An Lushan, leader of a revolt against the Tang Dynasty, declares himself emperor and establishes the state of Yan.

An LushanAn Lushan RebellionTang dynastyYan (An-Shi)

Henry of Navarre abjures Catholicism at Tours and rejoins the Protestant forces in the French Wars of Religion.

Henry IV of Francewikt:abjureToursFrench Wars of Religion

A group of early Japanese Christians are killed by the new government of Japan for being seen as a threat to Japanese society.

Hidden Christians of JapanTwenty-six Martyrs of Japan

South Carolina becomes the second state to ratify the Articles of Confederation.

South CarolinaArticles of Confederation

Spanish defeat British forces and capture Menorca.

Invasion of Menorca (1781)Menorca

In Calabria, a sequence of strong earthquakes begins.

Calabria1783 Calabrian earthquakes

HMS Blenheim (1761) and HMS Java disappear off the coast of Rodrigues.

HMS Blenheim (1761)Rodrigues

Peninsular War: Siege of Cádiz begins.

Peninsular WarSiege of Cádiz

Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte ascends to the thrones of Sweden and Norway.

Charles XIV John of Sweden

University of Wisconsin-Madison's first class meets at Madison Female Academy.

University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadison Female Academy

The New Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia, one of the largest and oldest museums in the world, opens to the public.

Hermitage MuseumSaint Petersburg

Wallachia and Moldavia are united under Alexandru Ioan Cuza as the United Principalities, an autonomous region within the Ottoman Empire, which ushered the birth of the modern Romanian state.

WallachiaMoldaviaAlexandru Ioan CuzaDanubian PrincipalitiesOttoman Empire

The largest alluvial gold nugget in history, called the "Welcome Stranger", is found in Moliagul, Victoria, Australia.

AlluvialGoldWelcome StrangerMoliagul, Victoria

King Leopold II of Belgium establishes the Congo as a personal possession.

Leopold II of BelgiumCongo Free State

In Mexico, the General Hospital of Mexico is inaugurated, started with four basic specialties.

General Hospital of Mexico

Belgian chemist Leo Baekeland announces the creation of Bakelite, the world's first synthetic plastic.

Leo BaekelandBakelitePlastic

Greek military aviators, Michael Moutoussis and Aristeidis Moraitinis perform the first naval air mission in history, with a Farman MF.7 hydroplane.

Hellenic Air ForceMichael MoutoussisAristeidis Moraitinis (aviator)Naval aviationFarman MF.7

The current constitution of Mexico is adopted, establishing a federal republic with powers separated into independent executive, legislative, and judicial branches.

Constitution of MexicoFederal republic

The Congress of the United States passes the Immigration Act of 1917 over President Woodrow Wilson's veto.

Congress of the United StatesImmigration Act of 1917Woodrow Wilson

Stephen W. Thompson shoots down a German airplane; this is the first aerial victory by the U.S. military.

Stephen W. Thompson

SS Tuscania is torpedoed off the coast of Ireland; it is the first ship carrying American troops to Europe to be torpedoed and sunk.

SS Tuscania (1914)

Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, and D. W. Griffith launch United Artists.

Charlie ChaplinMary PickfordDouglas FairbanksD. W. GriffithUnited Artists

The Royal Greenwich Observatory begins broadcasting the hourly time signals known as the Greenwich Time Signal.

Royal Greenwich ObservatoryGreenwich Time Signal

Mutiny on Royal Netherlands Navy warship HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën off the coast of Sumatra, Dutch East Indies.

Royal Netherlands NavyHNLMS De Zeven Provinciën (1909)SumatraDutch East Indies

Generalísimo Francisco Franco becomes the 68th "Caudillo de España", or Leader of Spain.

Francisco Franco

World War II: Allied forces begin the Battle of Keren to capture Keren, Eritrea.

World War IIAllies of World War IIBattle of KerenKeren, Eritrea

World War II: General Douglas MacArthur returns to Manila.

Douglas MacArthurManila

Gamal Abdel Nasser is nominated to be the first president of the United Arab Republic.

Gamal Abdel NasserUnited Arab Republic

A hydrogen bomb known as the Tybee Bomb is lost by the US Air Force off the coast of Savannah, Georgia, never to be recovered.

Hydrogen bombTybee BombSavannah, Georgia

Earthquake in Pompeii, Italy.

62 Pompeii earthquakePompeii