1793: King Louis XVI of France is executed by guillotine during the French Revolution.
1893: The World's Columbian Exposition, also known as the Chicago World's Fair, opens in Chicago to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' arrival in the Americas.
1915: The first transcontinental telephone call is made between New York City and San Francisco.
1924: Vladimir Lenin, the leader of the Bolshevik Party and founder of the Soviet Union, dies at the age of 53.
1942: The Battle of Bataan begins during World War II. Filipino and American forces under the command of General Douglas MacArthur resist the Japanese invasion of the Bataan Peninsula.
1954: The first nuclear-powered submarine, USS Nautilus, is launched in Connecticut, USA.
1968: The Apollo 5 mission, an uncrewed test flight, is launched to pave the way for the first manned moon landing.
1972: The first Earth Day is celebrated, raising awareness about environmental issues and the need for sustainable practices.
1973: The Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision legalizes abortion in the United States.
2001: Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia, is founded by Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger.
2011: The Egyptian Revolution, a series of anti-government protests and civil unrest, begins in Tahrir Square, Cairo, eventually leading to the overthrow of President Hosni Mubarak.
2017: The Women's March on Washington, one of the largest single-day protests in US history, takes place in response to the inauguration of President Donald Trump.
2019: The longest government shutdown in US history ends after 35 days, following negotiations between President Trump and Congress.