Today in 1807, an act of Congress making slave importation into the U.S. illegal was passed.
Today in 1819, the territory of Arkansas was organized.
Today in 1836, a group of ordinary citizens in Mexico declared their independence and founded the Republic of Texas. They also and formed an interim government.
Today in 1861, the Territory of Nevada was organized.
Today in 1877, Rutherford B. Hayes was declared the winner of the 1876 Presidential Election, even though Samuel J. Tilden had won the popular vote. It was one of the most controversial elections in American history – with 20 disputed electoral votes. In the end, Hayes was given the votes in exchange for removing federal troops from the American South – a choice that ended reconstruction and led to the disenfranchisement of black voters.
Today in 1903, the Martha Washington Hotel opened for business in New York City. The hotel featured 416 rooms and was the first hotel exclusively for women.
Today in 1972, the U.S. spacecraft Pioneer 10 was launched. It passed close by Jupiter and Neptune before leaving the solar system. It was more than six billion miles from earth in 1997 when NASA stopped communicating with it.
Today in 1987, two sets of quintuplets were born on the same day in the USA as Rosalind Helms delivered a basketball team of bouncing babies in Peoria, Illinois and Robin Jenkins became the mother of five in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Today in 1998, a New Jersey State Appeals Court ruled that the Boy Scouts of America discriminated against an assistant scoutmaster when it ousted him for being gay. The Superior Court appellate panel rejected arguments by the Boy Scouts the organization was protected by a constitutional right of free association and was exempt as a private, voluntary association from anti-discrimination laws.
Today in 2004, NASA announced that the rover Opportunity had found evidence of the existence of water on Mars.
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