1500 – Pedro Álvares Cabral is the first european to discover Brazil, landing near Monte Pascoal, claims it for Portugal. 1864 – The U.S. Congress passed the Coinage Act of 1864, which led to “In God We Trust” being printed on U.S. coins; the phrase was eventually added to all of the country’s currency. 1889 – At noon, by federal decree, white settlers were allowed into Indian Territory, sparking a land rush involving tens of thousands in what became Oklahoma Territory. 1915 – 1st military use of poison gas (chlorine, by Germany) in WW I. 1970 – First celebrated on this day in 1970 in the U.S., Earth Day—founded by American politician and conservationist Gaylord Anton Nelson—helped spark the environmental movement and quickly grew into an international event. 1976 – Barbara Walters becomes 1st female nightly network news anchor (Today Show). 1993 – Holocaust Memorial Museum dedicated in Washington D.C. 1994 – 7,000 Tutsi’s slaughtered by Hutu in the stadium at Kibuye, Rwanda. 2006 -243 people are injured in pro-democracy protest in Nepal after Nepali security forces open fire on protesters against King Gyanendra. 2016 – Paris Agreement on climate change signed in New York binding 195 nations to an increase in the global average temperature to less than 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the increase to 1.5°C.
Births & Deaths: 1937 – American actor Jack Nicholson—one of the most prominent motion-picture actors of his generation, especially noted for his versatile portrayals of unconventional, alienated outsiders—was born.
Sport: 1876 – 1st National League game, Boston Braves beat Philadelphia Athletics 6-5.
