In History, Today on March 9

The Spanish government approved a Recovery and Resilience Plan to boost the economy and address impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Global stock markets experienced a significant crash, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling by over 2,000 points, marking the largest single-day point drop in history at that time, due to fears over the COVID-19 pandemic.

The European Central Bank announced a series of measures to stimulate the Eurozone economy, including cutting interest rates and expanding its quantitative easing program.

Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, which disappeared on March 8, 2014, was officially declared missing, leading to one of the largest search operations in aviation history.

The Space Shuttle Discovery completed its final mission, STS-133, and landed at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

China's state-run Xinhua News Agency announces that it will revamp itself to be more competitive and authoritative.

Liquid water is discovered on Enceladus, one of Saturn's moons, by the Cassini spacecraft.

Dan Rather, a prominent American journalist and longtime anchor of the CBS Evening News, signs off for the last time.

Rapper The Notorious B.I.G. was killed in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles, California, an event that intensified the East Coast-West Coast hip hop rivalry.

The first version of the popular web browser Microsoft Internet Explorer is released, representing a major step in the growth of the internet era.

The deadliest cable car accident in history occurred in Cavalese, Italy, when a cable car fell, killing 42 people.

Svetlana Alliluyeva, daughter of Joseph Stalin, defects to the United States by requesting political asylum at the American embassy in New Delhi.

The Soviet spacecraft Sputnik 9 was launched, carrying a dog named Chernushka and other biological specimens, as part of the Soviet space program.

The Barbie doll made its debut at the American International Toy Fair in New York City, marking the beginning of a cultural phenomenon.

The United States conducted a massive firebombing raid on Tokyo, Japan, during World War II, resulting in extensive destruction and loss of life.

Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa led a raid on the town of Columbus, New Mexico, prompting the United States to send troops into Mexico in pursuit of Villa.

The Southern Pacific Company (SP) forms through the consolidation of several railroads, continuing its expansion as a major railway system in the United States.

The first battle between ironclad warships, the USS Monitor and the CSS Virginia, took place at the Battle of Hampton Roads during the American Civil War.

The first documented discovery of gold in California occurred at Rancho San Francisco, six years before the famous California Gold Rush.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the case of United States v. The Amistad, determining that the Africans who had seized control of the ship Amistad had been illegally enslaved and were thus free individuals.

Napoleon Bonaparte marries his first wife, Joséphine de Beauharnais.

The St. Louis area is founded by Pierre Laclède Liguest and Auguste Chouteau in present-day Missouri, United States.

David Rizzio, the secretary for Mary, Queen of Scots, is murdered in the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh, Scotland.

Nicholas Copernicus recorded his first observations of the planet Jupiter.

The military Order of the Teutonic Knights launched a campaign in what is now Lithuania, marking an escalation in the conflict between the order and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. This conflict is part of the broader Northern Crusades, where Christian military orders attempted to convert pagan areas in the Baltic region to Christianity.

The Battle of Svolder, a significant naval battle in the Viking Age, is traditionally dated to this period, marking a pivotal moment in Scandinavian history.

The Last Sermon of Prophet Muhammad is delivered during the Farewell Pilgrimage, which is a pivotal event in Islamic history.

Bahram Chobin is crowned as King Bahram VI of Persia, marking a significant moment in the Sasanian Empire's history.