历史上的今天:08月16日

Today's Highlight in History:
On August 16th, 1977, Elvis Presley died at Graceland Mansion¹ in Memphis, Tennessee, at age 42.
On this date:
In 1777, American forces won the Revolutionary War Battle of Bennington, Vermont.

In 1812, Detroit fell to British and Indian forces in the War of 1812.

In 1829, the original "Siamese twins," Chang and Eng Bunker, arrived in Boston to be exhibited to the Western world.

In 1858, a telegraphed message from Britain's Queen Victoria to President Buchanan was transmitted over the recently laid trans-Atlantic cable.

In 1861, President Lincoln prohibited the states of the Union from trading with the seceding² states of the Confederacy.

In 1948, baseball legend Babe Ruth died in New York at age 53.

In 1954, Sports Illustrated³ was first published by Time Incorporated.

In 1956, Adlai E. Stevenson was nominated for president at the Democratic national convention in Chicago.

In 1960, Britain granted independence to the crown colony of Cyprus.

In 1987, 156 people were killed when Northwest Airlines Flight 255 crashed while trying to take off from Detroit.

Ten years ago: President Bush met with Jordan's King Hussein in Kennebunkport, Maine, where he urged the monarch⁴ to close Iraq's access to the sea through the port of Aqaba. In Iraq, President Saddam Hussein issued a statement in which he repeatedly called Bush a "liar⁵" and said the outbreak of war could result in "thousands of Americans wrapped in sad coffins⁶."

Five years ago: The government more than doubled its estimate of rapes⁷ or attempted rapes in the United States each year, to 310-thousand, a finding praised by leaders of women's groups.

One year ago: Four months after two gunmen sent them fleeing in horror, students reclaimed⁸ Columbine High School in Colorado for the start of the school year. Vladimir Putin won confirmation⁹ as Russia's prime minister, the fifth since early 1998. Republican Lamar Alexander folded his presidential campaign. The quiz show "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" began a limited two-week run on ABC.