1010
Culture
Ferdowsi Completes the Shahnameh
Persian poet Ferdowsi completed the Shahnameh (Book of Kings), one of the world's longest epic poems written by a single poet. The work preserved Persian mythology and language.
On This Day in History
1618
Science
Johannes Kepler Discovers Third Law of Planetary Motion
German astronomer Johannes Kepler discovered his Third Law of Planetary Motion, relating the orbital period of a planet to its distance from the Sun. This was a crucial step toward Newton's theory of gravity.
1817
Invention
New York Stock Exchange Founded
The New York Stock & Exchange Board was formally established with a constitution and regular trading hours. It would grow into the world's largest stock exchange.
1862
War & Conflict
CSS Virginia Battles USS Monitor
The ironclad warships CSS Virginia and USS Monitor clashed at Hampton Roads, Virginia, in the first battle between armored warships. The engagement revolutionized naval warfare.
1917
Politics
February Revolution Begins in Russia
Mass protests erupted in Petrograd (St. Petersburg), beginning the Russian February Revolution. Within days, Tsar Nicholas II would abdicate, ending over 300 years of Romanov rule.
1965
War & Conflict
First U.S. Combat Troops Arrive in Vietnam
The first American combat troops, 3,500 Marines, landed at Da Nang, South Vietnam. This marked the beginning of the major U.S. military buildup in Vietnam.
2014
Disaster
Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 Disappears
Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, carrying 239 people, vanished during a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Despite the largest search in aviation history, the plane was never fully recovered.