Discover What Happened Today in History
Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. This act is widely considered the catalyst for the Protestant Reformation, challenging the practices of the Catholic Church.
Despite its sparse population, Nevada was admitted to the Union during the American Civil War. President Abraham Lincoln sought its admission to support the passage of the anti-slavery Thirteenth Amendment.
The world-famous magician and escape artist Harry Houdini died in Detroit from peritonitis following a ruptured appendix. His death followed a series of stomach punches days earlier, which he had allowed to test his ability to withstand blows.
In the Suez Crisis, British and French forces began bombing Egyptian airfields. This military intervention aimed to regain Western control of the Suez Canal after Egypt's President Nasser had nationalized it.
Pope John Paul II formally announced the Catholic Church's error in condemning Galileo Galilei for supporting the Copernican theory that the Earth revolves around the Sun. This marked a symbolic reconciliation between science and faith.