356 BC

Herostratus sets fire to the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

365

Crete Earthquake followed by tsunami around the Eastern Mediterranean allegedly destroys Alexandria.

1613

Michael Romanov was crowned tsar of Russia, founding the Romanov dynasty.

1774

The Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca was signed at the conclusion of the Russo-Turkish War of 1768–74.

1798

Napoleon’s Army of Egypt used a new military tactic, the massive divisional square, to defeat the Egyptian forces of Murād Bey this day in 1798 at the Battle of the Pyramids during Napoleon’s Egyptian campaign.

1861

The First Battle of Bull Run (called First Manassas by the South) was fought during the American Civil War.

1904

After 13 years, the 4,607-mile Trans-Siberian railway is completed.

1925

The trial of high-school teacher John T. Scopes ended with his conviction in Tennessee; he had taught Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution in violation of a state law.

1943

Musical film “Stormy Weather”, directed by Andrew L. Stone, starring Bill Robinson, Lena Horne and Fats Waller (singing “Ain’t Misbehavin'”) premieres in the US.

1954

The Geneva Accords effectively divided Vietnam at the 17th parallel.

1960

Politician Sirimavo Bandaranaike became the world’s first woman prime minister when she took office in Ceylon (later Sri Lanka).

1961

Virgil I. (“Gus”) Grissom became the second American to enter space during Project Mercury.

1967

Albert John Luthuli, president of the African National Congress (1952–60) and the first African to be awarded a Nobel Prize for Peace (1960), died after being struck by a train.

1969

Apollo 11: Neil Armstrong becomes the first person to step on the Moon at 2:56:15 AM (GMT).

1970

Aswan High Dam opens in Egypt, enables human control of the flooding of the Nile.

1983

The world’s lowest recorded temperature, −128.6 °F (−89.2 °C), was measured at Vostok Station, Antarctica.

1987

American heavy metal band Guns N’ Roses released the landmark album Appetite for Destruction, which sold more than 17 million copies.

1996

“The Daily Show”, late-night talk and satirical news program hosted by Craig Kilborn premieres on Comedy Central in the US.

2002

With a record 6 races remaining, German Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher clinches his 5th F1 World Drivers Championship with victory in the French Grand Prix at Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours; 3rd straight title win.

2007

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the final book in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, was released.

2011

The U.S. space shuttle program ended, after 135 missions, as the orbiter Atlantis landed at NASA’s John F. Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Florida.

2015

On This Day changes its domain name and brand from HistoryOrb.com to OnThisDay.com.