1773: Captain James Cook becomes the first person to cross the Antarctic Circle (66°33′ S)

1873: Modoc warriors defeat the United States Army in the First Battle of the Stronghold, part of the Modoc War

1912: Captain Robert Scott’s expedition arrives at the South Pole, one month after Roald Amundsen

1920: First day of alcohol prohibition comes into effect in the US as a result of the 18th Amendment to the Constitution

1946: United Nations Security Council holds its first meeting, at Westminster Central Hall in Westminster, England

1991: Operation Desert Storm begins, with US-led coalition forces bombing Iraq, during the Gulf War

Source: Onthisday.com