1539 - Hernando de Soto declares Florida as a Spanish territory.
1540 - Hernando de Soto is the first European to cross the Appalachian Mountains.
1659 – Was born David Gregory, a Scottish astronomer.
1726 – Was born James Hutton, a Scottish natural scientist, geologist, physicist and chemist.
1789 - Alex Mackenzie is investigating the McKenzie River in Canada.
1860 - The city of Comanche (Iowa) is completely destroyed by a tornado.
1906 - Belgian King Leopold II declares Congo for private property.
1935 - The Normandie ferry crosses the Atlantic for a record 1,077 hours.
