Historical Events
1784
John Wesley charters the Methodist Church.
1845
The US Congress votes to annex the Republic of Texas.
1953
Francis Crick and James Watson announce they have discovered the double helix structure of DNA.
1983
The final episode of M*A*S*H airs, becoming the most-watched TV episode in history.
2013
Pope Benedict XVI resigns, becoming the first pope to do so since 1415.
Famous Birthdays
1533
Michel de Montaigne
French Renaissance philosopher who popularized the essay as a literary form.
1820
John Tenniel
English illustrator known for his illustrations in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
1901
Linus Pauling
American chemist who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry and the Nobel Peace Prize.
1940
Mario Andretti
Italian-American race car driver considered one of the greatest in history.
1968
Daniel Handler
American author who writes as Lemony Snicket in A Series of Unfortunate Events.
