A suicide truck-bombing at Beirut International Airport in Lebanon killed 241 American service personnel.

The first underground New York City Subway line opened, linking Manhattan and Brooklyn.

Orson Welles broadcast his radio play of H.G. Wells' 'The War of the Worlds,' causing anxiety in some of the audience in the United States.

Black Tuesday hit Wall Street as investors traded approximately 16 million shares on the New York Stock Exchange in a single day, marking the climax of the Wall Street Crash.

The United States formally took possession of Alaska after purchasing the territory from Russia for $7.2 million, or about two cents an acre.

The Statue of Liberty was dedicated in New York Harbor by President Grover Cleveland.

The USA PATRIOT Act was signed into law, expanding law enforcement's surveillance and investigative powers in the wake of the September 11 attacks.

Thomas Edison successfully tested his prototype incandescent lightbulb, marking the beginning of the electric age.

The stock market crash of 1929 began, leading to the Great Depression.

President Kennedy addressed the nation about the Cuban Missile Crisis, revealing the existence of Soviet missiles in Cuba and announcing a naval blockade.

A ten-year-old tiger named Montecore attacked Roy Horn of the magician duo Siegfried & Roy during a live performance, signaling the end of their stage careers.

The United States invaded Grenada to restore stability after a coup d'état in the island nation.

President John F. Kennedy announced that American spy planes had discovered Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba, starting the Cuban Missile Crisis.

The British surrendered at Yorktown in a decisive victory by American and French troops, effectively ending the American Revolutionary War.

Clarence Thomas was confirmed as a Supreme Court Justice after contentious hearings involving accusations of sexual harassment.

Mother Teresa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her humanitarian work with the poor in Calcutta, India.

Abolitionist John Brown led a raid on the federal armory at Harpers Ferry, an event that heightened tensions leading up to the Civil War.

Martin Luther King Jr. was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his nonviolent efforts to combat racial inequality.

The cornerstone of the White House was laid in Washington, D.C.

Christopher Columbus made landfall in the Bahamas, believing he had reached Asia, and opened up the Americas to European exploration.

Congress passed the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq, paving the way for the Iraq War.

Vice President Spiro Agnew resigned after being charged with evasion of federal income tax.

North Korea claimed to have conducted its first nuclear test, an announcement that prompted international condemnation and discussions on nuclear proliferation.

The Great Chicago Fire began, reportedly after a cow kicked over a lantern; it would kill up to 300 people and destroy thousands of buildings.

The U.S. and its allies launched air strikes against Taliban and al Qaeda forces in Afghanistan, initiating the war in Afghanistan.

The Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite, marking the start of the space age and the U.S.-Soviet space race.

The Jazz Singer, the first prominent 'talkie' movie, was released, heralding the end of the silent film era.

President Harry Truman made the first-ever televised presidential address from the White House, asking Americans to cut back on their use of grain in order to help starving Europeans.

East and West Germany were reunified, ending 45 years of separation following World War II.

Iconic actor James Dean died in a car crash at the age of 24.

The Twilight Zone premiered on CBS, introducing viewers to its unique blend of science fiction and fantasy narratives.

The Ford Model T, the first affordable automobile, was introduced, transforming the auto industry and American society.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 777.68 points, its largest single-day point loss, amidst the financial crisis of 2008.

The Judiciary Act of 1789 was signed into law, establishing the federal judiciary and the position of the Attorney General.

The Siege of Yorktown began during the American Revolutionary War, the last major land battle of the war.

The first televised presidential debate occurred between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon.

The Warren Commission report was released, concluding Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

The Little Rock Nine entered Central High School under the protection of the U.S. Army, following the standoff over school integration.

Richard Nixon delivered his 'Checkers Speech,' famously defending his integrity and his family's finances.

President Abraham Lincoln issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, declaring all slaves in rebel states should be free as of January 1, 1863.

Sandra Day O'Connor was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the first female justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.

The New York Times and The Washington Post published the Unabomber's manifesto, which led to his identification and arrest.

Billie Jean King defeated Bobby Riggs in a highly publicized 'Battle of the Sexes' tennis match.

The Constitution of the United States was signed by delegates at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.

The United States Air Force was established as a separate branch of the U.S. military.

The Mayflower set sail from Plymouth, England, carrying Pilgrims bound for the New World.

Francis Scott Key wrote the poem 'Defence of Fort M'Henry,' which later became the lyrics for 'The Star-Spangled Banner.'

Four African American girls were killed in the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, a pivotal event in the Civil Rights Movement.

