1264
War & Conflict
Battle of Lewes
Simon de Montfort defeated King Henry III at the Battle of Lewes, capturing both the king and his son Prince Edward. Montfort briefly controlled England and established a model parliament.
On This Day in History
1607
Exploration
Virginia Company Settlers Land at Jamestown
The Virginia Company's settlers established Jamestown on the banks of the James River. The settlement survived near-starvation to become the seed of English-speaking North America.
1796
Science
Edward Jenner Administers First Smallpox Vaccination
English physician Edward Jenner inoculated eight-year-old James Phipps with cowpox material, demonstrating protection against smallpox. This pioneered the concept of vaccination.
1804
Exploration
Lewis and Clark Expedition Departs
The Lewis and Clark expedition departed from Camp Dubois near St. Louis on their journey to the Pacific Ocean. The two-year expedition would map the American West.
1948
Politics
State of Israel Established
David Ben-Gurion proclaimed the establishment of the State of Israel, declaring independence from the British Mandate. The declaration was immediately followed by invasion from neighboring Arab states.
1955
Politics
Warsaw Pact Established
Eight communist nations signed the Warsaw Pact, creating a military alliance to counter NATO. The pact formalized the division of Europe during the Cold War.
1998
Culture
Final Episode of Seinfeld Airs
The final episode of the sitcom Seinfeld aired on NBC, watched by an estimated 76 million viewers. The 'show about nothing' had become one of the most popular sitcoms in television history.