1577 – Sir Francis Drake sets sail from England to go around world
1636 – The Massachusetts Bay Colony organizes three militia regiments to defend the colony against the Pequot Indians. This organization is recognized today as the founding of the United States National Guard.
1643 – English Civil War: The Battle of Alton takes place in Hampshire.
1903 – Wright Bros make 1st flight at Kittyhawk
1919 – Ross & Smith land in Australia from a flight from London
1920 – League of nations establishes Intl Court of Justice in The Hague
1941 – U-81 torpedoes British aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal
1959 – Archbishop Makarios elected 1st president of Cyprus
1962 – Relay 1 communication satellite launched
1966 – 1st US bombing of Hanoi
1976 – Longest non-stop passenger airflight (Sydney to SF 13h14m)
1991 – Both Koreas sign an accord calling for reconcilliation
2001 – the Indian Parliament Sansad is attacked by terrorists. 15 people are killed, including all the terrorists.
2002 – Enlargement of the European Union: The European Union announces that Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia will become members from May 1, 2004.
2012 – Japan scrambles fighter jets in response to a Chinese plane in the Senkaku Islands dispute