October 18 - This day in History

October 18: General Interest
1867: U.S. takes possession of Alaska

On this day in 1867, the U.S. formally takes possession of Alaska after purchasing the territory from Russia for $7.2 million, or less than two cents an acre. The Alaska purchase comprised 586,412 square miles, about twice the size of Texas, and was championed by William Henry Seward, the enthusiasticly expansionist secretary of state under President Andrew Johnson... read more


American Revolution
1767 : Mason and Dixon draw a line
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/mason-and-dixon-draw-a-line


Automotive
1933 : R. Buckminster Fuller tries to patent his Dymaxion Car
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/r-buckminster-fuller-tries-to-patent-his-dymaxion-car


Civil War
1863 : Controversial Union General Sickles visits his troops
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/general-sickles-visits-his-troops


Cold War
1989 : East Germany and Hungary move toward democracy
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/east-germany-and-hungary-move-toward-democracy


Crime
1968 : John Lennon and Yoko Ono arrested for drug possession
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/john-lennon-and-yoko-ono-arrested-for-drug-possession


Disaster
1998 : Pipeline explosions kills 700 in Nigeria
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/pipeline-explosions-kills-700-in-nigeria


General Interest
1469 : Ferdinand and Isabella marry
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/ferdinand-and-isabella-marry

1860 : Peking's Summer Palace destroyed
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/pekings-summer-palace-destroyed

1898 : U.S. takes control of Puerto Rico
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/us-takes-control-of-puerto-rico

1931 : Edison dies
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/edison-dies


Hollywood
1988 : Roseanne debuts
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/roseanne-debuts


Literary
1951 : Terry McMillan is born
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/terry-mcmillan-is-born


Music
1974 : Soul singer Al Green is attacked in his own bathtub
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/soul-singer-al-green-is-attacked-in-his-own-bathtub


Old West
1867 : The United States formally takes possession of Alaska from Russia
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-united-states-formally-takes-possession-of-alaska-from-russia


Presidential
1962 : JFK records his impressions of secret meetings
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/jfk-records-his-impressions-of-secret-meetings


Sports
1977 : Mr. October hits three homers in three swings
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/mr-october-hits-three-homers-in-three-swings


Vietnam War
1955 : Emperor Bao Dai attempts to dismiss Diem
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/emperor-bao-dai-attempts-to-dismiss-diem

1968 : Stock market soars with rumors of bombing halt in Vietnam
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/stock-market-soars-with-rumors-of-bombing-halt-in-vietnam


World War I
1915 : Third Battle of the Isonzo
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/third-battle-of-the-isonzo


World War II
1942 : Vice Admiral Halsey named new commander of the South Pacific
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/vice-admiral-halsey-named-new-commander-of-the-south-pacific