Discover What Happened Today in History
During the medal ceremony for the 200-meter race at the Mexico City Olympics, American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised black-gloved fists in a protest for human rights and against racial discrimination in the United States.
Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the Sydney Opera House in Australia. The iconic building, designed by Jørn Utzon, is a masterpiece of 20th-century architecture and a major performing arts venue.
The United States Senate ratified the Louisiana Purchase Treaty, agreeing to pay France $15 million for 828,000 square miles of territory west of the Mississippi River, effectively doubling the size of the young nation.
The largest naval battle of World War II, and arguably in history, commenced in the Philippines. It involved the Allied and Japanese forces and resulted in a decisive Allied victory that crippled the Imperial Japanese Navy.
Longtime Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi was captured and killed by rebel forces in his hometown of Sirte. This event marked a violent end to the 2011 Libyan Civil War and his 42-year rule.