John Tyler (U.S.) 1790
1847 - U.S. troops under General Winfield Scott took possession of the Mexican stronghold at Vera Cruz.
- 1943 - In the U.S. rationing of meat, butter and cheese began during World War II.
- 1951 - In the United States, communist spies Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were convicted of conspiracy to commit espionage. They were executed in June 19, 1953.
- 1961 - The 23rd amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified. The amendment allowed residents of Washington, DC, to vote for president.
- 1966 - Leonid Brezhnev became the First Secretary of the Soviet Communist Party. He denounced the American policy in Vietnam and called it one of aggression.
- 1973 - The last U.S. troops left South Vietnam.
- 1983 - Erno Rubik was granted a patent for his Magic Cube. (U.S. Patent 4,378,116)
- 1992 - Democratic presidential front-runner Bill Clinton said "I didn't inhale and I didn't try it again" in reference to when he had experimented with marijuana.
- 1995 - The U.S. House of Representatives rejected a constitutional amendment that would have limited terms to 12 years in the U.S. House and Senate.
- 1999 - The Dow Jones industrial average closed above the 10,000 mark for the first time.
