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

1945 International Monetary Fund was formally established by 29 member countries

1932 Radio City Music Hall opened in New York City

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

1903 Innovation of the aeroplane

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

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

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

1964 Kenya became a republic

1814 Innovation of the steam locomotive (engine)

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

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

1804 Haiti declared its independence from France

1895 German physicist Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen discovered X-Rays

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

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