Today in History
Today is Tuesday, Sept. 17, the 260th day of 2019.
Today’s Highlight in History:
On Sept. 17, 1987, the city of Philadelphia, birthplace of the U.S. Constitution, threw a big party to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the historic document; in a speech at Independence Hall, President Ronald Reagan acclaimed the framing of the Constitution as a milestone “that would profoundly and forever alter not just these United States but the world.”
On this date:
In 1787, the Constitution of the United States was completed and signed by a majority of delegates attending the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.
In 1862, more than 3,600 men were killed in the Civil War Battle of Antietam (an-TEE’-tum) in Maryland.
In 1939, the Soviet Union invaded Poland during World War II, more than two weeks after Nazi Germany had launched its assault.
In 1944, during World War II, Allied paratroopers launched Operation Market Garden, landing behind German lines in the Netherlands. (After initial success, the Allies were beaten back by the Germans.)
In 1947, James V. Forrestal was sworn in as the first U.S. Secretary of Defense.
In 1971, citing health reasons, Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black, 85, retired. (Black, who was succeeded by Lewis F. Powell Jr., died eight days after making his announcement.)
In 1978, after meeting at Camp David, Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin (men-AH’-kem BAY’-gihn) and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat signed a framework for a peace treaty.
In 1994, Heather Whitestone of Alabama was crowned the first deaf Miss America.
In 1996, former Vice President Spiro T. Agnew died in Berlin, Maryland, at age 77.
In 2001, six days after 9/11, stock prices nosedived but stopped short of collapse in an emotional, flag-waving reopening of Wall Street; the Dow Jones industrial average ended the day down 684.81 at 8,920.70.
In 2004, San Francisco’s Barry Bonds hit the 700th home run of his career, joining Babe Ruth (714) and Hank Aaron (755) as the only players to reach the milestone (San Francisco beat San Diego, 4-1).
In 2011, a demonstration calling itself Occupy Wall Street began in New York, prompting similar protests around the U.S. and the world.
Ten years ago: President Barack Obama abruptly canceled a long-planned missile shield for Eastern Europe, replacing a Bush-era project that was bitterly opposed by Russia with a plan he contended would better defend against a growing threat of Iranian missiles. An 18-year-old man armed with an ax, knives and Molotov cocktails attacked his high school in Ansbach, Germany, injuring nine students and a teacher before being shot and arrested. Police in New Haven, Connecticut, charged Raymond Clark III, a Yale animal lab technician, with murdering graduate student Annie Le (lay). (Clark later pleaded guilty to the killing, and was sentenced to 44 years in prison.)
Five years ago: The Republican-controlled House voted grudgingly to give the administration authority to train and arm Syrian rebels as President Barack Obama emphasized anew that American forces “do not and will not have a combat mission” in the struggle against Islamic State militants in either Iraq or Syria.
One year ago: Senate leaders, under pressure from fellow Republicans, scheduled a public hearing for the following week at which Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and the woman accusing him of sexual assault decades ago would testify; the move forced Republicans to put off a committee vote on the nomination. President Donald Trump defended Kavanaugh as an “outstanding judge” but said there might need to be a “little delay” in the confirmation process. Emergency crews brought food and water to Wilmington, N.C., after the city of 120,000 people was cut off by flooding from Hurricane Florence; the death toll from the storm rose to at least 32. “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” from Amazon, became the first streaming series to win the Emmy as the top comedy series. A trade war between the U.S. and China escalated further, as President Donald Trump announced tariffs on $200 billion more in Chinese goods starting the following week.
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