1997 The United Kingdom returned Hong Kong to the People's Republic of China

1940 Winston Churchill became British Prime Minister, replacing Neville Chamberlain

1926 John Logie Baird gave the first public demonstration of a live television system

1901 Guglielmo Marconi sent and received the first wireless message across the Atlantic Ocean

1814 Innovation of the steam locomotive (engine)

1974 President Richard Nixon signed the national speed limit into law

1959 Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista ousted by Castro-led revolution

1876 Innovation of the telephone

1993 Czechoslovakia was divided into two independent states

1863 President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation

1836 Spain recognized the independence of Mexico by signing the Santa María–Calatrava Treaty

1994 Nelson Mandela sworn in as the first black president of South Africa

1924 Astronomer Edwin Hubble formally announced that the Milky Way is just one of many galaxies in the universe

1921 The Communist Party of China (CPC) was formed, and Chen Duxiu was elected its leader

1807 Innovation of the steamboat

1945 International Monetary Fund was formally established by 29 member countries

1999 The Euro became the official currency in 11 European countries

1808 The slave trade became illegal when the United States enacted a law banning the importation of slaves

1767 King Taksin was crowned King of Thailand (Siam)

1949 Queen Juliana of the Netherlands signed the papers to grant independence to Indonesia