Christopher Columbus set sail from Palos de la Frontera, Spain, on his first voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, aiming to find a westward route to Asia. Instead, he would eventually reach the Americas, marking the beginning of European exploration and colonization of the continent.
In History, Today on August 3
Today we explore events from the year 1492 to the year 2019. Events span the globe, from the countries of International Waters, New Zealand, Mauritania, N/A, Iraq, Brazil, Spain, Germany, United States, British Somaliland.
1492
Palos de la Frontera, Spain
1914
Berlin, Germany
Germany declared war on France during World War I, following its declaration of war on Russia two days earlier. This was part of the chain of events that led to the full-scale outbreak of the war.
1923
Plymouth Notch, United States
Calvin Coolidge was sworn in as the 30th President of the United States following the sudden death of President Warren G. Harding. Coolidge's presidency was marked by a period of economic prosperity known as the 'Roaring Twenties.'
1940
Hargeisa, British Somaliland
Italy invaded British Somaliland during World War II, as part of the East African Campaign. This was part of Italy's efforts to expand its colonial empire in Africa.
1948
Washington, D.C., United States
Whittaker Chambers accused Alger Hiss of being a communist and a spy for the Soviet Union during testimony before the House Un-American Activities Committee, leading to a highly publicized trial and Hiss's eventual conviction for perjury.
1958
North Pole, International Waters
The nuclear-powered submarine USS Nautilus completed the first undersea voyage to the geographic North Pole, marking a significant achievement in naval exploration and Cold War military capabilities.
1997
Auckland, New Zealand
The tallest free-standing structure in the Southern Hemisphere, Sky Tower in Auckland, New Zealand, was officially opened. It became a significant landmark and tourist attraction.
2004
New York City, United States
The pedestal of the Statue of Liberty reopens to the public after being closed following the September 11 attacks.
2005
Nouakchott, Mauritania
Mauritania experiences a coup d'état, with President Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya being overthrown while he was attending the funeral of King Fahd of Saudi Arabia.
2010
N/A, N/A
Wikileaks releases over 75,000 classified documents related to the War in Afghanistan, known as the Afghan War Diary.
2014
Sinjar, Iraq
The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) captures the city of Sinjar in Iraq, leading to a humanitarian crisis for the Yazidi people.
2016
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
The 2016 Summer Olympics officially begin in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, marking the first time the Olympics are held in South America.
2019
El Paso, United States
A mass shooting occurs at a Walmart store in El Paso, Texas, resulting in 23 deaths and 23 injuries.