This Day in History

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1818 – The US Congress adopts a flag with 13 red and white stripes and one star for each state (More info) 1841 – President William Henry Harrison dies from pneumonia just one month after his inauguration (More info)

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1860 – The first successful United States Pony Express run begins (More info) 1882 – Jesse James is killed by Robert Ford, one of his own gang members (More info)

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1513 – Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León first sights land in what is now Florida (More info) 1917 – President Woodrow Wilson asks the US Congress for a declaration of war on Germany (More info)

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1700 – English pranksters begin popularizing the annual tradition of April Fools’ Day by playing practical jokes on each other (More info) 1933 – The Nazi persecution of Jews begins in Germany with a boycott of Jewish businesses (More info)

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1492 – Spain’s Queen Isabella orders her 150,000 Jewish subjects to convert to Christianity or face expulsion from the country (More info) 1889 – The Eiffel Tower opens in Paris (More info)

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1842 – Anesthesia is used for the first time during surgery (More info) 1867 – US Secretary of State William H. Seward agrees to purchase Alaska from Russia for $7 million (More info)

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1867 – The North America Act is passed by the British parliament, creating the dominion of Canada (More info) 1929 – Herbert Hoover becomes the first president to have a telephone installed in the Oval Office (More info)

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history: 1834 – President Andrew Jackson becomes the first president to be censured by Congress (More info) 1939 – The Spanish Civil War ends (More info)