Events, Births and Deaths Happening on this Date

1817

The independent government of Venezuela was established by Simon Bolivar.

1831

Escaped slave Nat Turner was apprehended in Southampton County, VA, several weeks after leading the bloodiest slave uprising in American history.

1875

The constitution of Missouri was ratified by popular vote.

1893

The U.S. Senate gave final approval to repeal the Sherman Silver Purchase Act of 1890.

1894

The time clock was patented by Daniel M. Cooper of Rochester, NY.

1938

The radio play that panicked the nation, ''The War of the Worlds,'' starring Orson Welles, aired on CBS. The live drama, which employed fake news reports, panicked listeners who thought its portrayal of a Martian invasion was true.

1944

The Martha Graham ballet ''Appalachian Spring,'' with music by Aaron Copland, premiered at the Library of Congress, with Graham in a leading role.

1945

The U.S. government announced the end of shoe rationing.

1953

Gen. George C. Marshall was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

1961

The Soviet Union tested a hydrogen bomb with a force estimated at 58 megatons.

1961

The Soviet Party Congress unanimously approved a resolution ordering the removal of Josef Stalin's body from Lenin's tomb.

1972

In Illinois, 45 people were killed when two trains collided on Chicago's south side.

1972

U.S. President Richard Nixon approved legislation to increase Social Security spending by $5.3 billion.

1974

Muhammad Ali knocked out George Foreman in the eighth round of a 15-round bout in Kinshasa, Zaire, to regain his world heavyweight title.

1975

The New York Daily News ran the headline ''Ford to City: Drop Dead'' a day after President Ford said he would veto any proposed federal bailout of New York City.

1975

Prince Juan Carlos assumed power in Spain as dictator Francisco Franco was near death.

1984

In Poland, police found the body of kidnapped pro-Solidarity priest Father Jerry Popieluszko. His death was blamed on four security officers.

1989

Mitsubishi Estate Co., a major Japanese real estate concern, announced it was buying 51 percent of Rockefeller Group Inc. of New York.

1993

Martin Fettman, America's first veterinarian in space, performed the world's first animal dissections in space, while aboard the space shuttle Columbia.

1995

Federalist prevailed over separatists in Quebec in a referendum concerning secession from the federation of Canada.

1997

A jury in Cambridge, Mass., convicted British au pair Louise Woodward of second-degree murder in the death of 8-month-old Matthew Eappen. The judge later reduced the verdict to manslaughter and set Woodward free.

1998

In Nicaragua, a mudslide caused by Hurricane Mitch killed at least 2,000 people on the slopes of the Casitas volcano in Posoltega.

1998

The terrorist who hijacked a Turkish Airlines plane and the 39 people on board was killed when anti-terrorist squads raided the plane.

2001

Michael Jordan returned to the NBA with the Washington Wizards after a 3 1/2 year retirement. The Wizards lost 93-91 to the New York Knicks.

1735

John Adams, the second President of the United States, was born in Braintree, MA. His son became the sixth President of the U.S.

1885

Poet Ezra Pound was born in Hailey, Idaho.

2000

Comedian, television host, author and composer Steve Allen died in Encino,Calif., at age 78.