The Big Date

Sure, we all know what to do when April 20 hits . . . but here’s what the rest of the world was doing over the centuries.

1769

Ottawa Indian Chief Pontiac is murdered.

1792

France declares war on Austria beginning the French Revolutionary War.

1812

George Clinton, the fourth U.S. vice president, dies at 73, making him the first vice president to die in office.

1862

Louis Pasteur and Claude Bernard complete the first pasteurization tests.

1871

The Civil Rights Act of 1871 (a.k.a. the Klu Klux Klan Act) becomes a law.

1889

Adolf Hitler, dictator of Nazi Germany and a genocidal madman, is born.

1902

Marie and Pierre Curie isolate radium.

1908

Henry Chadwick, the “father of baseball,” dies at 85.

1912

Bram Stocker, the author of Dracula, dies.

1961

U.S.-backed troops fail at the Bay of Pigs invasion against Cuba.

1964

86 percent of black students boycott Cleveland schools.

1975

Joey Lawrence, actor (Brotherly Love, Gimme a Break, Blossom, Joey), is born.

1971

The U.S. Supreme Court upholds the practice of busing for racial desegregation.

1983

President Ronald Reagan signs a $165 billion bailout for Social Security.

1986

U.S. performs a nuclear test at the Nevada Test Site.

1999

Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold went on a shooting spree at Columbine High School (Littleton, Colo.) killing 14 students, including themselves, and 1 teacher; 23 others are wounded.

2007

William Phillips barricades himself in NASA’s Johnson Space Center (Houston, Texas) then shoots and kills a hostage and himself.

2008

Danica Patrick wins the Indy Japan 300, becoming the first female driver to win an Indy care race.

2010

Deepwater Horizon drilling rig explodes and sinks, killing 11 and initiating a massive oil discharge in the Gulf of Mexico.

2011

Dr. Dre released the single “Kush.”

Compiled by Lynn Lieu