San Marino Adopts the Written Constitution It Still Uses
San Marino adopted its written constitution on October 8, 1600, and the Statutes of 1600 still underpin the republic's law.
The Stono Rebellion, Largest Slave Uprising in Colonial America
On September 9, 1739, the Stono Rebellion broke out near Charleston, the largest slave uprising in Britain's mainland American colonies.
Delegates Sign the United States Constitution in Philadelphia
On September 17, 1787, delegates in Philadelphia signed the United States Constitution, replacing the Articles of Confederation.
The Metropolitan Police Begins Patrolling London
On September 29, 1829, the Metropolitan Police began patrolling London, the first professional police force of its kind.
Lincoln Issues the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation
On September 22, 1862, Lincoln issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, freeing slaves in the states still in rebellion from January 1.
President William McKinley Is Shot in Buffalo
On September 6, 1901, President William McKinley was shot by anarchist Leon Czolgosz in Buffalo; he died of gangrene eight days later.
The Boxer Protocol Is Signed in Beijing
On September 7, 1901, China signed the Boxer Protocol with eleven powers, agreeing to a huge indemnity and foreign troops in Beijing.
Mata Hari Is Executed by a French Firing Squad
Mata Hari, the Dutch dancer Margaretha Zelle, was executed by firing squad at Vincennes on October 15, 1917, for espionage.
Al Capone Is Convicted of Tax Evasion
Al Capone was convicted of tax evasion on October 17, 1931, and sentenced to eleven years, the charge that finally ended his power.
Al Capone Is Convicted
Al Capone was convicted of tax evasion on 17 October 1931 and sentenced to eleven years, a case built on unexplained income rather than violence.
Nazi Germany Enacts the Nuremberg Laws
On September 15, 1935, Nazi Germany enacted the Nuremberg Laws, stripping Jews of citizenship and banning mixed marriages.
Nazi Germany Invalidates Jewish Passports
On October 5, 1938, Nazi Germany invalidated Jewish passports and ordered them stamped with a J.
Vidkun Quisling Is Executed
On October 24, 1945, Vidkun Quisling, the Norwegian leader who collaborated with the German occupation, was executed in Oslo for treason.
The Nuremberg Tribunal Sentences Nazi Leaders
On October 1, 1946, the Nuremberg tribunal sentenced twelve Nazi leaders to death after the first war crimes trial.
Hermann Goering Takes Poison Before His Execution
Hermann Goering took cyanide in his Nuremberg cell on October 15, 1946, hours before his execution for war crimes.
The Nuremberg Sentences Are Carried Out
Ten Nazi leaders condemned at Nuremberg were hanged on October 16, 1946, the first executions by an international tribunal.
Japan Promulgates a New Peace Constitution
On November 3, 1946, Japan promulgated a new constitution renouncing war.
California Becomes the First State to Ban LSD
California's ban on LSD took effect on October 6, 1966, the first state law against the drug, and it ended open medical research with it.
Thurgood Marshall Joins the Supreme Court
On October 2, 1967, Thurgood Marshall became the first African American justice of the US Supreme Court.
The Tlatelolco Massacre in Mexico City
On October 2, 1968, soldiers fired on students at Tlatelolco in Mexico City, days before the Olympics.
State Police Retake Attica Prison
On September 13, 1971, police retook Attica prison in New York, killing 39 people, all of them by police gunfire.
President Ford Pardons Richard Nixon
On September 8, 1974, President Gerald Ford pardoned Richard Nixon for any crimes committed during his presidency.
The Greensboro Massacre
On November 3, 1979, five people were shot dead when Klansmen and neo-Nazis attacked a rally in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Reagan Signs the Law Creating Martin Luther King Jr. Day
On November 2, 1983, Reagan signed the law creating the Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday.
The Hijacking of the Achille Lauro and the Killing of Leon Klinghoffer
Gunmen from the Palestine Liberation Front seized the cruise ship Achille Lauro on October 7, 1985, and killed passenger Leon Klinghoffer.
China Signs the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
On October 27, 1997, China signed the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights at the United Nations in New York.
Augusto Pinochet Is Arrested in London
Augusto Pinochet was arrested in London on October 17, 1998, on a Spanish warrant, a first for a former head of state.
The Moscow Theatre Hostage Crisis
On October 23, 2002, armed hostage takers seized a Moscow theatre with about 850 people inside, demanding a Russian withdrawal from Chechnya.
Saddam Hussein Is Sentenced to Death
On November 5, 2006, an Iraqi court sentenced Saddam Hussein to death for the killings at Dujail in 1982.