🇪🇸 1565 – Spanish Admiral Pedro Menéndez de Avilés founded St. Augustine, Florida, the oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in the U.S., marking the beginning of Spanish colonization in the region. 🌍🏴

🇺🇸 1892 – The Pledge of Allegiance was first recited in U.S. public schools during the 400th anniversary of Columbus's arrival, written by Francis Bellamy to promote national unity. 🇺🇸📜

🌪️ 1900 – The Galveston Hurricane struck Texas, becoming the deadliest natural disaster in U.S. history, killing thousands and leading to reforms in building codes and hurricane preparedness. 🌊💔

🌍 1930 – The first International Esperanto Congress was held in Barcelona, promoting Esperanto as a universal language for global communication and understanding. 🌐🗣️

⚔️ 1941 – The Siege of Leningrad began during World War II, lasting 872 days and causing over a million civilian deaths, symbolizing Soviet resilience against Nazi aggression. 🏙️⚔️

🇮🇹 1943 – Italy surrendered to the Allies during World War II, leading to the collapse of the Fascist regime and Italy’s switch from the Axis to the Allied powers. 🇮🇹🛡️

🌌 1966 – The first episode of Star Trek aired, introducing a vision of a united humanity exploring the galaxy, later becoming a cult phenomenon with lasting cultural impact. 🚀🖖

🇺🇸 1974 – President Gerald Ford pardoned Richard Nixon for any crimes related to the Watergate scandal, sparking significant controversy and political backlash. 🇺🇸⚖️

🌉 1986 – Turkey opened the Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul, connecting Europe and Asia, symbolizing modernization and Turkey's strategic importance. 🌉🇹🇷

☢️ 2016 – North Korea conducted its fifth nuclear test, escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula and drawing widespread international condemnation. 🇰🇵💥