1793 — George Washington lays the cornerstone of the United States Capitol, marking a symbolic start to the federal city’s permanent seat of government.
1810 — Chile’s First Government Junta convenes in Santiago, launching the independence process from Spain (celebrated today as Chile’s Independence Day).
1851 — The first issue of the “New-York Daily Times” is published; it will later become The New York Times.
1870 — The Washburn–Langford–Doane expedition records and popularizes Old Faithful geyser in present-day Yellowstone, helping spur U.S. conservation and park creation.
1931 — The Mukden Incident occurs in Manchuria, providing Japan a pretext to invade and occupy the region and reshaping East Asian geopolitics.
1947 — The U.S. National Security Act takes effect, creating the Department of Defense, the Central Intelligence Agency, the National Security Council, and the United States Air Force.
1977 — Voyager 1 captures the first single frame showing the Earth and Moon together, a perspective-setting image in the early age of planetary exploration.
1981 — France’s National Assembly votes to abolish the death penalty, a landmark in European human rights legislation.
1988 — A military coup in Burma (Myanmar) installs the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), ending the 8888 Uprising and ushering in years of military rule.
2014 — Scotland’s independence referendum records a historic turnout; voters choose to remain in the United Kingdom, shaping subsequent constitutional debates across Britain.
Famous Birthdays
Trajan (Roman emperor, 53–117) — Expansionist ruler under whom the Roman Empire reached its greatest territorial extent.
Samuel Johnson (English writer and lexicographer, 1709–1784) — Author of “A Dictionary of the English Language.”
Léon Foucault (French physicist, 1819–1868) — Demonstrated Earth’s rotation with the Foucault Pendulum.
Greta Garbo (Swedish-American actress, 1905–1990) — Iconic star of classic cinema.
Jack Warden (American actor, 1920–2006) — Character actor known for film and television.
Frankie Avalon (American singer and actor, b. 1940) — Teen idol of the late 1950s and early 1960s.
James Gandolfini (American actor, 1961–2013) — Emmy-winning star of “The Sopranos.”
Aisha Tyler (American actress and host, b. 1970) — Performer and director across TV and gaming culture.
Jada Pinkett Smith (American actress and producer, b. 1971) — Film and television performer and entrepreneur.
Jason Sudeikis (American actor and comedian, b. 1975) — Emmy-winning star and co-creator of “Ted Lasso.”
Ronaldo Nazário (Brazilian footballer, b. 1976) — Two-time World Cup winner and Ballon d’Or recipient.
Notable Deaths
Domitian (Roman emperor) — Died 96; born 51.
Louis VII of France (king of France) — Died 1180; born 1120.
Leonhard Euler (Swiss mathematician) — Died 1783; born 1707.
Dag Hammarskjöld (UN Secretary-General) — Died 1961; born 1905.
Sean O’Casey (Irish playwright) — Died 1964; born 1880.
Jimi Hendrix (American guitarist and songwriter) — Died 1970; born 1942.
Katherine Anne Porter (American author) — Died 1980; born 1890.
Santiago Carrillo (Spanish politician) — Died 2012; born 1915.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg (U.S. Supreme Court Justice) — Died 2020; born 1933.
Jean-Jacques Sempé (French cartoonist, “Le Petit Nicolas”) — Died 2022; born 1932.
Holidays
Chile — Independence Day (Fiestas Patrias).
International Equal Pay Day — Global observance promoting pay equity (UN-recognized date).
World Bamboo Day — International observance promoting bamboo’s sustainability.
United States — U.S. Air Force Birthday (established 1947).
United States — National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day.
Fun Facts
The U.S. Air Force marks its official birthday on September 18, tied to the National Security Act taking effect in 1947.
The New York Times began life as the “New-York Daily Times” on this date in 1851.
Old Faithful’s fame traces to a September 18 expedition account; while “faithful,” its intervals vary and have lengthened slightly over time.
Voyager 1’s Earth-and-Moon portrait (1977) helped popularize the idea of Earth as a small, shared home in space.
Chile’s Fiestas Patrias typically span multiple days of parades, cueca dancing, and asados, making it one of Latin America’s liveliest national celebrations.