1799 – 1st US patent for a seeding machine, Eliakim Spooner, Vermont.
1825 – 1st US engineering college opens, Rensselaer Polytechnic, Troy, NY.
1870 – Soda fountain patented by Gustavus Dows.
1877 – Congress determines presidential election between Rutherford B. Hayes and Samuel J. Tilden.
1881 – Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell form the Oriental Telephone Company.
1915 – Alexander Graham Bell in NY calls Thomas Watson in San Francisco.
1937 – 1st broadcast of “Guiding Light” on NBC radio.
1945 – Dan Topping, Del Webb & Larry MacPhail purchase NY Yanks for $2.8 million.
1955 – US & Panama sign canal treaty.
1959 – 1st transcontinental commercial jet flight (American) (LA to NY for $301)
1961 – 1st live, nationally televised presidential news conference (JFK)
1961 – Walt Disney’s animated film “101 Dalmatians”, based on the novel by Dodie Smith and directed by Clyde Geronimi and Hamilton Luske is released in the US.
1971 – Charles Manson & 3 women followers convicted of Tate-LaBianca murders.
1974 – Ray Kroc, CEO of McDonald’s buys San Diego Padres baseball team for $12 million.
1981 – 52 Americans held hostage by Iran for 444 days arrived back in US.
1988 – 15th American Music Awards: Anita Baker, Paul Simon & Whitney Houston.
1988 – US VP George H.W. Bush & Dan Rather clash on “CBS Evening News” as Rather attempts to question Bush about his role in Iran-Contra affair.
1993 – Sears announces it is closing its catalog sales department after 97 years.
1993 – Five people were shot outside CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia resulting in two murders.
1994 – Accused of molesting a 13-year-old boy, Michael Jackson settles a civil lawsuit out of court.
1999 – After an inquiry into a corruption scandal, 6 International Olympic Committee members are expelled.