History: What Happened Today?

1. In 1619, the first black slaves were brought by Dutch to colony of Jamestown, Virginia.
2. In 1791, Danish navigator Vitus Jonas Bering discovers Alaska.
3. In 1866, the Civil War is formally declared to be over by President Andrew Johnson, over a year after fighting ended.
4. In 1896, the dial telephone is patented.
5. In 1913, French pilot Adolphe Pegoud becomes the first pilot to parachute from an aircraft.
6. In 1930, Philo Farnsworth patented a television.
7. In 1938, Lou Gehrig hits record 23rd and last grand slam.
8. In 1960, the USSR recovers 2 dogs, the first living organisms to return to earth from space.
9. In 1964, as part of his Great Society policies, Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Economic Opportunity Act which, among other things, established the Head Start program.
10. In 1977, the U.S. launched Voyager 2, an unmanned spacecraft carrying a copper phonograph record containing greetings in dozens of languages, samples of music and sounds of nature.
11. Famous Birthdays: Benjamin Harrison (23rd President), Demi Lovato (actress), Robert Plant (rock singer), Eliel Saarinen (Finnish architect)

For famous birthdays and other daily events in history, visit our Daily Dose Activities.

Click Here for Yesterday in History: August 19

Click Here for Tomorrow in History: August 21

For more history resources on Internet 4 Classrooms, visit our Social Studies and History index. For Pre K-8th Grade Level History and Social Studies Resources, visit our Grade Level Index.