On This Day — 3 November

2020

The 2020 United States presidential election takes place between Democratic Joe Biden and Republican incumbent President Donald Trump. On November 7, Biden was declared the winner.

2020 United States presidential election

2014

One World Trade Center officially opens in New York City, replacing the Twin Towers after they were destroyed during the September 11 attacks.

One World Trade Center

1997

The United States imposes economic sanctions against Sudan in response to its human rights abuses of its own citizens and its material and political assistance to Islamic extremist groups across the Middle East and East Africa.

Economic sanctions

1996

Abdullah Çatlı, the leader of the Turkish ultranationalist organization Grey Wolves, dies in the Susurluk car crash, leading to the resignation of Interior Minister Mehmet Ağar (a leader of the True Path Party).

Abdullah Çatlı

1994

Space Shuttle program: Atlantis launches on STS-66.

Space Shuttle program

1992

Democratic Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton defeats Republican President George H. W. Bush and Independent candidate Ross Perot in the 1992 United States presidential election.

Arkansas

1988

Sri Lankan Tamil mercenaries attempt to overthrow the Maldivian government. At President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom's request, the Indian military suppresses the rebellion within 24 hours.

Sri Lanka

1986

Iran–Contra affair: The Lebanese magazine Ash-Shiraa reports that the United States has been secretly selling weapons to Iran in order to secure the release of seven American hostages held by pro-Iranian groups in Lebanon.

Iran–Contra affair

1986

The Compact of Free Association becomes law, granting the Federated States of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands independence from the United States.

Compact of Free Association

1982

The Salang Tunnel fire in Afghanistan kills 150–2000 people.

1982 Salang Tunnel fire

1980

A Latin Carga Convair CV-880 crashes at Simón Bolívar International Airport in Venezuela, killing four.

Latin Carga

1979

Greensboro massacre: Five members of the Communist Workers Party are shot dead and seven are wounded by a group of Klansmen and neo-Nazis during a "Death to the Klan" rally in Greensboro, North Carolina, United States.

Greensboro massacre

1978

Dominica gains its independence from the United Kingdom.

Dominica

1976

Carrie, an American supernatural horror film directed by Brian De Palma, is premiered in 17 theaters in the Washington, D.C.-Baltimore area.

Carrie (1976 film)

1975

Four Bangladeshi politicians are killed in the Dhaka Central Jail.

Jail Killing Day

1973

Mariner program: NASA launches the Mariner 10 toward Mercury. On March 29, 1974, it becomes the first space probe to reach that planet.

Mariner program

1969

Vietnam War: U.S. President Richard M. Nixon addresses the nation on television and radio, asking the "silent majority" to join him in solidarity on the Vietnam War effort and to support his policies.

Richard Nixon

1967

Vietnam War: The Battle of Dak To begins.

Vietnam War

1964

Lyndon B. Johnson is elected to a full term as U.S. president, winning 61% of the vote and 44 states, while Washington D.C. residents are able to vote in a presidential election for the first time, casting the majority of their votes for Lyndon Johnson.

Lyndon B. Johnson

1961

U Thant is unanimously appointed as the 3rd Secretary-General of the United Nations, becoming the first non-European individual to occupy the post.

U Thant

1960

The land that would become the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge is established by an Act of Congress after a year-long legal battle that pitted local residents against Port Authority of New York and New Jersey officials wishing to turn the Great Swamp into a major regional airport for jet aircraft.

Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge

1957

Sputnik program: The Soviet Union launches Sputnik 2. On board is the first animal to enter orbit, a dog named Laika.

List of spacecraft called Sputnik

1956

Suez Crisis: The Khan Yunis killings by the Israel Defense Forces in Egyptian-controlled Gaza result in the deaths of 275 Palestinians.

Suez Crisis

1956

Hungarian Revolution: A new Hungarian government is formed, in which many members of banned non-Communist parties participate. János Kádár and Ferenc Münnich form a counter-government in Moscow as Soviet troops prepare for the final assault.

