Pop icon Michael Jackson's death was formally announced, triggering worldwide mourning for the 'King of Pop,' whose influence reshaped global music and entertainment.
📍 Los Angeles, California, United States
Hurricane Katrina made landfall near New Orleans, causing catastrophic flooding, over 1,800 deaths, and becoming one of the costliest natural disasters in U.S. history.
📍 Louisiana, United States
Netflix was founded as a DVD rental-by-mail company, later transforming global media consumption through its pioneering streaming platform.
📍 Scotts Valley, California, United States
Slovakia adopted its constitution, setting the legal foundation for its peaceful split from Czechoslovakia and full independence on January 1, 1993.
📍 Bratislava, Slovakia
The Gulf Cooperation Council was formally established to foster economic, political, and security cooperation among six Middle Eastern countries.
📍 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
The British-built Concorde Prototype 002 made its maiden flight, advancing supersonic passenger travel technology.
📍 Filton, United Kingdom
The Beatles performed their final official concert at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, marking the end of their touring career and a shift toward studio-only recordings.
📍 San Francisco, California, United States
The USSR successfully detonated its first atomic bomb, codenamed 'First Lightning,' marking the start of the nuclear arms race during the Cold War.
📍 Semipalatinsk Test Site, Kazakhstan
New Zealand formally declared war on Germany, joining the Allied powers shortly after Britain, marking its involvement in World War II.
📍 Wellington, New Zealand
As World War II loomed, London unveiled its first public air raid shelters to protect civilians from anticipated aerial bombings.
📍 London, United Kingdom
The first automobile race in the U.S. took place in Chicago, marking the beginning of motorsport culture in America.
📍 Chicago, Illinois, United States
The Tokyo Stock Exchange was founded, becoming one of the world’s largest financial markets and a central hub for Japan’s economic growth.
📍 Tokyo, Japan
The Red Cross emblem was used for the first time during an armed conflict, marking the beginning of international humanitarian law protections.
📍 Geneva, Switzerland
The Union army used early machine guns, known as the 'Agar gun,' during the Second Battle of Bull Run, marking a shift in military technology.
📍 Manassas, Virginia, United States
Brazil abolished press censorship, a significant step toward freedom of expression during its movement toward independence from Portugal.
📍 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Sweden became the first country in the world to adopt a constitutional law protecting freedom of the press and freedom of information.
📍 Stockholm, Sweden
Philosopher John Locke was born, whose ideas on liberty, government, and human rights laid the foundation for modern liberal democracy and influenced the U.S. Declaration of Independence.
📍 Wrington, England
England and France signed the Treaty of Picquigny, effectively ending the Hundred Years' War by establishing a seven-year truce and signaling the decline of English territorial claims in France.
📍 Picquigny, France
Scottish forces led by Robert the Bruce defeated the English army at the Battle of Bannockburn, securing de facto independence for Scotland.
📍 Bannockburn, Scotland
King Olaf II of Norway was killed at the Battle of Stiklestad, a key event in the Christianization of Norway. Olaf was later canonized as Saint Olaf.
📍 Stiklestad, Norway