Discover What Happened Today in History
Abraham Lincoln was elected the 16th President of the United States. His victory, without a single Southern electoral vote, was a major catalyst for the secession of Southern states and the subsequent American Civil War.
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was arrested while leading a march of Indian miners in South Africa. This event was a pivotal moment in his development of the strategy of nonviolent civil disobedience, or Satyagraha.
Rutgers University defeated the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) 6-4 in New Brunswick, New Jersey. This game is recognized as the first ever intercollegiate football contest in the United States.
The United Nations General Assembly passed Resolution 1761, condemning South Africa's racist apartheid policies. It called for member states to break off diplomatic relations and impose economic sanctions, marking a significant international step against apartheid.
In a national referendum, Australian voters rejected a proposal to replace the British monarch with a president as the nation's head of state. The result maintained Australia's status as a constitutional monarchy under Queen Elizabeth II.