- 1776 – Thomas Paine publishes his pamphlet Common Sense.
- 1789 – The first nationwide U.S. presidential election was conducted. Electors chosen by the voters unanimously picked George Washington as president and John Adams as vice president.
- 1861 – Florida becomes the third state to secede from the Union.
- 1878 – A constitutional amendment that would give women the right to vote was introduced into the U.S. Senate. It wasn’t until 42 years later the amendment was enacted.
- 1901 – Oil was discovered at the Spindletop claim near Beaumont, Texas, launching the Southwest oil boom.
- 1917 – The Silent Sentinels begin the protest outside the White House, demanding suffrage for women. They continue until June 1919.
- 1920 – The Treaty of Versailles takes effect, officially ending World War I.
- 1946 – The first meeting of the U.N. General Assembly convened in London.
- 1984 The U.S. established full diplomatic relations with the Vatican for the first time in 116 years.