Hungarian Revolution of 1956

1950

Air India Flight 245 crashes into Mont Blanc while on approach to Geneva Airport, killing all 48 people on board.

Air India Flight 245

1949

Chinese Civil War: The Battle of Dengbu Island occurs.

Battle of Dengbu Island

1946

The Constitution of Japan is adopted through Emperor's assent.

Constitution of Japan

1944

World War II: Two supreme commanders of the Slovak National Uprising, Generals Ján Golian and Rudolf Viest, are captured, tortured and later executed by German forces.

Slovak National Uprising

1943

World War II: Five hundred aircraft of the U.S. 8th Air Force devastate Wilhelmshaven harbor in Germany.

Bombing of Wilhelmshaven in World War II

1942

World War II: The Koli Point action begins during the Guadalcanal campaign and ends on November 12.

World War II

1936

Franklin D. Roosevelt is reelected as President of the United States.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

1935

George II of Greece regains his throne through a popular, though possibly fixed, plebiscite.

George II of Greece

1932

Panagis Tsaldaris becomes the 142nd Prime Minister of Greece.

Panagis Tsaldaris

1930

Getúlio Vargas becomes Head of the Provisional Government in Brazil after a bloodless coup on October 24.

Getúlio Vargas

1929

The Gwangju Student Independence Movement occurred.

Gwangju Student Independence Movement

1920

Russian Civil War: The Russian Army retreats to Crimea, after a successful offensive by the Red Army and Revolutionary Insurgent Army of Ukraine.

Russian Civil War

1918

The German Revolution of 1918–19 begins when 40,000 sailors take over the port in Kiel.

German revolution of 1918–1919

1911

Chevrolet officially enters the automobile market in competition with the Ford Model T.

Chevrolet

1908

William Howard Taft is elected the 27th President of the United States.

William Howard Taft

1903

With the encouragement of the United States, Panama separates from Colombia.

Panama

1898

France withdraws its troops from Fashoda (now in Sudan), ending the Fashoda Incident.

Kodok

1881

The Mapuche uprising of 1881 begins in Chile.

Mapuche uprising of 1881

1868

John Willis Menard (R-LA) becomes the first African American elected to the United States Congress. Because of an electoral challenge, he is never seated.

John Willis Menard

1867

Giuseppe Garibaldi and his followers are defeated in the Battle of Mentana and fail to end the Pope's Temporal power in Rome (it would be achieved three years later).

Giuseppe Garibaldi

1848

A greatly revised Dutch constitution, which transfers much authority from the king to his parliament and ministers, is proclaimed.

Constitution of the Netherlands

1838

The Times of India, the world's largest circulated English language daily broadsheet newspaper is founded as The Bombay Times and Journal of Commerce.

The Times of India

1817

The Bank of Montreal, Canada's oldest chartered bank, opens in Montreal.

Bank of Montreal

1812

Napoleon's armies are defeated at the Battle of Vyazma.

Napoleon

1793

French playwright, journalist and feminist Olympe de Gouges is guillotined.

Feminism

1791

The University of Vermont, the oldest university in Vermont, and fifth-oldest in New England, is chartered.

University of Vermont

1783

The American Continental Army is disbanded.

Continental Army

1534

English Parliament passes the first Act of Supremacy, making King Henry VIII head of the Anglican Church, supplanting the pope and the Roman Catholic Church.

Acts of Supremacy

1493

Christopher Columbus first sights the island of Dominica in the Caribbean Sea.

Christopher Columbus

1492

Peace of Etaples between Henry VII of England and Charles VIII of France.

Peace of Étaples

1468

Liège is sacked by Charles I of Burgundy's troops.

Liège

1333

The River Arno floods causing massive damage in Florence as recorded by the Florentine chronicler Giovanni Villani.

Arno

1090

The Rouen Riot, an attempt by English king William Rufus to take possession of Rouen, the capital city of his brother Robert, duke of Normandy, fails.

Rouen Riot

361

Emperor Constantius II dies of a fever at Mopsuestia in Cilicia; on his deathbed he is baptised and declares his cousin Julian rightful successor.

Constantius II