On November 20, 1991, the United States Senate Ethics Committee formally censured Senator Alan Cranston of California, concluding an extensive investigation into his controversial ties to Charles Keating, a central figure in the savings-and-loan crisis. This censure, among the severest actions the Senate can…
Read More
The sinking of the Essex on November 20, 1820, stands as one of the most dramatic and consequential maritime disasters in history, an incident so shocking that it would inspire one of literature’s greatest novels. Departing from Nantucket, Massachusetts, the Essex was a whaling ship on a routine…
Read More
On November 19, 1999, a soft-spoken Internal Revenue Service employee from Connecticut accomplished something no contestant had ever done before on American television: John Carpenter became the first person to win the top prize on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, capturing the $1…
Read More
On November 19, 2004, one of the most notorious incidents in basketball history unfolded: the “Malice at the Palace.” This infamous brawl, which erupted during a game between the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills, remains a defining moment…
Read More
In the middle of November, the sixteenth president was jotting down a speech as he traveled by train from Washington to Pennsylvania to dedicate the most famous battle in American history. The Gettysburg Address, delivered by President Abraham Lincoln on November 19, 1863, is…
Read More
On November 18, 1903, the United States secured sweeping control over a ten-mile-wide corridor in Panama, completing an agreement that cleared the way for construction of an interoceanic canal and placed the strategic waterway under near-total American authority. The Hay–Bunau-Varilla Treaty, signed in Washington…
Read More
On November 18, 1928, the entertainment world experienced a revolutionary moment with the release of Steamboat Willie, an animated short that introduced synchronized sound to cartoons. Produced by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks, this groundbreaking film not only debuted Mickey Mouse to the public…
Read More
On November 18, 1872, Susan B. Anthony found herself at the center of a pivotal moment in American history. A prominent advocate for women’s voting rights and a key figure in the suffrage movement, she was arrested for illegally casting a ballot in the…
Read More
On November 17, 2019, a 55-year-old resident of Hubei Province sought medical attention for an unusual respiratory illness after visiting a market in Wuhan. At the time, the episode attracted no broader notice. China’s vast health-care system regularly confronts flurries of seasonal pneumonias—nothing about…
Read More
The Articles of Confederation, adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777, and submitted to the states for ratification two days later on November 17, marked a crucial step in the formation of the United States. As the first framework for a unified…
Read More
