November 19th, 2008

Today in History

1994:
In Britain, the first National Lottery draw was held. A £1 ticket gives a one-in-14-million chance of correctly guessing the winning six out of 49 numbers.

1977:
Transportes Aereos Portugueses Boeing 727 crashes in Madeira islands killing 130

1944:
World War II: US President Franklin D. Roosevelt announces the 6th War Loan Drive, aimed at selling US$14 billion in war bonds to help pay for the war effort.

1598:
An outnumbered Korean and Ming navy ambush and defeat a Japanese army at the Battle of Noryang Point.

1493:
Christopher Columbus becomes the first European to go ashore on an island he only saw for the first time the day before. He names it San Juan Bautista (later renamed Puerto Rico).