Discover What Happened Today in History
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) was formally established by a treaty, uniting Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and the Transcaucasian Federation. This created the world's first constitutionally socialist state, which became a major global power for most of the 20th century.
A fire broke out during a matinee performance at the Iroquois Theatre in Chicago, killing over 600 people, mostly women and children. It remains one of the deadliest single-building fires in U.S. history and led to major reforms in theater safety standards.
U.S. Ambassador James Gadsden and Mexican President Antonio López de Santa Anna signed a treaty for the United States to purchase approximately 29,670 square miles of land in present-day southern Arizona and New Mexico. This finalized the continental borders of the contiguous United States.
The Argentine film 'Elsa & Fred' premiered, achieving the highest-grossing opening weekend for a domestic film in Argentine cinema history at that time. This marked a significant moment for the country's national film industry and cultural output.
Former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein was executed by hanging at an Iraqi army base in Baghdad. His execution followed his conviction by an Iraqi tribunal for crimes against humanity related to the 1982 killing of 148 Shiite Muslims.