1977⚡ Event
God Defend New Zealand National Anthem
"God Defend New Zealand" became New Zealand's second national anthem, sharing equal standing with "God Save the King".
politicslaw
This Week in History: Week 47
November 18 – November 24
Over 106 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.
Explore the Full Daily Timelines
Major Events (November 18 – November 24)(20)
1980⚡ Event
MGM Grand Hotel Fire
A fire broke out at the MGM Grand Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip, killing 85 people and injuring 650 others.
disasterentertainment
1985⚡ Event
Windows 1.0 Released
Microsoft released Windows 1.0, the first public version of its graphical operating environment, on November 20, 1985. This marked a significant step in the development of personal computing.
technologyscience
1990⚡ Event
Andrei Chikatilo Arrested
Andrei Chikatilo, a notorious Soviet serial killer, was arrested in Novocherkassk on November 20, 1990. He is considered one of the most prolific serial killers in Soviet history.
law
1991⚡ Event
Luis Miguel's Romance album release
Mexican singer Luis Miguel released the album Romance, which is credited with reviving interest in bolero music.
musicentertainment
1991⚡ Event
Helicopter Shot Down in Nagorno-Karabakh
An Azerbaijani military helicopter carrying a peacekeeping mission was shot down in Nagorno-Karabakh on November 20, 1991. This event disrupted ongoing peace talks during the First Nagorno-Karabakh War.
warpolitics
1994⚡ Event
Angolan Civil War Ceasefire
On November 20, 1994, the Angolan government signed a ceasefire with UNITA rebels under the Lusaka Protocol. This attempt to end the Angolan Civil War ultimately failed.
warpolitics
1999⚡ Event
Texas A&M Bonfire collapse
Texas A&M University's annual Aggie Bonfire collapsed, killing 12 people and injuring 27 others. The university declared a hiatus on the 90-year-old event.
disaster
2002⚡ Event
Prestige oil spill
The Greek oil tanker Prestige split in two and sank off the coast of Galicia, spilling 420 thousand barrels of oil. This event caused the worst environmental disaster in Spanish and Portuguese history.
disastertechnologyeconomics
2003⚡ Event
Massachusetts legalizes same-sex marriage
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled in Goodridge v. Department of Public Health, making the state the first in the U.S. to legalize same-sex marriage.
lawpolitics
2003⚡ Event
Istanbul Bombings
Suicide bombers attacked the British consulate and HSBC Bank in Istanbul on November 20, 2003, killing 31 people. Among the victims were consul general Roger Short and actor Kerem Yılmazer.
disasterlaw
2005⚡ Event
Haditha massacre
During the Iraq War, a group of United States Marines massacred 25 unarmed civilians in the town of Haditha.
warpolitics
2009⚡ Event
Heilongjiang Mine Explosion
An explosion in a coal mine in Heilongjiang, China, resulted in the deaths of 108 miners.
disastereconomics
2010⚡ Event
Pike River Mine disaster
The first of four explosions occurred at the Pike River Mine in the West Coast of New Zealand, marking the country's worst mining disaster in nearly a century.
disastertechnology
2011⚡ Event
Minecraft official release
The sandbox video game Minecraft officially released version 1.0, exiting its beta phase.
technologyentertainment
2012⚡ Event
Tel Aviv Bus Bombing
A remote-controlled bomb exploded on a bus in Tel Aviv, Israel, injuring at least 28 people.
disasterpolitics
2013⚡ Event
Iranian embassy bombing in Beirut
A double suicide bombing at the Iranian embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, killed 23 people and injured at least 160 others.
wardisaster
2014⚡ Event
Jerusalem synagogue attack
Two Palestinian men attacked praying congregants in a Jerusalem synagogue with axes, knives, and a gun. Eight people were killed, including the attackers.
disasterpoliticsreligion
2015⚡ Event
Brussels Lockdown
The Belgian government imposed a four-day security lockdown in Brussels due to information about potential terrorist attacks.
lawdisaster
2017⚡ Event
Cyclone Numa in Greece
Cyclone Numa, a rare "medicane", made landfall in Greece, becoming the worst weather event the country had experienced since 1977.
disaster
Famous Birthdays This Week(15)
Notable Deaths This Week(15)
2017🕊️ Death
Charles Manson
Charles Manson, an American cult leader and mass murderer, died on November 19, 2017. He was born in 1934.
law
2022🕊️ Death
Tabassum
Indian actress and talk show host (born 1944) died on November 18, 2022.
entertainmentarts
2022🕊️ Death
Jason David Frank
Jason David Frank, an American actor and mixed martial artist, died on November 19, 2022. He was born in 1973.
entertainmentsports
2023🕊️ Death
Rosalynn Carter
Rosalynn Carter, American mental health activist and former First Lady, died on November 19, 2023. She was born in 1927.
politics
2023🕊️ Death
Eddie Linden
Eddie Linden, a Scottish poet and publisher, died on November 19, 2023. He was born in 1935.
literaturearts
2024🕊️ Death
Charles Dumont
French singer and composer (born 1929) died on November 18, 2024.
musicartsentertainment
2024🕊️ Death
Colin Petersen
Australian drummer, record producer and actor (born 1946) died on November 18, 2024.
musicartsentertainment
2024🕊️ Death
Tony Campolo
Tony Campolo, an American sociologist and pastor, died on November 19, 2024. He was born in 1935.
religion
2024🕊️ Death
John Prescott
John Prescott was a British sailor and politician who served as Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
politics
2024🕊️ Death
Jodi Rell
Jodi Rell was an American politician and the 87th Governor of Connecticut.
politics
Trending Topics This Week
History, Delivered Daily.
Join thousands of history buffs. Get a curated 1-minute read of the day's most fascinating historical events sent straight to your inbox.
No spam. Unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy.