Today In History [20th May, 2015]

A chronological timetable of historical events that occurred on this day in history. Historical facts of the day in the areas of military, politics, science, music, sports, arts, entertainment and more. Discover what happened today in history.

Today in History
May 20

325           The Ecumenical council is inaugurated by Emperor Constantine in Nicea.
1303           A peace treaty is signed between England and France.
1347           Cola di Rienzo takes the title of tribune in Rome.
1520           Hernando Cortes defeats Spanish troops sent against him in Mexico.
1690           England passes the Act of Grace, forgiving followers of James II.
1674           John Sobieski becomes Poland's first king.
1774           Parliament passes the Coercive Acts to punish the colonists for their increasingly anti-British behavior. The acts close the port of Boston.
1775           North Carolina becomes the first colony to declare its independence.
1784           The Peace of Versailles ends a war between France, England, and Holland.
1799           Napoleon Bonaparte orders a withdrawal from his siege of St. Jean d'Acre in Egypt.
1859           A force of Austrians collide with Piedmontese cavalry at the village of Montebello, in northern Italy.
1861           North Carolina becomes the last state to secede from the Union.
1862           President Lincoln signs the Homestead Act, providing 250 million acres of free land to settlers in the West.
1874           Levi Strauss begins marketing blue jeans with copper rivets.
1902           The U.S. military occupation of Cuba ends.
1927           Charles Lindbergh takes off from New York for Paris.
1930           The first airplane is catapulted from a dirigible.
1932           Amelia Earhart lands near Londonderry, Ireland, to become the first woman fly solo across the Atlantic.
1939           Pan American Airways starts the first regular passenger service across the Atlantic.
1941           Germany invades Crete by air.
1942           Japan completes the conquest of Burma.
1951           During the Korean War, U.S. Air Force Captain James Jabara becomes the first jet air ace in history.
1961           A white mob attacks civil rights activists in Montgomery, Alabama.
1969           In South Vietnam, troops of the 101st Airborne Division reach the top of Hill 937 after nine days of fighting entrenched North Vietnamese forces.
1970           100,000 people march in New York, supporting U.S. policies in Vietnam.

Born on May 20
1663           William Bradford, printer.
1750           Stephen Girard, American financier and philanthropist.
1768           Dolley Madison, first lady of President James Madison.
1799           Honore de Balzac, French novelist (The Human Comedy, Lost Illusions).
1806           John Stuart Mill, British philospher and economist.
1818           William George Fargo, one of the founders of Wells, Fargo & Co.
1882           Sigrid Undset, Norwegian novelist (Kristin Lavransdatter).
1908           Jimmy Stewart, actor (It's a Wonderful Life, Mr Smith Goes to Washington).