September 11 is forever marked by the 2001 terrorist attacks, but the date has also seen other significant events.
Al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners, crashing two into the World Trade Center and one into the Pentagon. The attacks killed 2,977 people and fundamentally changed global security and politics.
The Chilean military, led by General Augusto Pinochet, overthrew President Salvador Allende in a violent coup. Allende died during the assault on the presidential palace, and Pinochet's dictatorship lasted 17 years.
Henry Hudson sailed his ship the Half Moon into the harbor of present-day New York. His exploration of the river that bears his name led to Dutch colonization and the founding of New Amsterdam.
Scottish rebels led by William Wallace and Andrew Moray defeated a much larger English army at Stirling Bridge. The stunning victory made Wallace a national hero and guardian of Scotland.
George Washington appointed Alexander Hamilton as the first Secretary of the Treasury. Hamilton's financial system, including a national bank and federal assumption of state debts, shaped the American economy.
Armed militants attacked the US diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, killing Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and three other Americans. The attack became a major political controversy in the United States.
Stephen Foster's iconic song 'Oh! Susanna' was first performed at a Pittsburgh saloon. The tune became the anthem of the California Gold Rush and one of America's most beloved folk songs.