Amelia Earhart's Hawaii-to-California flight
On this day in 1935, Amelia Earhart, one of the world's most celebrated aviators, made the first successful solo flight from Hawaii to California, a distance longer than that from the United States to Europe.

Haiti severely damaged by earthquake
On this day in 2010, a magnitude-7.0 earthquake devastated Haiti, especially Port-au-Prince, killing more than 200,000 people and leaving more than one million homeless and touching off a massive international relief effort.

2012 The Costa Concordia, a cruise ship carrying some 4,200 people, ran aground and capsized off Giglio Island, Italy; 32 passengers were killed.

Premiere of Giacomo Puccini's opera Tosca
The opera Tosca—a psychological drama of deceit and doubt composed by Giacomo Puccini, one of the greatest exponents of operatic realism—made its world premiere in Rome's Costanzi Theatre on this day in 1900.

British Museum opened to the public
Established by an act of Parliament in 1753, the British Museum—which counts among its world-renowned antiquities and archaeological holdings the Elgin Marbles and the Rosetta Stone—opened to the public this day in 1759.

Beginning of Persian Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War, triggered by Iraq's occupation of Kuwait in August 1990, began on this day in 1991 with a U.S.-led air offensive against Iraq that continued until a cease-fire was declared on February 28.

Hawaiian monarchy overthrown
Acting for Hawaiian sugar interests and their American allies, a committee led by Sanford Ballard Dole deposed Hawaiian Queen Liliuokalani this day in 1893 and installed a provisional government with Dole as president.

German Empire established
The German Empire, forged as a result of diplomacy rather than an outpouring of popular nationalist feeling, was founded this day in 1871 in the aftermath of three successful wars by the North German state of Prussia.

Rule in India transferred to Indira Gandhi
Following the sudden death of Indian Premier Lal Bahadur Shastri eight days earlier, Indira Gandhi became prime minister of India on this day in 1966, assuming the office first held by her father, Jawaharlal Nehru.

Barack Obama sworn in as president
On this day in 2009, Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th president of the United States, becoming the first African American to hold the office.

First commercial Concorde flight
Generating a sonic boom as it traveled through the atmosphere at supersonic speed, the Concorde, a commercial aircraft built with funding from the British and French governments, began regular service on this day in 1976.

1901 Queen Victoria—who reigned for more than 60 years, during which time the British Empire reached the apex of its power—died at age 81.

Madeleine Albright sworn in as U.S. secretary of state
On this day in 1997, Madeleine Albright, who had earlier served as U.S. ambassador to the UN, assumed under President Bill Clinton the office of secretary of state, becoming the first woman to hold that cabinet post.

Opportunity's Mars landing
Launched in mid-2003, the six-wheeled robotic rover Opportunity landed on Mars this day in 2004 and—like its twin rover, Spirit, which had landed on January 3—analyzed rocks and soils and relayed pictures back to Earth.

1759 Robert Burns, national poet of Scotland, was born in Alloway in Ayrshire.