In History, Today on March 27

Pope Clement V excommunicated Venice and placed the city under interdict due to its refusal to return Ferrara to the Papal States.

Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León sighted Florida, claiming it for Spain.

Charles I became King of England, Scotland, and Ireland following the death of his father, James I.

The United States Congress authorized the construction of the original six frigates of the United States Navy.

The Battle of Horseshoe Bend took place during the Creek War, resulting in a decisive victory for Andrew Jackson's forces over the Red Stick Creek Indians.

The Goliad Massacre took place during the Texas Revolution, where over 400 Texan prisoners were executed by the Mexican Army.

The United Kingdom and France declared war on Russia, marking the beginning of their involvement in the Crimean War.

The first long-distance telephone call was made between Boston and New York City by Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Watson.

The Good Friday Earthquake, the most powerful earthquake in U.S. history, struck Alaska, measuring 9.2 on the Richter scale.

The Tenerife airport disaster occurred when two Boeing 747 jumbo jets collided on the runway, resulting in 583 fatalities, the deadliest aviation accident in history.

The Food and Drug Administration approved Viagra, the first oral treatment for erectile dysfunction, marking a significant development in pharmaceutical treatments.

The United States and the United Kingdom launched Operation Southern Focus, a series of airstrikes in Iraq aimed at degrading Iraqi air defenses in the southern no-fly zone.

A suicide bombing at the Park Hotel in Netanya, Israel, killed 30 people and injured 140 others during a Passover Seder, marking one of the deadliest attacks of the Second Intifada.

The dam holding the Situ Gintung reservoir in Indonesia failed, causing a flood that killed at least 100 people and displaced thousands.

The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution affirming Ukraine's territorial integrity and recognizing Crimea as part of Ukraine, following Russia's annexation of Crimea.

Arab leaders agreed to form a joint military force at the Arab League summit in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, in response to regional conflicts and threats.

A suicide bombing in Lahore, Pakistan, targeted Christians celebrating Easter in a public park, killing at least 75 people and injuring over 340 others.

India conducted Mission Shakti, an anti-satellite missile test, successfully destroying one of its own satellites in low Earth orbit, making it the fourth country to demonstrate this capability after the United States, Russia, and China.