- Andrew Jackson was censured by Congress. (1834) Jackson was censured for essentially dismantling the Bank of the United States to move government funds around for his plans of Western expansion. He was the first president to be censured by Congress, which essentially created Congressional censure to express their disapproval of Jackson.
- The Spanish Civil War ended. (1939) General Francisco Franco's forces took Madrid, ending three years of bloody conflict. Franco would remain in power as dictator until 1975.
- The Three Mile Island nuclear disaster occurred. (1979) Considered the worst nuclear disaster in American history, the Three Mile Island disaster was caused by an overheated reactor. Though radiation levels were raised over four counties while the plant tried to control — and cover up — the disaster, no one was killed and no direct injuries were reported.
- The first washing machine was patented in the US. (1797) The patent was granted to Nathaniel Briggs, a New Hampshire native, though because of the Patent Office Fire of 1836, no drawing of the machine exists.
- The second asteroid known to humans was discovered. (1802) The 2 Pallas asteroid, discovered by Heinrich Wilhelm Matthäus Olbers, is thought to be the largest irregularly shaped body in the solar system.
- Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford married. (1920) Fairbanks and Pickford were the mega-stars of their day, and their marriage was a huge cultural event. The two had been business partners for several years, along with Charlie Chaplin and D.W. Griffith, in charge of United Artists, and they continued to work together with UA after their divorce in 1936.
- The Paris Commune was established. (1871) The Commune was a short-lived, but important French government known for its violent edicts and many executions. It is considered the first time the working class of a country took over during the Industrial Revolution, and, among other things, decreed the separation of church and state in France.
- Virginia Woolf died. (1941) Though now considered one of the most influential writers of the 20th century, Woolf was largely unappreciated in her own time. She died by drowning herself after a long history of mental illness.
- Over a million people rioted in France over a youth labor law. (2006) Most of the participants were young people, who rioted in response to a law that would make it easier to fire people under the age of 26. The riot severely disrupted all kinds of travel, and was one of the largest in France's history.
- Two brewery giants were born: August Busch and Frederick Pabst. (1899, 1836) Both would go on to create wildly successful brewing companies that would remain in operation into the 21st century.