August 24 - This Day in History

August 24: General Interest
79: Vesuvius erupts

After centuries of dormancy, Mount Vesuvius erupts in southern Italy, devastating the prosperous Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum and killing thousands. The cities, buried under a thick layer of volcanic material and mud, were never rebuilt and largely forgotten in the course of history. In the 18th century, Pompeii and Herculaneum were rediscovered and excavated, providing an unprecedented archaeological record of the everyday life of an ancient civilization, startlingly preserved in sudden death... read more


American Revolution
1776 : General Lee recognizes Georgia's value
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/august-24-1776-general-lee-recognizes-georgias-value


Automotive
1958 : Maria Teresa de Filippis races in Portuguese Grand Prix
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/maria-teresa-de-filippis-races-in-portuguese-grand-prix


Civil War
1828 : Confederate General George Steuart is born
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/george-steuart-is-born


Cold War
1954 : Congress passes Communist Control Act
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/congress-passes-communist-control-act


Crime
1982 : A Wall Street scheme is hatched
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/a-wall-street-scheme-is-hatched

2012 : Killer in Norway massacre is sentenced
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/killer-in-norway-massacre-is-sentenced


Disaster
79 : Eruption of Mount Vesuvius begins
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/eruption-of-mount-vesuvius-begins


General Interest
1572 : Saint Bartholomew's Day Massacre
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/saint-bartholomews-day-massacre

1814 : British capture and burn Washington
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/british-capture-and-burn-washington

1821 : Spain accepts Mexican independence
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/spain-accepts-mexican-independence


Hollywood
1981 : John Lennon's killer sentenced
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/john-lennons-killer-sentenced


Literary
1936 : A.S. Byatt, author of Possession, is born
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/as-byatt-author-of-possession-is-born


Music
1974 : Paul Anka has a #1 hit with "(You're) Having My Baby"
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/paul-anka-has-a-1-hit-with-quotyoure-having-my-babyquot


Old West
1873 : Elusive Mount of the Holy Cross photographed
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/elusive-mount-of-the-holy-cross-photographed


Presidential
1814 : British troops set fire to the White House
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/british-troops-set-fire-to-the-white-house


Sports
1875 : Captain Webb swims English Channel
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/captain-webb-swims-english-channel


Vietnam War
1963 : Washington changes policy on support for President Diem
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/washington-changes-policy-on-support-for-president-diem

1969 : U.S. unit refuses commander's order
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/us-unit-refuses-commanders-order

1970 : B-52s conduct heavy raids along the DMZ
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/b-52s-conduct-heavy-raids-along-the-dmz


World War I
1914 : Poet Alan Seeger volunteers in French army
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/poet-alan-seeger-volunteers-in-french-army


World War II
1942 : Brave volunteers save the day in the Battle of the East Solomon Islands
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/brave-volunteers-save-the-day-in-the-battle-of-the-east-solomon-islands