1520 - Strait of Magellan: After navigating through a strait at the southern end of South America, connecting the Pacific - Atlantic Oceans, three ships under the command of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan reach the Pacific Ocean, becoming the first Europeans to sail from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific.
1821 - Panama declares independence from Spain
1833 - Charles Darwin rides through Las Pietras, returning to Montevideo
1843 - Ka Lahui: Hawaiian Independence Day - The Kingdom of Hawaii is officially recognized by the United Kingdom and France as an independent nation.
1958 - Congo & Mauritania become autonomous members of French Community
1960 - Mauritania gains independence from France (Natl Day)
