1649 – The House of Commons of England passes an act abolishing the House of Lords, declaring it “useless and dangerous to the people of England”.
1863 – The SS Georgiana, said to have been the most powerful Confederate cruiser, is destroyed on her maiden voyage with a cargo of munitions, medicines and merchandise then valued at over $1,000,000.
1885 – Louis Riel declares a Provisional Government in Saskatchewan, beginning the North-West Rebellion.
1895 – Auguste and Louis Lumière record their first footage using their newly patented cinematograph.
1905 – Albert Speer, German architect (d. 1981) was birthed.
1906 – Adolf Eichmann, German SS officer (d. 1962) was birthed.
1918 – The U.S. Congress establishes time zones and approves daylight saving time.
1920 – The United States Senate rejects the Treaty of Versailles for the second time (the first time was on November 19, 1919).
1921 – Irish War of Independence: One of the biggest engagements of the war takes place at Crossbarry, County Cork. About 100 Irish Republican Army (IRA) volunteers escape an attempt by over 1,300 British forces to encircle them.
1931 – Gambling is legalized in Nevada.
1937 – Clarence “Frogman” Henry, American singer and pianist was born.
1941 – World War II: The 99th Pursuit Squadron also known as the Tuskegee Airmen, the first all-black unit of the US Army Air Corps, is activated.
1943 – Frank Nitti, the Chicago Outfit Boss after Al Capone, commits suicide at the Chicago Central Railyard.
1944 – World War II: Nazi forces occupy Hungary.
1944 – Sirhan Sirhan, Palestinian-Jordanian alleged assassin of Robert F. Kennedy was born.
1945 – World War II: Adolf Hitler issues his “Nero Decree” ordering all industries, military installations, shops, transportation facilities and communications facilities in Germany to be destroyed.
1946 – Paul Atkinson, English guitarist (The Zombies) (d. 2004) was born.
1947 – Glenn Close, American actress and producer was born.
1953 – Ricky Wilson, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (The B-52’s) (d. 1985) was born.
1954 – Joey Giardello knocks out Willie Tory in round seven at Madison Square Garden in the first televised prize boxing fight shown in colour.
1955 – Bruce Willis, German-American actor, singer, and producer was born.
1962 – Highly influential artist, Bob Dylan releases his first album, Bob Dylan, on Columbia Records label.
1965 – The wreck of the SS Georgiana, valued at over $50,000,000 and said to have been the most powerful Confederate cruiser, is discovered by teenage diver and pioneer underwater archaeologist E. Lee Spence, exactly 102 years after its destruction.
1977 – Fayez Banihammad, Emirati terrorist, alleged hijacker of United Airlines Flight 175 (d. 2001)
1979 – The United States House of Representatives begins broadcasting its day-to-day business via the cable television network C-SPAN.
1987 – Televangelist Jim Bakker resigns as head of the PTL Club due to a brewing sex scandal; he hands over control to Jerry Falwell.
2002 – Zimbabwe is suspended from the Commonwealth on charges of human rights abuses and of electoral fraud, following a turbulent presidential election.
2003 – President George W. Bush addresses the nation via live television and announces that Operation Iraqi Freedom has begun to rid Iraq of tyrannical dictator Saddam Hussein and eliminate Iraq’s ability to develop weapons of mass destruction. The American led coalition launched began with the launch of U.S. cruise missiles and precision-guided bombs aimed at Saddam Hussein near Baghdad.
2008 – Arthur C. Clarke, English author (b. 1917) died.
2011 – Libyan Civil War: After the failure of Muammar Gaddafi’s forces to take Benghazi, French Air Force launches Opération Harmattan, beginning foreign military intervention in Libya.
2014 – Ken Forsse, American toy creator and author, created Teddy Ruxpin (b. 1936) died,
2014 – Fred Phelps, American lawyer, pastor, and activist, founded the Westboro Baptist Church (b. 1929) died and went to hell.
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