Merriam-Webster dictionary defines history as a branch of knowledge that records and explains past events. It’s a chronological record of significant events often including an explanation of their causes. The earliest known use of the word history was in the 14th century.

Today In HistoryThis website utilizes entries from Wikipedia to extract historical events from 3761 BC up to the present. There are currently 105,060 records in our database. The present day Gregorian calendar was adopted to show dates of interest.

Let us begin with what happened today in history. You may also enter a specific day using the form on the right sidebar. It is optional to input the year. If you do give a complete date with month, day and year then only events that happened on that specific date will be shown.

About November 21

November 21, 2024 is the 326th day of the year 2024 in the Gregorian calendar. There are 40 days remaining until the end of this year. The day of the week is Thursday.

You can browse the full year calendar in case you need it.

Scorpio is the sun sign of a person born on this day. Topaz is the modern birthstone for this month. Pearl is the mystical birthstone from Tibetan origin that dates back over a thousand years.

According to the lunisolar Chinese calendar, there are 69 days remaining before the start of the next Chinese New Year.

What Happened On November 21

  • 1789
    North Carolina ratifies the United States Constitution and is admitted as the 12th U.S. state.
  • 1861
    American Civil War: Confederate President Jefferson Davis appoints Judah Benjamin secretary of war.
  • 1959
    American disc jockey Alan Freed, who had popularized the term “rock and roll” and music of that style, is fired from WABC-AM radio for refusing to deny allegations that he had participated in the payola scandal.
  • 1962
    The Chinese People’s Liberation Army declares a unilateral cease-fire in the Sino-Indian War.
  • 1964
    Second Vatican Council: The third session of the Roman Catholic Church’s ecumenical council closes.
  • 1964
    The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge opens to traffic (at the time it is the world’s longest suspension bridge).
  • 1967
    Vietnam War: American General William Westmoreland tells news reporters: “I am absolutely certain that whereas in 1965 the enemy was winning, today he is certainly losing.”
  • 1970
    Vietnam War: Operation Ivory Coast – A joint Air Force and Army team raids the Son Tay prison camp in an attempt to free American prisoners of war thought to be held there.
  • 2004
    The island of Dominica is hit by the most destructive earthquake in its history. The northern half of the island receives the most damage, especially the town of Portsmouth. It is also felt in neighboring Guadeloupe, where one person is killed.
  • 2006
    Anti-Syrian Lebanese Minister and MP Pierre Gemayel is assassinated in suburban Beirut.

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