1787 – In Philadelphia, delegates convene a Constitutional Convention to write a new Constitution for the United States; George Washington presides.
1796 – Edward Jenner administers the first smallpox inoculation.
1800 – The process of moving the U.S. capital from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C. begins.
1804 – The Lewis and Clark Expedition departs from Camp Dubois.
1878 – The last witchcraft trial held in the United States begins in Salem, Massachusetts, after Lucretia Brown accused Daniel Spofford of attempting to harm her through his mental powers.
1948 – Israel is declared to be an independent state, and a provisional government is established. Immediately after the decision, Israel is attacked by the neighboring Arab states, triggering the 1984 Arab-Israeli War.
1973 – Skylab, the United States’ first space station, is launched.
