1379 - The Gelderse war ended.
1545 - German Parliament opened in Worms.
1550 - France and England signed the Peace of Boulogne.
1629 - The first game law was passed in the American colonies, by Virginia.
1664 - A charter to colonize Rhode Island was granted to Roger Williams in London.
1720 - In Paris, banking houses closed due to financial crisis.
1765 - Britain passed the Quartering Act that required the American colonies to house 10,000 British troops in public and private buildings.
1792 - Benjamin West became the first American artist to be selected president of the Royal Academy of London.
1828 - The Philadelphia & Columbia Railway was authorized as the first state owned railway.
1832 - Mormon Joseph Smith was beaten, tarred and feathered in Ohio.
1837 - Canada gave blacks the right to vote
1848 - A state of siege was proclaimed in Amsterdam.
1868 - Metropolitan Life Insurance Company was formed.
1878 - The British frigate Eurydice sank killing 300.
1880 - The first "hail insurance company" was incorporated in Connecticut. It was known as Tobacco Growers’ Mutual Insurance Company.
1882 - In Berlin, German scientist Robert Koch announced the discovery of the tuberculosis germ (bacillus).
1883 - The first telephone call between New York and Chicago took place.
1898 - The first automobile was sold.
1900 - Mayor Van Wyck of New York broke the ground for the New York subway tunnel that would link Manhattan and Brooklyn.
1900 - In New Jersey, the Carnegie Steel Corporation was formed.
1904 - Vice Adm. Tojo sank seven Russian ships as the Japanese strengthened their blockade of Port Arthur.
1905 - In Crete, a group led by Eleutherios Venizelos claimed independence from Turkey.
1906 - In Mexico, the Tehuantepec Istmian Railroad opened as a rival to the Panama Canal.
1906 - The "Census of the British Empire" revealed that England ruled 1/5 of the world.
1911 - In Denmark, penal code reform abolished corporal punishment.
1920 - The first U.S. coast guard air station was established at Morehead City, NC.
1924 - Greece became a republic.
1927 - Chinese Communists seized Nanking and break with Chiang Kai-shek over the Nationalist goals.
1932 - Belle Baker hosted a radio variety show from a moving train. It was the first radio broadcast from a train.
1934 - U.S. President Roosevelt signed a bill granting future independence to the Philippines.
1938 - The U.S. asked that all powers help refugees fleeing from the Nazis.
1944 - In Rome, The Gestapo rounded up innocent Italians and shot them to death in response to a bomb attack that killed 32 German policemen. Over 300 civilians were executed.
1946 - The Soviet Union announced that it was withdrawing its troops from Iran.
1947 - The U.S. Congress proposed the limitation of the presidency to two terms.
1954 - Britain opened trade talks with Hungary.
1955 - Tennessee Williams' play "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" debuted on Broadway.
1955 - The first oil drill seagoing rig was put into service.
1960 - A U.S. appeals court ruled that the novel, "Lady Chatterly’s Lover", was not obscene and could be sent through the mail.
1972 - Great Britain imposed direct rule over Northern Ireland.
1976 - The president of Argentina, Isabel Peron, was deposed by her country's military.
1980 - In San Salvador, Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero was shot to death by gunmen as he celebrated Mass.
1981 - "Nightline" with Ted Koppel premiered.
1985 - Thousands demonstrated in Madrid against the NATO presence in Spain.
1988 - Former national security aides Oliver L. North and John M. Poindexter and businessmen Richard V. Secord and Albert Hakim pleaded innocent to Iran-Contra charges.
1989 - The Exxon Valdez spilled 240,000 barrels (11 million gallons) of oil in Alaska's Prince William Sound after it ran aground.
1989 - The U.S. decided to send humanitarian aid to the Contras.
1990 - Indian troops left Sri Lanka.
1991 - The African nation of Benin held its first presidential elections in about 30 years.
1993 - In Israel, Ezer Weizman, an advocate of peace with neighboring Arab nations, was elected President.
1995 - Russian forces surrounded Achkoi-Martan. It was one of the few remaining strongholds of rebels in Chechenia.
1995 - The U.S. House of Representatives passed a welfare reform package that made the most changes in social programs since the New Deal.
1997 - The Australian parliament overturned the world's first and only euthanasia law.
1998 - In Jonesboro, AR, two young boys open fire at students from woods near a school. Four students and a teacher were killed and 10 others were injured. The two boys were 11 and 13 years old cousins.
1998 - A former FBI agent said papers found in James Earl Ray's car supports a conspiracy theory in the assassination of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
1999 - In Kenya, at least 31 people were killed when a passenger train derailed. Hundreds were injured.
1999 - NATO launched air strikes against Yugoslavia (Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo and Vojvodina). The attacks marked the first time in its 50-year history that NATO attacked a sovereign country. The bombings were in response to Serbia's refusal to sign a peace treaty with ethnic Albanians who were seeking independence for the province of Kosovo.
1999 - The 7-mile tunnel under Mont Blanc in France was an inferno after a truck carrying flour and margarine caught on fire. At least 30 people were killed.
2002 - Thieves stole five 17th century paintings from the Frans Hals Museum in the Dutch city of Haarlem. The paintings were worth about $2.6 million. The paintings were works by Jan Steen, Cornelis Bega, Adriaan van Ostade and Cornelis Dusart.
2005 - The government of Kyrgyzstan collapsed after opposition protesters took over President Askar Akayev's presidential compound and government offices.
2005 - Sandra Bullock received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
2006 - In Spain, the Basque separatist group ETA announced a permanent cease-fire.
Music History
1721 - In Germany, Johann Sebastian Bach published the Six Brandenburg Concertos.
1941 - Glenn Miller began work on his first motion picture for 20th Century Fox. The film was "Sun Valley Serenade."
1958 - Elvis Presley was sworn in as a private in the U.S. Army.
1965 - Bill Wyman was knocked unconscious by an electrical shock from a microphone stand. It was the first date of the Rolling Stones anniversary tour.
1966 - The New York State Assembly passed a bill making it a misdemeanor to sell bootlegs.
1973 - Lou Reed was bitten on his rear end by a fan during a concert in Buffalo, NY. The male fan was ejected from the show.
1978 - The British courts granted British record companies the rights to seize bootleg and pirate recordings.
1980 - Iron Maiden released the album "The Number of the Beast."
1991 - The Black Crowes were dropped as the opening act on ZZ Top's tour for repeatedly criticizing Miller Beer. Miller Beer was sponsoring the tour.
1992 - A Chicago judge ruled in the Milli-Vanilli class-action suit that $3.00 cash rebates would be given to anyone that could prove that they bought the group's music before November 27, 1990 (the date the lip synching scandal broke).
1998 - Type O Negative released its first home video, "After Dark."
1998 - Amway Corp. announced that it had agreed to pay $9 million to settle a lawsuit over the company's use of songs by top artists in videotaped sales pitches.
Elvis Presley History
1956 - Elvis Presley appeared on "Stage Show" for the sixth time.
1956 - Elvis Presley performed "Money Honey" and "Heartbreak Hotel" on TV's "Stage Show."
1958 - Elvis Presley was sworn in as a private in the U.S. Army.
2004 - In Fort Knox, Kentucky, the Patton Museum of Calvary and Armor opened a new exhibit that focused on the years Elvis spent in the U.S. Army. The exhibit was planned to stay at the museum until March of 2005.
2005 - The Broadway musical "All Shook Up" opened.
Television History
1940 - The New York City NBC station W2XBS became the first to televise religious services.
1981 - "Nightline" with Ted Koppel premiered.
American Bandstand History
1958 - Billie & Lillie performed "La-Dee-Dah" on "American Bandstand."
1979 - Sister Sledge performed "He's the Greatest Dancer" on "American Bandstand."
1979 - Gary's Gang performed "Keep On Dancin'" on "American Bandstand."
1984 - Paul Young performed "Come Back and Stay" and "Love of the Common People" on "American Bandstand."
1984 - The video for Van Halen's "Jump" was aired on "American Bandstand."
1984 - UB40 performed "Red Red Wine" on "American Bandstand."
Sports History
1936 - The Detroit Red Wings beat the Montreal Maroons 1-0. The first goal was not scored until 16 minutes and 30 seconds into the sixth overtime period of the season's first Stanley Cup semi-final game.
1962 - Benny "Kid" Paret was knocked into unconsciousness in a boxing match with Emile Griffith at Madison Square Garden. He died 10 days later. It was the first televised "death in the ring."
1971 - The Boston Patriots changed their name to the New England Patriots.
1973 - Nate "Tiny" Archibald became the first player in NBA history to lead the league in scoring (34.0 ppg) and assists 11.4 apg). in the same season.
1975 - Muhammad Ali knocked out Chuck Wepner in the 15th round to retain the world heavyweight title.
1992 - Mario Lemieux (Pittsburgh Penguins) scored his 1000th career point in his 513th game. He was the second fastest player in the NHL to record 1000 points.
2002 - Michael Finley (Dallas Mavericks) became the 238th NBA player to surpass 10,000 career points.
2005 - The NHL canceled its draft due to a six-month player lockout.
U.S. President History
1934 - U.S. President Roosevelt signed a bill granting future independence to the Philippines.
1947 - The U.S. Congress proposed the limitation of the presidency to two terms.
1988 - Former national security aides Oliver L. North and John M. Poindexter and businessmen Richard V. Secord and Albert Hakim pleaded innocent to Iran-Contra charges.
U.S. President Quotes
"American and Israel share a special bond. Our relationship is unique among all nations. Like America, Israel is a strong democracy, a symbol of freedom, and an oasis of liberty, a home to the oppressed and persecuted.
- U.S. President Bill Clinton
Birthdays
Rufus King 1755
Antonio Rosmini-Serbati 1797
John Powell 1834
William Morris 1834
Andrew Mellon 1855
Harry Houdini 1874
Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle 1887
Arthur Murray 1895
Dorothy Stratton 1898
June Clark 1900
Joseph Barbera 1911 - Cartoonist
Richard (Nicholas) Conte 1914
Lawrence Ferlinghetti 1919
Gene Nelson 1920
Dave Appell (Applejacks) 1922
Norman Fell 1924
Byron Janis 1928
Vanessa Brown 1928
Steve McQueen 1930
William Smith 1933
Billy Stewart 1937
Bob Mackie 1940 - Fashion designer
R. Lee Ermey 1944 - Actor
Curtis Hanson 1945 - Director
Lee Oskar 1948 - Musician (War)
Dougie Thomson 1951 - Musician (Supertramp)
Louie Anderson 1953 - Comedian
Donna Pescow 1954
Robert Carradine 1954 - Actor
Kelly LeBrock 1960 - Actress ("Wierd Science")
Rodney "Kool Kollie" Terry 1961 - DJ (Ghostown DJs)
Star Jones 1962 - TV host ("The View")
Annabella Sciorra 1964 - Actress
Lara Flynn Boyle 1970 - Actress
Shannon Corr 1970 - Singer, musician (The Corrs)
P.A. Pasemaster Mase 1970 - Rapper (De La Soul)
Alyson Hannigan 1974 - Actress ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer")
Peyton Manning 1976 - Football player
Olivia Burnette 1977
Keisha Castle-Hughes 1990 - Actress ("The Whale Rider")
Deaths which occurred on March 24:
0809 Harun al-Rashid caliph of the Abbasid empire (786-809), dies at 44
1400 Florens Radewijns Dutch priest/leader Modern Devotion, dies
1455 Nicholas V [Tommaso Parentucelli] Italian Pope (1447-55), dies at 57
1455 Rudolf van Diepholt bishop/cardinal of Utrecht (1448-55), dies
1471 Sir Thomas Malory author (Le Morte d'Arthur), dies at 55
1558 Anna van Buren countess of Egmond/Buren/Lingen, dies
1603 Elizabeth I Tudor [Maiden Queen] UK queen (1558-1603), dies at 69
1631 Philipp Dulichius composer, dies at 68
1635 Jacques Callot French cartoonist/engraver, dies at about 42
1644 Cecilia Renata arch duchess of Austria, dies
1654 Samuel Scheidt German composer (Concertus sacri), dies at 66
1661 William Leddra last Quaker, hanged in Boston
1755 Theodor Christleib Reinhold composer, dies at 72
1823 Cornelis van Foreest Dutch mayor (Alkmaar), dies at 66
1825 Giovanni Domenico Perotti composer, dies at 64
1838 Thomas Attwood composer, dies at 72
1842 Stendhal [Marie-H Beyle] French writer (The Love), buried at 59
1866 Maria Amalia of Bourbon-Sicily, wife of Louis Filips of Austria, dies
1877 Walter Bagehot English economist/critic/banker, dies at 51
1878 Albin Masek composer, dies at 73
1881 Friedrich Hecker German revolutionary republic politician, dies at 69
1882 Henry Wadsworth Longfellow US poet (Song of Hiawatha), dies at 75
1894 Robert Prescott Stewart composer, dies at 68
1899 Billy Barnes cricketer (725 runs in 21 Tests for England), dies
1905 Jules Verne sci-fi author (Around the World in 80 Days), dies at 77
1909 John Millington Synge Irish dramatist/playwright/poet, dies at 37
1911 Matthew Stanley Robison president (Cardinals), dies
1916 Enrique y Campina Granados Sp opera composer (Goyescas), drowns at 48
1918 Theophile Ysaye composer, dies at 53
1921 Deodat de Severac composer, dies at 48
1932 George Robert Canning cricketer (the 4th Lord Harris), dies
1937 Léopold Courouble Belgian writer (Pauline Flatbread), dies at 76
1945 J S Nicklin Lieutenant-Colonel/Canada's 1st parachutist, dies
1945 Thomas Rennie General-Major (Dutch command 51st Highland Division), dies
1946 Alexander A Aljechin world chess champion (1927-35, 37-46), dies at 53
1946 Gustaf Heintze composer, dies at 66
1953 Felix M Abel French dominican/biblical scholar, dies at 74
1953 Mary [Victoria of Teck] queen of Great Britain/North-Ireland, dies at 86
1953 Queen Mary of Britain dies
1960 Paul Joostens Flemish painter, dies at 70
1962 Auguste Picard Swiss explorer, dies at 78
1964 Peter Lorre Hungarian/US actor (Maltese Falcon, Raven), dies at 59
1967 Marc Lavry composer, dies at 63
1968 Howard Petrie actor (Border River, Bounty Hunter), dies at 61
1968 Lauwrens Voorthuyzen Dutch sect leader, dies at 70
1969 Joseph Kasavubu President of Congo (1960-65), dies at about 55
1974 Doris Deane dies at 74
1974 Yoshida Isoya Japanese architect (modern sukiya style), dies at 79
1975 Muriel Hutchinson actor (Another Thin Man), dies at 60
1975 Oscar Rasbach composer, dies at 86
1976 Bernard L Montgomery British General, defeated Rommel, dies at 88
1976 Nelson Case TV host (Trash or Treasure), dies at 66
1977 Saburo Moroi composer, dies at 73
1978 Brackett Hamilton Leigh [Douglass], author (Ginger Star), dies at 62
1979 Yvonne Mitchell writer, dies at 53
1980 Archbishop Oscar Romero assassinated while conducting mass in San Salvador
1982 Ace Goodman Kansas City MO, comedian (Easy Aces), dies at 83
1984 Sam Jaffe actor (Dr Zorba-Ben Casey), dies of cancer at 93
1986 Sarah Cunningham actress (Nurse Andrews-Trapper John MD), dies at 67
1990 Alice Sapritch actress (European Vacation), dies
1990 An Wang computer manufacturer (Wang), dies at 70 from cancer
1990 Ray Goulding comedian (Bob & Ray), dies from kidney failure at 68
1990 Rene Enriquez actor (Hill St Blues), dies from pancreatic cancer at 56
1993 Erik Andriesse Dutch painter (skulls, skeletons), dies at 35
1993 John Hersey Pulitzer prize author (Hiroshima), dies at 78
1993 Peter Roovers Dutch sculptor/teacher (war monuments), dies at 90
1993 Taylor Reed actor (Easy Money), dies of heart attack at 60
1994 Edith Porada art historian/archaeologist, dies at 81
1994 Luis Donaldo Colosio Mexican politician, assassinated
1994 Tommy Benford jazz drummer, dies at 88
1995 Anthony Standerwick Heal businessman, dies at 88
1995 Joey Long blues/cajun guitarist, dies at 62
1995 Trevor Oswald Ling religious Studies Professor, dies at 75
1996 Maria Lucia Beltran Alcayaga singer, dies at 66