January 8th, 2009

Today in History

871:
Ethelred of Wessex defeats Danish invasion army.

1838:
Alfred Vail demonstrates a telegraph using dots and dashes (this is the forerunner of Morse code).

1900:
United States President William McKinley places Alaska under military rule.

1877:
Crazy Horse and his warriors fight their last battle with the United States Cavalry (Montana).

1894:
A fire at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Illinois causes a good deal of damage.