Today in History

Historical Events

1978

Camp David Accords are signed. The Camp David Accords were signed by Egyptian President Anwar El Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin. The accords were the precursor to the 1974 Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty

1939

Man runs 10,000 meters in less than 30 minutes for the first time in recorded history. Finnish runner, Taisto Mäki, broke his previous record by running the distance in 29 minutes 52 seconds.

1894

A day after Japan wins the Battle of Pyongyang it defeats China in the Battle of the Yalu River. Also known as the Battle of the Yellow Sea, the conflict was fought between Japan and China during the First Sino-Japanese War.

1862

Bloodiest Single Day of the American Civil War takes place. The Battle of Antietam was fought near the Antietam Creek in Sharpsburg, Maryland. Thought to be the deadliest single day of the American Civil War – at least 4000 soldiers on both sides died – the battle ended Confederate General Robert E. Lee incursion into the North. While there were no clear victors, many believed that the withdrawal of Confederate soldiers from the battlefield before the Union Army did meant that the Union had won the battle.

1809

Treaty of Fredrikshamn is signed between Sweden and Russia. Also known as the Treaty of Hamina, it concluded the Finnish War and ceded Swedish territories, which later formed Finland to Russia.

Famous Births

Born on this day

Tomáš Berdych

Tomáš Berdych

1985

Czech tennis player

Jimmie Johnson

Jimmie Johnson

1975

American race car driver

Hank Williams

Hank Williams

1923

American singer-songwriter, guitarist

M. F. Husain

M. F. Husain

1915

Indian painter, director

Periyar E. V. Ramasamy

Periyar E. V. Ramasamy

1879

Indian businessman, politician, activist

Famous Deaths

Died on this day

Red Skelton

Red Skelton

1997

American actor, comedian

Spiro Agnew

Spiro Agnew

1996

American politician, 39th Vice President of the United States

Karl Popper

Karl Popper

1994

Austrian/English philosopher

Ruth Benedict

Ruth Benedict

1948

American anthropologist

Hildegard of Bingen

Hildegard of Bingen

1179

German saint, philosopher, composer