Assassination of Franz Ferdinand
On June 28, 1914, Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife were assassinated by a Bosnia Serb nationalist, sparking World War I.
International History
Signing of United Nations Charter
On June 26, 1945, 50 nations signed the United Nations Charter.
International Labour Organization Founded
On April 11, 1919, the International Labour Organization was created.
1st Modern Olympic Games
The first Olympic Games in 1,500 years began on April 6, 1896, in Athens, Greece. Pierre de Coubertin had founded the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and worked to revive the Olympic Games to promote peace and stability.
First Nobel Prizes are Awarded
As instructed by their benefactor, the first Nobel Prizes were awarded on December 10, 1901, on the fifth anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death.
Cuban Missile Crisis Begins
On October 16, 1962, missiles were discovered in Cuba that could easily reach the US, beginning the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Christopher Columbus Makes Landfall
After more than two months at sea, Christopher Columbus reached what he believed was East Asia on October 12, 1492.
Mexico Gains Independence from Spain
After more than a decade of fighting and over 20,000 casualties, Mexico officially gained its independence from Spain on September 27, 1821.