Vicente Yáñez Pinzón becomes the first European to set foot on Brazil.

Vicente Yáñez PinzónBrazil

The Lisbon earthquake kills about thirty thousand people.

1531 Lisbon earthquake

The Council of Trent establishes an official distinction between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism.

Council of TrentRoman CatholicismProtestantism

The Grand Duchy of Lithuania defeats the Tsardom of Russia in the Battle of Ula during the Livonian War.

Grand Duchy of LithuaniaTsardom of RussiaBattle of UlaLivonian War

Battle of Talikota, fought between the Vijayanagara Empire and the Deccan sultanates, leads to the subjugation, and eventual destruction of the last Hindu kingdom in India, and the consolidation of Islamic rule over much of the Indian subcontinent.

Battle of TalikotaVijayanagara EmpireDeccan sultanatesIndian subcontinent

For the first time, the Ottoman Empire permanently cedes territory to the Christian powers.

Ottoman EmpireTreaty of KarlowitzChristian

The Cascadia earthquake takes place off the west coast of North America, as evidenced by Japanese records.

1700 Cascadia earthquakeNorth America

Stanislaus I of Poland abdicates his throne.

Stanislaus I of Poland

The British First Fleet, led by Arthur Phillip, sails into Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour) to establish Sydney, the first permanent European settlement on the continent. Commemorated as Australia Day.

First FleetArthur PhillipPort JacksonAustralia Day

The Rum Rebellion is the only successful (albeit short-lived) armed takeover of the government in Australia.

Rum Rebellion

Michigan is admitted as the 26th U.S. state.

MichiganU.S. state

Tennessee enacts the first prohibition law in the United States

TennesseeProhibition

James Bremer takes formal possession of Hong Kong Island at what is now Possession Point, establishing British Hong Kong.

James BremerHong Kong IslandPossession PointBritish Hong Kong

Point No Point Treaty is signed in Washington Territory.

Point No Point TreatyWashington Territory

First Battle of Seattle. Marines from the USS Decatur drive off American Indian attackers after all day battle with settlers.

Battle of Seattle (1856)USS Decatur (1839)

American Civil War: The state of Louisiana secedes from the Union.

American Civil WarLouisianaHistory of Louisiana

American Civil War: General Ambrose Burnside is relieved of command of the Army of the Potomac after the disastrous Fredericksburg campaign. He is replaced by Joseph Hooker.

Ambrose BurnsideArmy of the PotomacBattle of FredericksburgJoseph Hooker

American Civil War: Governor of Massachusetts John Albion Andrew receives permission from the Secretary of War to raise a militia organization for men of African descent.

Governor of MassachusettsJohn Albion AndrewUnited States Secretary of WarMilitia

Reconstruction Era: Virginia rejoins the Union.

Reconstruction EraVirginiaHistory of Virginia

Troops loyal to The Mahdi conquer Khartoum, killing the Governor-General Charles George Gordon.

Muhammad AhmadSiege of KhartoumCharles George Gordon

The world's largest diamond ever, the Cullinan weighing 3,106.75 carats (0.621350 kg), is found at the Premier Mine near Pretoria in South Africa.

DiamondCullinan DiamondPremier MinePretoria

Glenn H. Curtiss flies the first successful American seaplane.

Glenn H. CurtissSeaplane

The Rocky Mountain National Park is established by an act of the U.S. Congress.

Rocky Mountain National ParkU.S. Congress

Finnish Civil War: A group of Red Guards hangs a red lantern atop the tower of Helsinki Workers' Hall to symbolically mark the start of the war.

Finnish Civil WarRed Guards (Finland)Helsinki Workers' Hall

Former Ford Motor Company executive Henry Leland launches the Lincoln Motor Company which he later sold to his former employer.

Ford Motor CompanyLincoln Motor Company

The first demonstration of the television by John Logie Baird.

John Logie Baird

The Indian National Congress declares 26 January as Independence Day or as the day for Poorna Swaraj ("Complete Independence") which occurred 17 years later.

Indian National CongressPurna Swaraj

The Apollo Theater reopens in Harlem, New York City.

Apollo TheaterHarlem

German-Polish Non-Aggression Pact is signed.

German-Polish Non-Aggression Pact

Spanish Civil War: Catalonia Offensive: Troops loyal to nationalist General Francisco Franco and aided by Italy take Barcelona.

Spanish Civil WarCatalonia OffensiveFrancisco FrancoKingdom of ItalyBarcelona