1791
Politics
Bill of Rights Ratified
The first ten amendments to the US Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified. These amendments guaranteed fundamental freedoms including speech, religion, press, and the right to bear arms.
On This Day in History
1939
Entertainment
Gone with the Wind Premieres
The film adaptation of Margaret Mitchell's novel premiered in Atlanta, Georgia. Starring Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh, it became the highest-grossing film in history when adjusted for inflation.
1890
Politics
Sitting Bull Killed
Lakota Sioux chief Sitting Bull was killed by Indian agency police on the Standing Rock Reservation. His death came amid government fears of the Ghost Dance movement spreading among the Sioux.
1961
Politics
Adolf Eichmann Sentenced to Death
Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann was sentenced to death by an Israeli court for his role in organizing the Holocaust. His trial brought the horrors of the genocide to worldwide attention.
1832
Culture
Eiffel Born
Alexandre Gustave Eiffel, the engineer who designed the Eiffel Tower, was born in Dijon, France. His iconic tower, built for the 1889 World's Fair, became the symbol of Paris.
1970
Science
Soviet Venera 7 Lands on Venus
The Soviet Venera 7 became the first spacecraft to successfully land on another planet and transmit data. It confirmed Venus's extreme surface temperature of 887°F and crushing atmospheric pressure.
2009
Entertainment
Avatar Released
James Cameron's science fiction film Avatar was released, becoming the highest-grossing film worldwide. The movie pioneered 3D filmmaking technology and changed cinema.