1959
Politics
Hawaii Becomes 50th State
Hawaii was admitted as the 50th US state, the last to join the Union. The tropical archipelago brought unique cultural diversity and strategic military importance to the nation.
On This Day in History
1911
Culture
Mona Lisa Stolen
Vincenzo Peruggia stole Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa from the Louvre in Paris, hiding it under his coat. The theft, which took two years to solve, ironically made the painting the most famous artwork in the world.
1863
War & Conflict
Lawrence Massacre
Confederate guerrilla William Quantrill led a raid on Lawrence, Kansas, killing nearly 200 men and boys. The massacre was one of the bloodiest events of the Civil War's guerrilla conflicts.
1680
War & Conflict
Pueblo Revolt
Native American Pueblo peoples rose up against Spanish colonists in New Mexico, killing 400 Spaniards and driving the rest from the territory. It was the most successful indigenous revolt in North American history.
1888
Technology
William Burroughs Patents Adding Machine
William Seward Burroughs received a patent for his practical adding machine, launching the office equipment revolution. His company eventually evolved into Burroughs Corporation, a major computer manufacturer.
2017
Science
Total Solar Eclipse Across America
A total solar eclipse crossed the continental United States from coast to coast for the first time since 1918. Millions of Americans traveled to the path of totality to witness the celestial event.
1770
Exploration
James Cook Claims Eastern Australia
Captain James Cook claimed the eastern coast of Australia for Britain, naming it New South Wales. This claim would lead to British colonization of the continent beginning 18 years later.