October 19 has seen decisive victories in revolution, stock market crashes, and dramatic moments in justice.
British General Cornwallis surrendered his army to George Washington at Yorktown, Virginia, effectively ending the American Revolutionary War. The band reportedly played 'The World Turned Upside Down.'
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 22.6% in a single day, the largest one-day percentage decline in stock market history. The crash wiped out $500 billion in value and sent shockwaves through global markets.
The marriage of Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile united Spain's two largest kingdoms. Their partnership would sponsor Columbus's voyage, complete the Reconquista, and establish Spain as a world power.
Roman general Scipio Africanus defeated Hannibal's Carthaginian army at Zama in North Africa. The victory ended the Second Punic War and established Roman dominance of the Mediterranean.
The largest single mass of gold ever found, the Holtermann Nugget, was discovered in Australia. Weighing 286 kilograms, the specimen was valued at a fortune.
Albert Schatz and Selman Waksman isolated streptomycin, the first antibiotic effective against tuberculosis. The discovery saved millions of lives from a disease that had been one of humanity's greatest killers.
King John died at Newark Castle, ending a troubled reign marked by baronial revolt and the Magna Carta. His death allowed his nine-year-old son Henry III to inherit a more stable kingdom.