2015
Music copyright infringement from Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke led to a record payout of $7.3 million to the family of Marvin Gaye.
The duo copied Marvin Gaye’s 1977 hit “Got to Give It Up.”
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2006
After seven months of travel, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter arrived safely to Mars.
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1982
All nine planets (including Pluto) lined up with the sun.
In astrology, this spectacular event is known as syzygy (si-zuh-jee).
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1980
A console version of Space Invaders was released for the Atari 2600.
It was a popular arcade game for two years, but the Atari release drove Space Invader’s sales through the roof. If you adjust the total sales of all Space Invaders games for inflation, they exceed $13 billion, making it the highest-grossing video game ever made!
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1978
The Incredible Hulk TV series premiered on CBC starring Bill Bixby.
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1975
The Rocky Horror Picture Show premiered at the Belasco Theater, New York City, US, and ran for 45 performances.
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1969
American fugitive James Earl Ray pleaded guilty to murdering Martin Luther King Jr.
This day was his 41st birthday, and he was served 99 years in prison.
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1949
Mildred Gillard became the first woman in US history to be convicted of treason.
Often referred to as “Axis Sally,” Mildred worked for Nazi Germany’s state radio program during WWII. From 1942 to the end of the war, she broadcasted Nazi propaganda and did her best to coerce US soldiers to give up the fight and return home to their families. Records of Mildred’s broadcasts ultimately condemned her when she was later arrested and brought back to the US to face justice.
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1914
Diego Velázquez’s painting “The Toilet of Venus” was destroyed by suffragettes at a museum in London.
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1906
In France, 1,099 miners lost their lives in what is known as Europe’s worst mining disaster.
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1876
The first-ever telephone call was made.
The call was between Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Watson. Alexander Graham Bell said, “Mr. Watson, come here, I want to see you.”
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1862
The US issued first paper money in denominations of $5, $10, $20, $50, $100, $500 and $1000 notes.
The Capitol Statue of Freedom and Alexander Hamilton was featured on the first $5 notes.
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1629
Charles I dissolved the Parliament of England, which was the start of the eleven-year period known as the Personal Rule.
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