1180: With the death of Manuel I Komnenos, the last Byzantine Emperor of the Komnenian restoration, the Byzantine Empire begins its terminal decline

1493: Christopher Columbus embarks on his second expedition to the New World, setting sail with a fleet of 17 ships

1789: President George Washington signs the Federal Judiciary Act, establishing the federal court system and a Supreme Court with six justices, and nominates John Jay as the first chief justice

1869: Black Friday: Panic on Wall Street after investors Jay Gould and James Fisk attempt to corner the gold market

1877: Battle of Shiroyama: Imperial Japanese Army decisively defeats the Satsuma Rebellion

1950: Operation Magic Carpet concludes after transporting 45,000 Yemenite Jews to Israel

Source: Onthisday.com