On This Day - What Happened On August 24 | Britannica

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79 ce Eruption of Mount Vesuvius Italy's Mount Vesuvius is traditionally believed to have erupted on this day in 79 ce, destroying the ancient cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, and the excavations of these sites in the mid-18th century precipitated the modern science of archaeology. Take our history buff quiz © Christophe Konfortio/Fotolia

Featured Biography

Yasser Arafat president of Palestinian Authority bornAugust 24, 1929?Cairo?, EgyptdiedNovember 11, 2004Paris, FranceAdel Hana/AP Images 1973 Dave Chappelle American comedian and actor 1957 Stephen Fry British actor, writer, and director 1955 Mike Huckabee American politician 1947 Paulo Coelho Brazilian author 1945 Vince McMahon American businessman See All Biographies On This Day

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2021 English drummer Charlie Watts, an integral member of the iconic rock band the Rolling Stones, died at age 80. Test your knowledge of rock and roll© Terry O'Neill—REX/Shutterstock.com 2011 Amid health issues, Steve Jobs resigned as CEO of Apple, and he died less than two months later. Take our computers and technology quizJustin Sullivan/Getty Images 2006 Pluto was demoted from planet to dwarf planet after the International Astronomical Union approved a reclassification of the solar system. How much do you know about Pluto?Eliot Young, Southwest Research Institute; NASA's Planetary Astronomy Program 1989 Former baseball player and manager Pete Rose was banned from the sport after an investigation determined that he had bet on games, and he thereby became ineligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame; he later admitted to gambling on baseball. Test your knowledge of baseballAP Images 1949 The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) entered into force, following the signing of its treaty four months earlier. Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about world organizationsEncyclopædia Britannica, Inc. 1932 American aviator Amelia Earhart took off from Los Angeles, and, when she landed in Newark, New Jersey, the following day, she became the first woman to complete a solo nonstop flight across the United States. Test your knowledge of famous firsts for womenNew York World-Telegram and the Sun Newspaper Photograph Collection/Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. (LC-USZC4-2758) 1821 The Treaty of Córdoba was signed, giving Mexico its independence from Spain. Take our quiz about Latin American historyEncyclopædia Britannica, Inc. 1814 During the War of 1812, British forces captured Washington, D.C., and burned various government buildings, notably the Capitol and the Executive Mansion (now known as the White House). Test your knowledge of U.S. historyLibrary of Congress, Washington, D.C. (neg. no. LC-USZ62-1939) 1803 Irish revolutionary James Napper Tandy, a popular hero memorialized in the Irish ballad The Wearing of the Green, died in France. Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about famous EuropeansCourtesy of the trustees of the British Museum; photograph, J.R. Freeman & Co. Ltd. 1572 The Massacre of St. Bartholomew's Day, plotted by Catherine de' Medici against the French Huguenots, was carried out by Roman Catholic nobles and other citizens. How much do you know about French history?Courtesy of the Musee Cantonal des Beaux-Arts, Lausanne; photograph, Andre Held 410 Alaric, chief of the Visigoths, led an army into Rome, an event that symbolizes the fall of the Western Roman Empire. Take our quiz about the Roman Empire© Photos.com/GettyImages SIGN UP FOR History's Biggest Headlines Discover the fascinating events that shaped the world, straight from our editors. SIGN UP Thanks for signing up for Today in History. Your first newsletter will arrive soon! SIGN UP By clicking "Sign Up" you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.