This Day in History: April 9

1483: Edward V becomes king of England, but disappears presumed murdered

After the death of his father, Edward IV, 12-year-old Edward V succeeded him to the throne of England. However, he was never crowned and disappeared along with his younger brother, Richard, while they were incarcerated in the Tower of London. Their disappearance remains one of the most notorious unsolved cases in English history and has led to much speculation and numerous conspiracy theories.

1731: Robert Jenkins' ear cut off, catalyst for war between Britain & Spain

British mariner Robert Jenkins had his ear cut off by Spanish Guarde Costa in the Caribbean, allegedly as punishment for smuggling. The incident became a diplomatic crisis between Britain and Spain and was used as a pretext for the War of Jenkins' Ear, which began in 1739.

1768: John Hancock's ship resists British customs agents

John Hancock, a prominent American patriot, refused to allow two British customs agents to search below the deck of his ship, the Liberty, which was suspected of carrying smuggled goods. This act of resistance to British authority is considered by some historians to be one of the first physical confrontations of the American Revolution.

1860: First recording of human voice created

French inventor Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville used his phonautograph to create the world's first recording of the human voice. The recording features himself singing the French folk song “Au clair de la lune.”

1865: Robert E. Lee surrenders, ending the Civil War in North Virginia

Confederate General Robert E. Lee and his troops surrendered to Union Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, effectively ending the American Civil War in that region.

1869: Hudson Bay Company cedes its territory to Canada

The Hudson Bay Company, a British-owned fur trading company, transferred its territory to the Dominion of Canada. The area covered a vast expanse of land in what is now the northern part of Canada and had been under the control of the company since the 17th century.

1940: Germany invades Denmark and Norway

As part of Operation Weserübung, German forces invaded Denmark and Norway in an attempt to secure access to Swedish iron ore. The operation was successful in Denmark, but met fierce resistance from Norwegian forces and civilian resistance groups such as those led by Max Manus and Gunnar Sønsteby.

1952: Bolivian National Revolution overthrows government

A nationalist movement in Bolivia overthrew the government of Hugo Ballivián and implemented radical reforms, including universal suffrage, the nationalization of tin mines, and the inclusion of previously marginalized ethnicities into national life.

1967: First Boeing 737 takes off on maiden flight

The Boeing 737, a short-to-medium range airplane, took off on its maiden flight. It would go on to become the best-selling airplane in history and a mainstay of commercial aviation around the world.

2003: U.S. forces capture Baghdad, ending invasion of Iraq

U.S. forces captured Baghdad, the