On This Day - What Happened On August 31 | Britannica

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1864 Confederates evacuated from Atlanta During the American Civil War, the Confederate evacuation of Atlanta began this day in 1864, shortly before Union troops led by William Tecumseh Sherman occupied the city, providing a much-needed victory for the North. How much do you know about the American Civil War? Prints and Photographs Division/Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. (digital file no. LC-DIG-ppmsca-09326)

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Diana, princess of Wales British princess bornJuly 1, 1961Sandringham, EnglanddiedAugust 31, 1997 (aged 36)Paris, FranceGlenn Harvey/Alamy 1970 Rania al-Abdullah queen of Jordan 1949 Richard Gere American actor and humanitarian 1945 Van Morrison Irish singer-songwriter 1569 Jahāngīr emperor of India 161 Commodus Roman emperor See All Biographies On This Day

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2016 Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff was impeached and removed from office after the country's Senate found her guilty of having used state bank funds to cover up a budget deficit in the run-up to her reelection in 2014. Test your knowledge of Latin American historyXinhua/Alamy 1992 An 11-day standoff in Ruby Ridge, Idaho, between government officials and an armed family headed by self-proclaimed white separatist Randy Weaver ended with his surrender; three people—Weaver's wife, Vicki, his 14-year-old son, Sammy, and U.S. Marshal William Degan—had been killed during the siege.Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc./Kenny Chmielewski 1991 Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan declared independence from the Soviet Union. Take our history buff quiz 1980 Polish labour activist Lech Wałęsa and Mieczysław Jagielski, Poland's first deputy premier, signed an agreement that conceded to workers the right to organize freely and independently. Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about famous EuropeansCopyright Wesolowski/Sygma 1966 The Harrier “jump-jet” fighter-bomber made its first flight. Test your knowledge of aircraft and aviation Adrian Pingstone 1888 The mutilated body of Mary Ann Nichols was discovered in the Whitechapel district of London's East End, and many believe she was the first victim of Jack the Ripper. Read about seven of history's most notorious serial killers, including Jack the RipperThe British Library/Robana/REX/Shutterstock.com 1850 King Kamehameha III officially declared Honolulu a city and the capital of his kingdom. Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about HawaiiBernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, Honolulu 1751 Robert Clive of Britain seized Arcot, India, and then withstood a 53-day siege that began a few weeks later. How much do you know about India?Courtesy of The National Portrait Gallery, London 12 ce The Roman emperor Caligula was born; his brief reign (37–41), which was marked by unpredictable and tyrannical behaviour, ended with his murder. Take our quiz about the Roman Empire© plrang/Fotolia 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.