Poland officially abolished the death penalty, aligning with European human rights standards.
📍 Warsaw, Poland
The first patent for an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) was granted, transforming global banking practices.
📍 United States
Revolutionary leader Che Guevara was captured by Bolivian forces, leading to his execution the following day.
📍 La Higuera, Bolivia
Percy Spencer demonstrated the first microwave oven, changing cooking technology forever.
📍 United States
Pan American Airways completed the first commercial transatlantic flight, connecting the U.S. and Europe by air.
📍 New York, United States / Lisbon, Portugal
President Franklin D. Roosevelt began his series of 'Fireside Chats,' using radio to communicate directly with Americans.
📍 Washington D.C., United States
The Indian Air Force was officially established as an auxiliary air force of the British Empire.
📍 India
The first U.S. domestic commercial flight took place between New York and Atlantic City, marking the start of passenger aviation.
📍 New York, United States
During World War I, U.S. soldier Alvin York led a heroic attack, capturing 132 German troops and receiving the Medal of Honor.
📍 France
The New York Stock Exchange reopened for bond trading after a months-long closure due to the outbreak of World War I.
📍 New York City, United States
During World War I, aerial photography was used for the first time in military reconnaissance operations.
📍 France
Harriet Quimby became the first woman in the United States to earn a pilot's license, paving the way for women in aviation.
📍 United States
Guglielmo Marconi achieved the first wireless radio transmission across the English Channel, revolutionizing communication.
📍 Dover, England / Boulogne, France
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited for the first time in American public schools to commemorate Columbus Day.
📍 United States
French inventor Clement Ader made one of the earliest powered flight attempts with his steam-powered aircraft, Éole.
📍 France
The Great Chicago Fire broke out, destroying over 17,000 buildings and leaving more than 100,000 people homeless.
📍 Chicago, Illinois, United States
On the same day as the Chicago fire, a massive wildfire scorched over 3,900 square miles in Michigan, killing hundreds.
📍 Michigan, United States
A major financial panic began in the United States, triggered by declining international economy and overexpansion, impacting global markets.
📍 United States
The Second Opium War began as British forces attacked Canton over trade disputes, escalating Western imperialism in China.
📍 Canton (Guangzhou), China
The Boston Public Library, the first large free municipal library in the United States, officially opened to the public.
📍 Boston, Massachusetts, United States