In History, Today on August 23

Scottish leader William Wallace was executed for treason by Edward I of England.

The Battle of Chaldiran took place, where the Ottoman Empire defeated the Safavid Empire.

French explorer Jacques Cartier landed near Quebec City in his third voyage to Canada.

King George III declared the American colonies to be in open rebellion.

The French Revolutionary Wars saw the city of Mainz surrendered to Prussian and Austrian forces after a prolonged siege. This marked a significant moment in the conflict as the French Revolutionary Army faced setbacks.

Napoleon Bonaparte left Egypt to return to France, abandoning his army. This marked the end of the French campaign in Egypt and Syria, which had begun in 1798.

The United Kingdom captured Hong Kong as a base as it prepared for the First Opium War with Qing China.

The Battle of Mons was fought, marking the first major action of the British Expeditionary Force in World War I.

Italian-American anarchists Sacco and Vanzetti were executed in Massachusetts after a controversial trial.

The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, a non-aggression treaty between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, was signed.

Romania switched allegiance from the Axis powers to the Allies during World War II.

The World Council of Churches was founded in Amsterdam.

The Lunar Orbiter 1 took the first photograph of Earth from the Moon.

The Baltic Way, a peaceful political demonstration, took place with approximately two million people forming a human chain across the Baltic states.

Armenia declared its independence from the Soviet Union.

Hurricane Katrina formed over the Bahamas, eventually becoming one of the deadliest and most destructive hurricanes in U.S. history.

A magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck Virginia, causing damage to landmarks such as the Washington Monument and the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C.

The United Nations confirmed the use of chemical weapons in the Ghouta area of Damascus, Syria, leading to international condemnation and discussions on military intervention.

The Amazon rainforest fires gained international attention, leading to global concern over environmental policies in Brazil and the impact on climate change.

Protests erupt in Kenosha, Wisconsin, following the police shooting of Jacob Blake, leading to widespread demonstrations against racial injustice.