Important Events

1240 Mongols under Batu Khan occupy and destroy Kiev; out of 50,000 people in the city only 2,000 survive

1865 13th Amendment of the United States Constitution is ratified, abolishing slavery

1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty signed; Ireland receives dominion status; partition creates Northern Ireland

1998 Hugo Chávez is elected President of Venezuela

2006 NASA reveals photographs taken by Mars Global Surveyor suggesting the presence of liquid water on Mars

Today In Film & TV

2002 “Adaptation” directed by Spike Jonze, starring Nicolas Cage and Meryl Streep premieres

Today In Music

1969 300,000 attend Altamont free concert in California, featuring The Rolling Stones. Marred by violence and four deaths.

Today In Sports

1992 San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice catches NFL record 101st touchdown in a 27-3 win over Miami Dolphins at Candlestick Park