62
Disaster
Earthquake Damages Pompeii
A powerful earthquake struck the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum in southern Italy. The cities were still being rebuilt when Mount Vesuvius erupted 17 years later, burying them in ash.
On This Day in History
1631
Religion
Roger Williams Arrives in Boston
English Puritan minister Roger Williams arrived in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He would later found Rhode Island as a colony based on religious freedom and separation of church and state.
1778
Politics
South Carolina Ratifies Articles of Confederation
South Carolina became the first state to ratify the Articles of Confederation, the predecessor to the U.S. Constitution. The Articles created a loose confederation of sovereign states.
1846
Culture
Oregon Spectator Becomes First Newspaper on Pacific Coast
The Oregon Spectator, published in Oregon City, became the first newspaper printed west of the Rocky Mountains. It served the growing community of American settlers in the Oregon Territory.
1917
Politics
Mexico's Constitution of 1917 Adopted
Mexico adopted a new constitution incorporating progressive social reforms including labor rights, land reform, and limits on church power. It was one of the most progressive constitutions of its era.
1924
Culture
BBC Time Signal 'The Pips' First Broadcast
The BBC broadcast the Greenwich Time Signal, known as 'the pips,' for the first time. The series of short tones has been used to mark the top of the hour ever since.
1971
Space
Apollo 14 Lands on the Moon
Apollo 14's lunar module Antares landed on the Moon with astronauts Alan Shepard and Edgar Mitchell. Shepard became the oldest person to walk on the Moon at age 47.