Today in History
Historical Events
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
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.
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.
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.
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
1985
Czech tennis player

Jimmie Johnson
1975
American race car driver

Hank Williams
1923
American singer-songwriter, guitarist

M. F. Husain
1915
Indian painter, director

Periyar E. V. Ramasamy
1879
Indian businessman, politician, activist
Famous Deaths
Died on this day

Red Skelton
1997
American actor, comedian

Spiro Agnew
1996
American politician, 39th Vice President of the United States

Karl Popper
1994
Austrian/English philosopher

Ruth Benedict
1948
American anthropologist

Hildegard of Bingen
1179
German saint, philosopher, composer