Hawaii became the 50th US state in 1959. The American Bar Association was founded in 1878, the Soviet Union invaded Czechoslovakia in 1968, and Benigno S. Aquino Jr. was assassinated in 1983. The Mona Lisa was stolen in 1911, Oldsmobile was founded in 1897, and Nat Turner led a slave revolt in Virginia in 1831. A failed coup attempt against Mikhail Gorbachev occurred in 1991, the Cameroon Lake disaster killed 1,800 people in 1986, and the first calculator patent was granted to William Seward Burroughs in 1888.
Hawaii became the 50th state to join the Union. (50) US President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the order, granting statehood to Hawaii. Several bills for Hawaii had been introduced in the United States Congress, in 1959, 1919, 1935 and 1947, but none had been passed to date in 1950.
The American Bar Association is founded. (1878) The association, now more than 400,000 members, establishes ethical guidelines and academic standards for US law schools. It was founded in Saratoga, New York, but is now headquartered in Chicago.
The Soviet Union and other members of the Warsaw Pact invade Czechoslovakia and end the Prague Spring. (1968) Slovak reformer Alexander Dubček led the Prague Spring which started on January 5 of the same year. This period of political and economic decentralization also granted its citizens more rights than they had before.
Philippine opposition leader Benigno S. Aquino Jr., was assassinated the same day he ended his self-imposed exile in the United States. (1983) Benigno was assassinated as he stepped off a plane at the Manila airport, there years to the day after his departure from exile. He was on his way home to run in the upcoming Philippine elections.
The Mona Lisa has been stolen. (1911) Vincenzo Perugia, a former employee of the Louvre where the Mona Lisa hung, entered the gallery, tucked the painting under his clothes and walked away, unnoticed. The painting was missing for two years until Perugia sent a letter saying the painting would be returned for a ransom; he was captured while collecting the ransom.
Oldsmobile is founded. (1897) Ransom Eli Olds founded Oldsmobile, formerly called Olds Motor Works. The Oldsmobile brand was discontinued in 2004; until then, it was the oldest continuously operating automobile brand in the United States.
Nat Turner led a slave revolt in Virginia. (1831) Turner led 75 slaves in a two-day killing spree, starting with Turner’s slave owner and his family. The group killed 60 whites before being shot down by state militias. Turner was sentenced to death and executed on November 11, 1831.
Coup attempt against Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev failed. (1991) The coup lasted only three days, but is generally considered one of the first destabilizing factors that led to the fall of the Soviet Union and the Communist Party.
The Cameroon Lake disaster killed 1,800 people. (1986) The crater lake erupted a cloud of lethal carbon dioxide gas that killed every living thing within a 15-mile (25-kilometer) radius.
The first calculator patent is granted. (1888) William Seward Burroughs, inventor and owner of the American Arithmometer Company, was granted the patent. He was also the grandfather of noted writer William S. Burroughs.
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