1781–Los Angeles is founded as El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora La Reina de Los Angeles de Porciuncula (the City of Our Lady, the Queen of the Angels of Porciuncula) by a group of 44 Spanish settlers.
1800– The French garrison of Valletta surrenders to British troops who had been called at the invitation of the Maltese. The islands of Malta and Gozo become the Malta protectorate.
1882–Thomas Edison flips the switch on the first–ever commercial electrical power plant, which lights up a square mile of Lower Manhattan.
1886–Indian Wars: After almost 30 years of fighting, Apache leader Geronimo surrenders with his last band of warriors to General Nelson Miles at Skeleton Canyon in Arizona.
1940–World War II: The USS Greer becomes the first United States ship fired upon by a German submarine in the war, even though the United States is a neutral power. Tension heightens between the two nations as a result.
1972–The Price Is Right, hosted by Bob Barker, returns to television with a new format on CBS. Over three decades later, it continues to air and give away prizes galore.