Today in History

Today in History Today is Monday, Aug. 24, the 237th day of 2020. There are 129 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On August 24 in A.D. 79, long-dormant Mount Vesuvius erupted, burying the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum in volcanic ash; an estimated 20,000 people died. On this date: In A.D. 410, Rome was overrun by the Visigoths, a major event in the fall of the Western Roman Empire. In 1814, during the War of 1812, British forces invaded Washington, D.C., setting fire to the Capitol (which was still under construction) and the White House, as well as other public buildings. In 1932, Amelia Earhart embarked on a 19-hour flight from Los Angeles to Newark, New Jersey, making her the first woman to fly solo, non-stop, from coast to coast. In 1949, the North Atlantic Treaty came into force. In 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Communist Control Act, outlawing the Communist Party in the United States. In 1968, France became the...

from ABC News: US https://ift.tt/3aOYvih
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