421
Ancient
Constantinople Founded
Emperor Constantius III is traditionally credited with important developments in Constantinople on this date. The city would serve as the capital of the Byzantine Empire for over a thousand years.
On This Day in History
1587
Politics
Mary, Queen of Scots Executed
Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, was beheaded at Fotheringhay Castle after 19 years of imprisonment by her cousin Elizabeth I. She had been convicted of plotting against the English queen.
1693
Culture
College of William & Mary Chartered
King William III and Queen Mary II of England granted a charter for the College of William & Mary in Virginia. It is the second-oldest college in America after Harvard.
1861
War & Conflict
Confederate Constitution Adopted
The Provisional Confederate Congress adopted a constitution for the Confederate States of America. The document explicitly protected the institution of slavery.
1910
Culture
Boy Scouts of America Incorporated
The Boy Scouts of America was incorporated by William D. Boyce in Washington, D.C. The organization was inspired by the British Boy Scout movement founded by Robert Baden-Powell.
1924
Crime
First Death by Gas Chamber in U.S.
Gee Jon became the first person executed by lethal gas in the United States at the Nevada State Prison. The gas chamber was introduced as a supposedly more humane method of execution.
1971
Invention
NASDAQ Stock Exchange Opens
The NASDAQ stock exchange began operations as the world's first electronic stock market. It would grow to become the second-largest stock exchange by market capitalization.