1492: Christopher Columbus, with Juan de la Cosa as second-in-command, sets sail on his first voyage with three ships: Santa María, Pinta, and Niña from Palos de la Frontera, Spain, for the “Indies”

1596: German astronomer and priest David Fabricius discovers the light variation of Mira, the first variable star

1914: Germany invades Belgium and declares war on France, beginning World War I

1934: Adolf Hitler merges the offices of German Chancellor and President, declaring himself “Führer” (leader)

1972: US Senate ratifies the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty with the Soviet Union to limit the use of missile systems capable of defending against missile-delivered nuclear weapons

Source: Onthisday.com