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Mount Vesuvius erupted, causing a massive ash cloud that blotted out the sun. Later, a tsunami of gas, ash, rock and soot came rolling down the volcano, burying the city and killing everyone left in it.
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The thirteen colonies of America declare their independence from Britain. The American Revolution has started.
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The United States wanted to buy New Orleans, which was owned by France. However, France was in dept and didn't want to fight another war (they were already dealing with two). So France sold the whole Louisiana Territory to the United States for $15,000,000.
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Lewis and Clark were hired by President Jefferson to explore the Louisiana Territory. They took a crew of men and explored from the Mississippi River, up the Missouri River, and to the Pacific Ocean. They made it back to St. Lewis on September 23, 1806.
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At one time, the Texas area was part of Mexico. Mexico let Americans come and settle in the Texas to help the Mexican economy. But soon, too many Americans came that they and their slaves greatly outnumbered the Mexicans in the region, so Mexico made them start paying taxes and the American could no longer keep their slaves (Mexico had outlawed slavery). As a result, Texas seceded from Mexico and for a short time was it's own little nation.
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The Donner Party was heading through the Sierra Mountains on their way west. But on the way, the Party's wagon broke and they were stuck on the mountain pass. The snow started early that year, making it impossible for the Donner Party to leave. After eating all their food and cattle, people started to starve. Each time someone would die, the rest of the group would eat their body.
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After gold was found in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and in California, people from all over the world flocked to get their share. Everyone started mining, claiming plots of land, and fighting over the gold. Few, however, got as rich as they had hoped. The most wealth was brought in by the shops and towns that popped up as people moved into an area. Shop owners made a lot of money by selling supplies and food to the miners and their families.
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The Japanese bombed naval base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. This caused the U.S. to join in WWII against the Axis powers (Germany, Italy, Japan).
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The world famous electronics company, Apple, is founded. Today, the company is the leading seller of cell phones in America.
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On this day, terrorist hijacked four passenger planes. Two of theses planes were flown into the World Trade Center (a.k.a. the Twin Towers), and a third hit the Pentagon. The fourth plane was said to have been going to Washington D.C., but passengers took control on the plane and it crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. The Twin Towers later fell.
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"Into the Wild", the first book of the Warriors series by Erin Hunter, is published. This is my favorite book series.
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This is the day I was born.
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Hurricane Harvey was a large and destructive storm that hit Texas and affected many of it's cities, including Houston. Millions of people were displaced and multiple gas and oil plants were damaged. Volunteers from all over the U.S. came to the aid of the hurricane's victims.
