On this day: 9 September

Germanic Wars: An alliance of Germanic tribes led by Arminius engaged Roman forces at the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, defeating three legions within a few days.

After disposing of all relatives who possibly held a claim to the throne, Constantine II, Constantius II and Constans became Roman co-emperors.

Battle of Svolder during the Viking Age.

Yelü Dashi, the Liao general who founded the Qara Khitai, defeated Seljuq and Kara-Khanid forces at the Battle of Qatwan, near Samarkand in present-day Uzbekistan.

Byzantine forces defeated Achaean troops at the Battle of Saint George, taking control of the Arcadia region of Greece.

Anne becomes sovereign Duchess of Brittany, becoming a central figure in the struggle for influence that leads to the union of Brittany and France.

Christopher Columbus, with 17 ships and 1,200 men, sails on second voyage from Cadiz.

Ottoman wars in Europe: A large Croatian army intercepted Ottoman forces returning to the Sanjak of Bosnia, but was defeated.

The citizens of Lisbon celebrate the triumphal return of the explorer Vasco de Gama, completing his two-year journey around the Cape of Good Hope to India.

The ultimately unsuccessful Colloquy of Poissy opens in an effort to reconcile French Catholics and Protestants.

The Continental Congress officially names its union of states the United States.

The commissioners overseeing the construction of the United States' new capital city named it Washington, in honor of the first president.

The commissioners overseeing the construction of the United States' new capital city named it Washington, in honor of the first president.

Grenelle camp affair, a failed uprising by supporters of Gracchus Babeuf against the French Directory.

Alexander I of Russia confirms the privileges of Baltic provinces.

California is admitted as the thirty-first U.S. state.

The Compromise of 1850 transfers a third of Texas's claimed territory to federal control in return for the U.S. federal government assuming $10 million of Texas's pre-annexation debt.

Crimean War: The Siege of Sevastopol comes to an end when Russian forces abandon the city.

American Civil War: The Union Army enters Chattanooga, Tennessee.

At the Lick Observatory in California, Edward Emerson Barnard discovered Amalthea (pictured), a moon of Jupiter and the last natural satellite to be discovered by visual observation.

At the Lick Observatory in California, Edward Emerson Barnard discovered Amalthea, a moon of Jupiter and the last natural satellite to be discovered by visual observation.

The Greco-Turkish War effectively ends with Turkish victory over the Greeks in Smyrna.

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey, founds the Republican People's Party.

Yleisradio (YLE), the Finnish national public broadcasting company, begins its broadcasts.

World War II: About 3,000 Polish Army troops began a nearly month-long defence of the Hel Peninsula during the German invasion of Poland.

World War II: About 3,000 Polish Army troops began a nearly month-long defence of the Hel Peninsula during the German invasion of Poland.

George Stibitz pioneers the first remote operation of a computer.

World War II: The Allies land at Salerno and Taranto, Italy.

World War II: The Fatherland Front takes power in Bulgaria through a military coup in the capital and armed rebellion in the country. A new pro-Soviet government is established.

World War II and Second Sino-Japanese War: The Empire of Japan formally surrenders to China.

Kim Il Sung is appointed as premier of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea). This is celebrated annually as its national holiday.

Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show for the first time.

U.S. president Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Civil Rights Act of 1957, the first civil rights bill since Reconstruction.

French president Charles de Gaulle delivered his "speech to the German youth" to 20,000 people in the courtyard of Ludwigsburg Palace (pictured).

French president Charles de Gaulle delivered his "speech to the German youth" to 20,000 people in the courtyard of Ludwigsburg Palace (pictured).

The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development is established.

The National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act is signed into law by U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson.

Imagine, the second solo album by John Lennon (pictured), was released.

In Kentucky's Mammoth Cave National Park, a Cave Research Foundation exploration and mapping team discovers a link between the Mammoth and Flint Ridge cave systems, making it the longest known cave passageway in the world.

Tajikistan declares independence from the Soviet Union.

Israeli–Palestinian peace process: The Palestine Liberation Organization officially recognizes Israel as a legitimate state.

Space Shuttle program: Space Shuttle Discovery is launched on STS-64.

The first banknotes of the Portrait Series of the Singapore dollar were introduced by the Board of Commissioners of Currency.

The first banknotes of the Portrait Series of the Singapore dollar were introduced by the Board of Commissioners of Currency.

The Dubai Metro, the first urban train network in the Arabian Peninsula, is ceremonially inaugurated.

The Indian space agency puts into orbit its heaviest foreign satellite yet, in a streak of 21 consecutive successful PSLV launches.

The album Songs of Innocence by U2 is digitally released at no charge to all customers of the iTunes Music Store, appearing automatically in the "purchased" section of over 500 million users worldwide.

The government of North Korea conducts its fifth and reportedly biggest nuclear test. World leaders condemn the act, with South Korea calling it "maniacal recklessness".