1493 - While on board the Niña, Christopher Columbus writes an open letter (widely distributed upon his return to Portugal) describing his discoveries and the unexpected items he came across in the New World.
1552 - Dutch coast hit by heavy storm
1564 – Was born Galileo Galilei — Italian astronomer
1804 - New Jersey becomes last northern state to abolish slavery
1918 - Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania adopt Gregorian calendar
1949 - Gerald Lankester Harding and Roland de Vaux begin excavations at Cave 1 of the Qumran Cavess where they will eventually discover the first seven Dead Sea Scrolls.
