Today in History

962		Otto I invades Italy and is crowned Holy Roman Emperor.
1032		Conrad II claims the throne of France.
1494		Columbus begins the practice using Indians as slaves.
1571		All eight members of a Jesuit mission in Virginia are murdered by Indians who pretended to be their friends.
1626		Charles I is crowned King of England. Fierce internal struggles between the monarchy and Parliament characterized 17th century English politics.
1848		The Treaty of Guadeloupe Hidalgo formally ends the Mexican War.
1865		Confederate raider William Quantrill and his bushwackers rob citizens, burn a railroad depot and steal horses from Midway, Kentucky.
1870		The press agencies Havas, Reuter and Wolff sign an agreement whereby between them they can cover the whole world.
1876		The National Baseball League is founded with eight teams.
1900		Six cities, Boston, Detroit, Milwaukee, Baltimore, Chicago and St. Louis agree to form baseball's American League.
1901		Mexican government troops are badly beaten by Yaqui Indians.
1916		U.S. Senate votes independence for Philippines, effective in 1921.
1921		Airmail service opens between New York and San Francisco. Airmail's First Day.
1934		Alfred Rosenberg is made philosophical chief of the Nazi Party.
1939		Hungary breaks relations with the Soviet Union.
1943		Last of the German strongholds at Stalingrad surrender to the Red army.
1944		The Germans stop an Allied attack at Anzio, Italy.
1945		Some 1,200 Royal Air Force planes blast Wiesbaden and Karlsruhe.
1948		The United States and Italy sign a pact of friendship, commerce and navigation.
1959		Arlington and Norfolk, Va., peacefully desegregate public schools.
1960		The U.S. Senate approves 23rd Amendment calling for a ban on the poll tax.
1972		The Winter Olympics begin in Sapporo, Japan.
1978		U.S. Jewish leaders bar a meeting with Egypt's Anwar Sadat.
1987		Largest steel strike in American history, in progress since August, ends.