1492 - Christopher Columbus sets sail on his first voyage with 3 ships Santa Maria, Pinta and Niña from Palos de la Frontera, Spain for the "Indies"
1804 - Naturalist Alexander von Humboldt lands at Bordeaux, France completing his 5 year expedition to Latin America
1833 - HMS Beagle reaches river mouth of Rio Negro
1940 - Lithuanian SSR is accepted into USSR
1960 - Niger gains independence from France
