This Week in History: Week 16

April 15 – April 21

Over 111 historical moments took place during these 7 days of the calendar year. Explore our curated digest of the most world-changing events, iconic births, and notable deaths.

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Major Events (April 15 – April 21)(20)

1865 – 2019

1865⚡ Event

Abraham Lincoln dies

President Abraham Lincoln dies at 7:22 AM after being shot by John Wilkes Booth at Ford's Theatre the previous evening.

politicswarmilitary

1912⚡ Event

RMS Titanic sinks

The RMS Titanic sinks in the North Atlantic Ocean after colliding with an iceberg, killing over 1,500 passengers and crew.

disaster

1923⚡ Event

Insulin becomes widely available for diabetics

Commercial production of insulin expands, marking a turning point in the treatment of diabetes during the early 1920s.

medicinescience

1948⚡ Event

Organisation for European Economic Co-operation founded

The Organisation for European Economic Co-operation was established in Paris.

politicseconomics

1958⚡ Event

First West Coast MLB Game

On Walter O'Malley's initiative, the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants played the first Major League Baseball game on the U.S. West Coast.

sports

1963⚡ Event

Letter from Birmingham Jail

In response to white clergymen, Martin Luther King Jr. penned the Letter from Birmingham Jail, defending nonviolent resistance against racism.

lawpolitics

1973⚡ Event

George Lucas begins writing Star Wars treatment

George Lucas began writing a 13-page film treatment that would later form the basis of the Star Wars saga.

entertainmentartsliterature

1975⚡ Event

Khmer Rouge capture Phnom Penh

The Khmer Rouge captured Phnom Penh, ending the Cambodian Civil War and establishing the socialist state of Democratic Kampuchea.

warpolitics

1975⚡ Event

Launch of Aryabhata Satellite

India's first satellite, Aryabhata, was launched on April 18, 1975. The launch took place from Kapustin Yar in the Soviet Union.

spacesciencetechnology

1984⚡ Event

Yvonne Fletcher killed outside Libyan embassy

Metropolitan Police officer Yvonne Fletcher was shot and killed during a protest outside the Libyan embassy in London. This led to an 11-day siege and a breakdown in relations between Libya and the UK.

politicslaw

1986⚡ Event

Netherlands and Isles of Scilly declare peace

After a 335-year "war" without casualties, the Netherlands and the Isles of Scilly officially declared peace.

warpolitics

1989⚡ Event

Hillsborough disaster unfolds in Sheffield

A crowd crush at Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield leads to one of the deadliest disasters in British sporting history.

disastersports

1989⚡ Event

Hillsborough Disaster

The Hillsborough disaster, a human crush that caused 97 deaths, occurred during an FA Cup match in Sheffield.

disastersports

1994⚡ Event

World Trade Organization Established

At a GATT ministerial meeting in Marrakesh, Morocco, representatives of 123 countries and the European Communities signed an agreement to establish the World Trade Organization.

politicseconomics

2001⚡ Event

Bangladesh–India border skirmishes

India and Bangladesh engaged in a six-day conflict over their disputed border, which concluded in a stalemate.

war

2007⚡ Event

Virginia Tech shooting

A gunman killed 32 people and wounded over 20 more at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University before committing suicide.

disaster

2013⚡ Event

Boston Marathon Bombing

Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev set off two pressure cooker bombs during the running of the Boston Marathon, killing three people and injuring 264 others.

disaster

2014⚡ Event