Terrorist attacks by al-Qaeda on the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., killed nearly 3,000 people.

The Oslo Accords were signed at the White House, with President Bill Clinton hosting Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat.

John F. Kennedy married Jacqueline Bouvier in Newport, Rhode Island.

Hurricane Donna made landfall in the Florida Keys as a Category 4 hurricane, causing widespread damage and becoming one of the most intense hurricanes on record to hit the United States.

California was admitted as the 31st state of the United States.

St. Augustine, Florida, was founded by the Spanish, making it the oldest continually inhabited European-established settlement in the continental United States.

The United States got its nickname, 'Uncle Sam,' based on Samuel Wilson, a meat packer who supplied meat to the U.S. Army during the War of 1812.

President William McKinley was shot by anarchist Leon Czolgosz at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York.

The Munich Olympics massacre occurred, where 11 Israeli athletes were taken hostage and killed by the Palestinian terrorist group Black September.

The Treaty of Paris was signed, officially ending the American Revolutionary War.

Nine African American students, known as the Little Rock Nine, were prevented from entering Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, by the National Guard.

World War II began as Germany invaded Poland.

World War II officially ended with the formal surrender of Japan aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay.

Hurricane Katrina, one of the deadliest and most costly hurricanes in U.S. history, struck the Gulf Coast.

Princess Diana died in a car crash in Paris, an event that had a profound impact on the United States and the world.

Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his iconic 'I Have a Dream' speech during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.

The 19th Amendment, guaranteeing women the right to vote, took effect.

Thurgood Marshall was confirmed as the first African American Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Italian-born anarchists Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were executed, concluding a controversial murder trial and worldwide protests.

The eruption of Krakatoa began, one of the most violent volcanic events in recorded history.

President Andrew Johnson formally declared the Civil War over, even though the fighting had stopped months earlier.

The National Park Service was established by an act signed by President Woodrow Wilson.

British troops burned the White House during the War of 1812.

The first commercial Compact Discs (CDs) were produced in Germany, heralding a new era for the music industry.

The USS Constitution defeated the British frigate HMS Guerriere off the coast of Nova Scotia during the War of 1812, earning the nickname 'Old Ironsides.'

The Haitian Revolution began with a massive slave uprising in Saint-Domingue, which would lead to the establishment of Haiti as an independent nation.

Hawaii became the 50th state of the United States.

The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, granting American women the right to vote.

The Woodstock Music Festival opened in upstate New York, symbolizing the counterculture movement of the 1960s.

The Mall of America, the largest shopping mall in the U.S. at the time, opened in Bloomington, Minnesota.

Elvis Presley, the king of rock 'n' roll, died at his Graceland home in Memphis, Tennessee.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act into law, creating a safety net for the elderly and unemployed.

Construction began on the Berlin Wall, which would stand as a divisive symbol of the Cold War until 1989.

IBM released its first personal computer, the IBM PC, which had a profound impact on the computing industry.

The Smithsonian Institution was founded in Washington, D.C., after James Smithson, a British scientist, bequeathed his estate to the United States for the 'increase and diffusion of knowledge.'

The United States dropped a second atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan, three days after the bombing of Hiroshima.

President Richard Nixon announced his resignation, effective the next day, due to the Watergate scandal.

Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, giving President Lyndon B. Johnson broad war powers in Vietnam.

The United States dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, leading to Japan's surrender and the end of World War II.

The bodies of three civil rights workers were found in Mississippi, a case that drew national attention to the civil rights struggle.

The Battle of Mobile Bay occurred during the American Civil War, marked by Admiral David Farragut's famous order, 'Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!'

Christopher Columbus set sail from Spain on his voyage that would lead him to the Americas, significantly impacting global history.

The signing of the United States Declaration of Independence took place. Although the declaration was adopted on July 4, the actual signing occurred almost a month later.

MTV was launched, changing the music industry and popular culture with the broadcasting of its first music video, 'Video Killed the Radio Star.'

NASA was established by the National Aeronautics and Space Act signed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Apollo 15 astronauts David Scott and James Irwin rode in the Lunar Roving Vehicle for the first time on the moon's surface.

The first legislative assembly in America convened in Jamestown, Virginia.

The 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution, guaranteeing due process and equal protection under the law, was ratified.

The Korean War ended with the signing of an armistice agreement at Panmunjom, now in North Korea.

The United States Postal System was established with Benjamin Franklin as its first postmaster general.

Louise Brown, the world's first test-tube baby, was born in Oldham, England, through the process of in-vitro fertilization.

Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th President of the United States, died in Mount McGregor, New York.