1979
Politics
Iran Hostage Crisis Begins
Iranian students stormed the US Embassy in Tehran, taking 52 Americans hostage. The 444-day crisis dominated the Carter presidency and reshaped American-Iranian relations for decades.
On This Day in History
1922
Exploration
King Tut's Tomb Discovered
British archaeologist Howard Carter discovered the entrance to the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings. The virtually intact tomb contained dazzling treasures and captivated the world.
2008
Politics
Barack Obama Elected President
Barack Obama was elected the 44th President of the United States, becoming the first African American to hold the office. His victory speech before 240,000 people in Chicago was a historic moment.
1842
Politics
Abraham Lincoln Marries Mary Todd
Abraham Lincoln married Mary Todd in Springfield, Illinois. Their sometimes tumultuous marriage endured through Lincoln's political rise, the Civil War, and the presidency.
1890
Technology
City and South London Railway Opens
The world's first deep-level underground railway opened in London, running electric trains through tube-shaped tunnels. It pioneered the concept of the 'tube' that defines London's transport system.
1956
War & Conflict
Soviet Union Crushes Hungarian Revolution
Soviet tanks rolled into Budapest to crush the Hungarian uprising, killing thousands. The brutal suppression disillusioned many Western communists and exposed the limits of Soviet tolerance for reform.
1995
Politics
Yitzhak Rabin Assassinated
Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was shot dead by a Jewish extremist opposed to the Oslo peace process. The assassination dealt a devastating blow to Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts.