1387: Geoffrey Chaucer’s “Canterbury Tales” characters begin their pilgrimage to Canterbury (according to scholars)

1492: Christopher Columbus signs a contract with the Spanish monarchs to find the “Indies” with the stated goal of converting people to Catholicism. This promises him 10% of all riches found, and the governorship of any lands encountered.

1895: Treaty of Shimonoseki is signed ending the First Sino-Japanese War (1894-95)

1961: 1,400 Cuban exiles land in Bay of Pigs in a doomed attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro

1982: Proclamation of the Constitution Act by Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau

Source: Onthisday.com