Category: Today In History

1775 – The office that would later become the United States Post Office Department is established by the Second Continental Congress. 1788 – New York ratifies the United States Constitution and becomes the 11th state of the United States. In 1785 until 1789 New York City was the first capital under the Articles of Confederation,...

1603 – James VI of Scotland is crowned king of England (James I of England), bringing the Kingdom of England and Kingdom of Scotland into personal union. A personal union is the combination of two or more countries that have the same leader while their borders, laws, and interests remain distinct. Political union wouldn’t occur...

1706 – The Acts of Union 1707 are agreed upon by commissioners from the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland, which, when passed by each countries’ Parliaments, led to the creation of the Kingdom of Great Britain. 1793 – Alexander Mackenzie reaches the Pacific Ocean becoming the first European to complete a transcontinental...

365 – A tsunami devastates Alexandria, Egypt. The tsunami was caused by the Crete earthquake, which was estimated to be magnitude 8.5 or higher. Five thousand people perished in Alexandria, and 45,000 more died outside the city. 1949 – The United States Senate ratifies the North Atlantic Treaty. This treaty established the North Atlantic Trade...

1848 – The first Women’s Rights Convention in Seneca Falls, New York, a two-day event, concludes. 1903 – The Ford Motor Company ships its first car. 1949 – Israel and Syria sign a truce to end their nineteen-month war. 1960 – Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) elects Sirimavo Bandaranaike Prime Minister, the world’s first elected female...