- 1782 – In Paris, representatives from the United States and Great Britain sign preliminary peace articles ending the Revolutionary War.
- 1803 – In New Orleans, Spanish representatives officially transfer the Louisiana Territory to a French representative. Just 20 days later, France transfers the same land to the United States as the Louisiana Purchase.
- 1804 – The U.S. Senate begins an impeachment trial of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Chase.
- 1954 – In Sylacauga, Alabama, the Hodges meteorite crashes through a roof and hits a woman taking an afternoon nap. The space rock weighed 8.5 pounds and measured 7 inches in length.
- 1979 – Pink Floyd’s rock opera, The Wall is released.
- 1982 – Michael Jackson’s sixth solo studio album, Thriller, is released worldwide. It will become the best-selling album in history.
- 1988 – The Soviet Union stopped jamming broadcasts of Radio Free Europe for the first time in 30 years.
