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1936

The Great Purge of the Soviet Union begins when the first of the Moscow Trials is convened.

The Great Purge of the Soviet Union begins when the first of the Moscow Trials is convened.

1934

The first All-American Soap Box Derby is held in Dayton, Ohio.

The first All-American Soap Box Derby is held in Dayton, Ohio.

1861

First ascent of Weisshorn, fifth highest summit in the Alps.

First ascent of Weisshorn, fifth highest summit in the Alps.

1725

J. S. Bach leads the first performance of Lobe den Herren, den mächtigen König der Ehren, BWV 137, a cantata setting…

J. S. Bach leads the first performance of Lobe den Herren, den mächtigen König der Ehren, BWV 137, a cantata setting the unchanged text of Neander's hymn.

2011

First Air Flight 6560 crashes 1 mile from the Resolute Bay runway, killing 12 of the 15 aboard.

First Air Flight 6560 crashes 1 mile from the Resolute Bay runway, killing 12 of the 15 aboard.

1962

The NS Savannah, the world's first nuclear-powered civilian ship, embarks on its maiden voyage.

The NS Savannah, the world's first nuclear-powered civilian ship, embarks on its maiden voyage.

1920

The first commercial radio station, 8MK (now WWJ), begins operations in Detroit.

The first commercial radio station, 8MK (now WWJ), begins operations in Detroit.

1858

Charles Darwin first publishes his theory of evolution through natural selection in The Journal of the Proceedings of…

Charles Darwin first publishes his theory of evolution through natural selection in The Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society of London, alongside Alfred Russel Wallace's same theory.

1707

The first Siege of Pensacola comes to an end with the failure of the British to capture Pensacola, Florida.

The first Siege of Pensacola comes to an end with the failure of the British to capture Pensacola, Florida.

1083

The first King of Hungary, Stephen I, and his son, Prince Emeric, are canonized, a date now celebrated as a National…

The first King of Hungary, Stephen I, and his son, Prince Emeric, are canonized, a date now celebrated as a National Day in Hungary.

636

Marking the first great wave of Muslim conquests and the rapid advance of Islam outside Arabia, Arab forces led by…

Marking the first great wave of Muslim conquests and the rapid advance of Islam outside Arabia, Arab forces led by Khalid ibn al-Walid defeat the Byzantine Empire and take control of the Levant.

2000

American golfer Tiger Woods wins the 82nd PGA Championship and becomes the first golfer since Ben Hogan in 1953 to win…

American golfer Tiger Woods wins the 82nd PGA Championship and becomes the first golfer since Ben Hogan in 1953 to win three majors in a calendar year.

1968

James Anderson Jr. posthumously receives the first Medal of Honor to be awarded to an African American U.S. Marine.

James Anderson Jr. posthumously receives the first Medal of Honor to be awarded to an African American U.S. Marine.

1957

The Soviet Union successfully conducts a long-range test flight of the R-7 Semyorka, the first intercontinental…

The Soviet Union successfully conducts a long-range test flight of the R-7 Semyorka, the first intercontinental ballistic missile.

1888

The first successful adding machine in the United States is patented by William Seward Burroughs.

The first successful adding machine in the United States is patented by William Seward Burroughs.

1862

The Stadtpark, the first public park in Vienna, opens to the public.

The Stadtpark, the first public park in Vienna, opens to the public.

1858

The first of the Lincoln–Douglas debates is held in Ottawa, Illinois.

The first of the Lincoln–Douglas debates is held in Ottawa, Illinois.

1991

Iceland is the first nation in the world to recognize the independence of the Baltic states.

Iceland is the first nation in the world to recognize the independence of the Baltic states.

1989

Nolan Ryan strikes out Rickey Henderson to become the first Major League Baseball pitcher to record 5,000 strikeouts.

Nolan Ryan strikes out Rickey Henderson to become the first Major League Baseball pitcher to record 5,000 strikeouts.

1968

Pope Paul VI arrives in Bogotá, Colombia. It is the first visit of a pope to Latin America.

Pope Paul VI arrives in Bogotá, Colombia. It is the first visit of a pope to Latin America.