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