April 27th

• 1565

  The first Spanish settlement in the Philippines is established at Cebu City.

• 1667

  John Milton sells 'Paradise Lost' copyright for £10, amidst blindness and poverty.

• 1805

  US Marines make a historic attack on the shores of Tripoli.

• 1838

  A devastating fire destroys half of Charleston.

• 1840

  Foundation stone for the new Palace of Westminster laid by Sarah Barry.

• 1861

  'Stonewall' Jackson takes command of Harpers Ferry on Lee's orders.

• 1865

  Cornell University is chartered in Ithaca, NY.

• 1937

  The first US social security payment is made. View Post →

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• 1942

  Pryor, Oklahoma, is devastated by a tornado, killing 100.

• 1947

  Babe Ruth Day celebrated at Yankee Stadium and nationwide.

• 1961

  NFL recognizes Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

• 1963

  Fidel Castro arrives in Moscow, signaling Cuba's close ties with the USSR.

• 1974

  Pan Am 707 crashes into Bali mountains, killing 107.

• 1982

  John Hinckley's trial for attempting to assassinate President Reagan begins.

• 1989

  Tiananmen Square taken over by Beijing students; Bangladesh hurricane kills 500.

• 2005

  Airbus A380, the superjumbo jet, makes its inaugural flight from Toulouse.

• 2006

  Groundbreaking for Freedom Tower at the new World Trade Center in NYC.

• 1822

  Ulysses S. Grant, 18th US President, is born.

• 1521

  Ferdinand Magellan is killed by natives in the Philippines.

• 1865

  The Sultana explodes, killing between 1,400-2,000 Union POWs.

• 1953

  Mt. Aso erupts on Kyushu Island, killing five and injuring 60.

• 1994

  South Africa holds its first multiracial elections.