Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus is granted the title Augustus by the Roman Senate, marking the beginning of the Roman Empire.

AugustusAugustus (honorific)Roman SenateRoman Empire

General Siyaj K'ak' conquers Tikal, enlarging the domain of King Spearthrower Owl of Teotihuacán.

Siyaj K'ak'TikalSpearthrower OwlTeotihuacán

Gothic War: The Ostrogoths, under King Totila, conquer Rome after a long siege, by bribing the Isaurian garrison.

Gothic War (535-554)OstrogothsTotilaIsauria

Emir Abd-ar-Rahman III established the Caliphate of Córdoba.

EmirAbd-ar-Rahman IIICaliphate of Córdoba

The Council of Nablus is held, establishing the earliest surviving written laws of the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem.

Council of NablusCrusadesKingdom of Jerusalem

A storm tide in the North Sea ravages the East coast of England and destroys the German city of Rungholt on the island of Strand.

Storm surgeNorth SeaRungholtStrand (island)

The Medici family is appointed official banker of the Papacy.

House of MediciPope

The first grammar of the Spanish language (Gramática de la lengua castellana) is presented to Queen Isabella I.

GrammarSpanish languageGramática de la lengua castellanaIsabella I of Castile

Ivan the Terrible becomes Czar of Russia.

Ivan the TerribleTsar

Philip II becomes King of Spain.

Philip II of Spain

Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk is tried for treason for his part in the Ridolfi plot to restore Catholicism in England.

Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of NorfolkRidolfi plotCatholicism

The first edition of El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha (Book One of Don Quixote) by Miguel de Cervantes is published in Madrid, Spain.

Don QuixoteMiguel de CervantesMadrid

The Scottish Parliament ratifies the Act of Union, paving the way for the creation of Great Britain.

Parliament of ScotlandActs of Union 1707Kingdom of Great Britain

American Revolutionary War: Battle of Cape St. Vincent.

American Revolutionary WarBattle of Cape St. Vincent (1780)

Virginia enacts the Statute for Religious Freedom authored by Thomas Jefferson.

VirginiaVirginia Statute for Religious FreedomThomas Jefferson

Peninsular War: The British defeat the French at the Battle of La Coruña.

Peninsular WarBattle of Corunna

John C. Frémont is appointed Governor of the new California Territory.

John C. FrémontList of Governors of CaliforniaCalifornia

Hartley Colliery disaster: Two hundred and four men and boys killed in a mining disaster, prompted a change in UK law which henceforth required all collieries to have at least two independent means of escape.

Hartley Colliery disaster

Russo-Turkish War (1877-78): Battle of Philippopolis: Captain Aleksandr Burago with a squadron of Russian Imperial army dragoons liberates Plovdiv from Ottoman rule.

Russo-Turkish War (1877-78)Battle of Philippopolis (1878)Aleksandr BuragoSquadron (army)Russian Empire

The Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act, establishing the United States Civil Service, is passed.

Pendleton Civil Service Reform ActUnited States Civil Service Commission

The United States Senate accepts the Anglo-German treaty of 1899 in which the United Kingdom renounces its claims to the Samoan islands.

United States Senate1899American Samoa

Ernest Shackleton's expedition finds the magnetic South Pole.

Ernest ShackletonSouth Pole

Temperance movement: The United States ratifies the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, requiring Prohibition in the United States one year after ratification.

Temperance movement in the United StatesEighteenth Amendment to the United States ConstitutionProhibition in the United States

Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated was founded on the campus of Howard University.

Zeta Phi Beta

The League of Nations holds its first council meeting in Paris, France.

League of NationsParis

The Marxist Left in Slovakia and the Transcarpathian Ukraine holds its founding congress in Ľubochňa.

Marxist Left in Slovakia and the Transcarpathian UkraineĽubochňa

Eleftherios Venizelos becomes Prime Minister of Greece for the fourth time.

Eleftherios VenizelosPrime Minister of Greece

Benny Goodman and his band performed in concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City

Benny GoodmanThe Famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Jazz ConcertThe Famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert

Crash of TWA Flight 3, killing all 22 aboard, including film star Carole Lombard.

TWA Flight 3Carole Lombard

Adolf Hitler moves into his underground bunker, the so-called Führerbunker.

Adolf HitlerFührerbunker