325
Religion
Council of Nicaea Convened
Emperor Constantine I convened the First Council of Nicaea, the first ecumenical council of the Christian Church. The council established the Nicene Creed and addressed major theological controversies.
On This Day in History
1498
Exploration
Vasco da Gama Arrives in India
Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama arrived at Calicut on India's Malabar Coast. He was the first European to reach India by sea, establishing a direct trade route.
1506
Exploration
Christopher Columbus Dies
Christopher Columbus died in Valladolid, Spain, at age 54. He never accepted that he had discovered a new continent, believing to the end that he had reached Asia.
1862
Politics
Homestead Act Signed
President Lincoln signed the Homestead Act, offering 160 acres of public land to settlers who farmed it for five years. The act opened the West to millions of Americans.
1927
Exploration
Lindbergh Departs for Paris
Charles Lindbergh took off from Roosevelt Field, Long Island, in his Spirit of St. Louis. He would complete the first solo nonstop transatlantic flight 33.5 hours later.
1932
Exploration
Amelia Earhart Flies Solo Across Atlantic
Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean, landing in Northern Ireland. The flight took approximately 15 hours.
2002
Politics
East Timor Gains Independence
East Timor (Timor-Leste) became the first new sovereign nation of the 21st century, gaining independence from Indonesia after 24 years of occupation.