1917 President Woodrow Wilson asked Congress to declare war against Germany

1974 President Richard Nixon signed the national speed limit into law

1945 The United Nations was officially established

1863 President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation

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

1835 The Treaty of New Echota was signed between the United States Government and representatives of a minority Cherokee Political Faction

1945 International Monetary Fund was formally established by 29 member countries

1932 Radio City Music Hall opened in New York City

1965 United States President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law

1964 United States President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act into law

2003 The Spirit Rover was launched by NASA to start the Mars Exploration Rover mission

1963 President John F. Kennedy signed the United States Equal Pay Act into law

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

1807 Innovation of the steamboat

1903 Innovation of the aeroplane

1876 Innovation of the telephone

1959 Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista ousted by Castro-led revolution

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

1895 German physicist Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen discovered X-Rays

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

1814 Innovation of the steam locomotive (engine)

1994 The implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement

1804 Haiti declared its independence from France

1940 Winston Churchill became British Prime Minister, replacing Neville Chamberlain

1999 The Euro became the official currency in 11 European countries

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

1767 King Taksin was crowned King of Thailand (Siam)

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

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

1993 Czechoslovakia was divided into two independent states

1956 Dutch swimmer Cockie Gastelaars broke two decades' world record for 100m freestyle