On This Day
2006 - Dwarf planet
The International Astronomical Union (IAU) redefines the term "planet" such that Pluto is now considered a dwarf planet.
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1949 - NATO
The treaty creating the North Atlantic Treaty Organization goes into effect.
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1814 - Burning of Washington
British troops capture Washington, D.C. and set the Presidential Mansion, Capitol, Navy Yard and many other public buildings ablaze.
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2023 - India
Chandrayaan-3 mission initiates first Moon landing in Indian history.
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1991 - World Wide Web
The World Wide Web is opened to the public.
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476 - Heruli
Odoacer, chieftain of the Germanic tribes (Herulic – Scirian foederati), is proclaimed rex Italiae ("King of Italy") by his troops.
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1864 - First Geneva Convention
Twelve nations sign the First Geneva Convention, establishing the rules of protection of the victims of armed conflicts.
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1639 - Chennai
Madras (now Chennai), India, is founded by the British East India Company on a sliver of land bought from local Nayak rulers.
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1791 - Haitian Revolution
The Haitian slave revolution begins in Saint-Domingue, Haiti.
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1983 - Assassination of Ninoy Aquino
Philippine opposition leader Benigno Aquino Jr. is assassinated at Manila International Airport (now renamed Ninoy Aquino International Airport in his honor).
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1957 - Intercontinental ballistic missile
The Soviet Union successfully conducts a long-range test flight of the R-7 Semyorka, the first intercontinental ballistic missile.
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1791 - Bois Caïman
Enslaved Africans in Saint-Domingue, led by Dutty Boukman, held a Vodou ceremony that became a pivotal act of resistance. This gathering sparked a mass uprising against slavery, marking the beginning of the Haitian Revolution.