1670 – The Hudson Bay Company was founded by England’s King Charles II.
1776 – France and Spain agreed to donate arms to American rebels fighting the British.
1797 – A mutiny in the British navy spread from Spithead to the rest of the fleet.
1798 – The black General Toussaint L’ouverture forced British troops to agree to evacuate the port of Santo Domingo.
1808 – The citizens of Madrid rose up against Napoleon.
1813 – Napoleon defeated a Russian and Prussian army at Grossgorschen.
1902 – “A Trip to the Moon,” the first science fiction film was released. It was created by magician George Melies.
1926 – In India, women gained the right to seek elected office.
1926 – U.S. Marines landed in Nicaragua to put down a revolt and to protect U.S. interests. They did not depart until 1933.
1933 – Hitler banned trade unions in Germany.
1941 – Hostilities broke out between British forces in Iraq and that country’s pro-German faction
1945 – German Army in Italy surrenders
1945 – WWII: Battle of Berlin ends as Soviet army takes Berlin and General Weidling surrenders
1953 – Feisal II installed as king of Iraq
1953 – Hussein I installed as king of Jordan
1956 – US Lab detects high-temperature microwave radiation from Venus
1969 British liner Queen Elizabeth II leaves on maiden voyage to NY
1982 – The British submarine HMS Conqueror sank Argentina’s only cruiser, the General Belgranoduring the Falkland Islands War. More than 350 people died.
1982 – Falklands War: Argentine cruiser General Belgrano sunk by British submarine Conqueror, killing more than 350 men
1994 – Nelson Mandela claimed victory after South Africa’s first democratic elections.
