In History, Today on January 18

King Henry VII of England married Elizabeth of York, uniting the warring houses of Lancaster and York and effectively ending the Wars of the Roses.

Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro founded the city of Lima, which would become the capital of Peru.

James Cook became the first known European to discover the Hawaiian Islands, which he named the "Sandwich Islands."

The German Empire was proclaimed in the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles, marking the unification of Germany.

Eugene B. Ely landed on the deck of the USS Pennsylvania stationed in San Francisco Bay, marking the first time an aircraft landed on a ship.

The Paris Peace Conference opened to negotiate peace treaties ending World War I, leading to the Treaty of Versailles.

The first uprising of the Warsaw Ghetto began as Jewish resistance fighters launched an attack against the Nazis.

Scientists identified a previously unknown bacterium as the cause of Legionnaires' disease, following an outbreak in 1976.

The Sierra Leone Civil War was officially declared over after 11 years of conflict. The war, which began in 1991, was characterized by widespread atrocities, including the use of child soldiers and mass amputations. The end of the war was marked by a ceremony in Freetown attended by President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah and representatives from the United Nations and other international organizations.

The Airbus A380, the world's largest passenger airliner, was unveiled in a ceremony in Toulouse, France. The A380 was designed to carry more passengers than any other aircraft, with a typical seating capacity of 555 passengers in a three-class configuration. The unveiling marked a significant milestone in aviation history, showcasing advancements in engineering and design.

Hurricane Kyrill, a powerful European windstorm, struck several countries in Western Europe, causing widespread damage and resulting in the deaths of at least 47 people. The storm led to significant disruptions in transportation and power supplies, with Germany, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands among the hardest-hit countries.

The English Wikipedia went offline for 24 hours in protest against the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect IP Act (PIPA), two proposed laws in the United States Congress. The blackout was part of a larger protest by numerous websites, highlighting concerns over internet censorship and the potential impact of the legislation on free speech.

Taiwan elected Tsai Ing-wen as its first female president, marking a significant moment in the country's political history.

The collapse of a bridge under construction in Bogotá, Colombia, resulted in the deaths of at least 10 workers. The Chirajara Bridge was part of a highway project intended to improve connectivity between Bogotá and the city of Villavicencio. The incident raised concerns about construction safety standards in the country.