty Hearst, 19, granddaughter of newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst. After months of...

1981: John Hinckley Shoots President Reagan and James Brady

On March 30, 1981, President Ronald Reagan was shot in the chest by John Hinckley Jr., a college dropout hoping to impress actress Jodie...

44 B.C.: Julius Caesar Assassinated

On March 15, 44 B.C., Julius Caesar was assassinated by a group of senators hoping to restore the Roman republic. Caesar Murdered on the Ides...

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...

1972: Congress Passes Equal Rights Amendment

On March 22, 1972, the Senate approved the Equal Rights Amendment, which banned discrimination on the basis of sex. The amendment fell three states...

1979: Nuclear Meltdown Occurs at Three Mile Island

On March 28, 1979, the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant experienced a partial meltdown. It was the worst-ever commercial nuclear accident in American history. Meltdown...

1980: United States Beats USSR in “Miracle on Ice”

On February 22, 1980, the underdog U.S. hockey team beat the powerful Soviet team in a thrilling upset at the Lake Placid Olympics. USA 4,...

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...