Greek/French composer, engineer, theorist
American lieutenant, politician, 35th President of the United States
American basketball player
Nepalese mountaineer
English singer-songwriter, guitarist
Persian spiritual leader, founded the Bahá'í Faith
Polish/Canadian physician
English chemist, physicist
American actor, director
American singer-songwriter, guitarist
After a two-month siege, the city of Constantinople, the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, fell to the Ottoman Turks led by Mehmed II. The city had been a symbol of Christian power for centuries, and its fall marked the end of the Byzantine Empire and the beginning of the Ottoman Empire.
In the first use of the Korean Turtle ship, a heavily armored vessel designed by Admiral Yi Sun Shin, the Korean navy defeated a Japanese fleet at the Battle of Sacheon. The victory was a turning point in the Imjin War, in which Japan attempted to invade and conquer Korea.
On his 30th birthday, Charles II returned from exile in the Netherlands to claim the English throne after the Puritan Commonwealth came to an end. His restoration to power marked the end of the republican experiment and the beginning of a period of stability and prosperity known as the Restoration.
At the first Black Women's Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio, Sojourner Truth delivered her famous speech "Ain't I a Woman?" in which she challenged the prevailing ideas about race and gender. Her speech is now considered a landmark in the fight for women's rights and racial equality.
The premiere of Igor Stravinsky's ballet "Le Sacre du printemps" in Paris caused a scandal when the unconventional music and choreography incited a riot among the audience. The work has since become recognized as a landmark of 20th-century art music.
Bing Crosby's recording of Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" became one of the most popular and enduring holiday songs of all time. It remains the best-selling single of all time and has been covered by countless artists in the decades since its release.
After years of failed attempts, Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay of Nepal became the first climbers to reach the summit of Mount Everest as part of a British expedition. Their achievement was a milestone in the history of mountaineering and a symbol of human achievement.
Benjamin Netanyahu, a conservative politician, became the prime minister of Israel in 1996. His tenure was marked by controversy and criticism for his handling of the peace process and relations with the Palestinian Authority.
Olusegun Obasanjo, a former Nigerian Army general and military ruler, won the country's first free elections in 16 years. His election marked a turning point in the democratization of Nigeria and set the stage for the country's political system as it exists today.