Discover What Happened Today in History
The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was officially ratified, formally abolishing slavery and involuntary servitude throughout the country. This followed the Civil War and President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation.
One of the longest and bloodiest battles of World War I concluded after ten months of brutal fighting between French and German forces. The battle resulted in over 700,000 casualties and became a symbol of French determination and the war's horrific attrition.
The United States launched the world's first communications satellite, SCORE (Signal Communications by Orbiting Relay Equipment). It broadcast a pre-recorded Christmas message from President Eisenhower, demonstrating the potential of satellite technology for global communication.
Charles Dawson claimed to have discovered the fossilized remains of the 'Piltdown Man,' presented as a missing link between apes and humans. The find was later exposed in 1953 as an elaborate hoax, combining a human skull with an orangutan's jaw.
Protests erupted in Sidi Bouzid, Tunisia, after street vendor Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire in protest of police corruption and economic despair. This act ignited the Tunisian Revolution, which quickly spread across the Arab world as the Arab Spring.