November 18 is the 322nd day of the year (323rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 43 days remaining until the end of the year. [edit] Events - 326 – Old St. Peter's Basilica is consecrated.
- 1210 – Pope Innocent III excommunicates Holy Roman Emperor Otto IV
- 1302 – Pope Boniface VIII issues the Papal bull Unam sanctam (One Faith).
- 1421 – A seawall at the Zuiderzee dike in the Netherlands breaks, flooding 72 villages and killing about 10,000 people.
- 1477 – William Caxton produces Dictes or Sayengis of the Philosophres, the first book printed on a printing press in England.
- 1493 – Christopher Columbus first sights the island now known as Puerto Rico.
- 1626 – St. Peter's Basilica is consecrated.
- 1686 – Charles Francois Felix operates on King Louis XIV of France's anal fistula after practicing the surgery on several peasants.
- 1730 – Frederick II (Frederick the Great), King of Prussia, is granted a royal pardon and released from confinement.
- 1803 – The Battle of Vertières, the last major battle of the Haitian Revolution, is fought, leading to the establishment of the Republic of Haiti, the first black republic in the Western Hemisphere.
- 1809 – In a naval action during the Napoleonic Wars, French frigates defeat British East Indiamen near Mauritius.
- 1863 – King Christian IX of Denmark decides to sign the November constitution that declares Schleswig to be part of Denmark. This is seen by the German Confederation as a violation of the London Protocol and leads to the German–Danish war of 1864.
- 1865 – Mark Twain's story The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County is published in the New York Saturday Press.
- 1883 – American and Canadian railroads institute five standard continental time zones, ending the confusion of thousands of local times.
- 1903 – The Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty is signed by the United States and Panama, giving the United States exclusive rights over the Panama Canal Zone.
- 1904 – General Esteban Huertas steps down after the government of Panama fears he wants to stage a coup.
- 1905 – Prince Carl of Denmark becomes King Haakon VII of Norway.
- 1909 – Two United States warships are sent to Nicaragua after 500 revolutionaries (including two Americans) are executed by order of José Santos Zelaya.
- 1916 – World War I: First Battle of the Somme ends – In France, British Expeditionary Force commander Douglas Haig calls off the battle which started on July 1, 1916.
- 1918 – Latvia declares its independence from Russia.
- 1926 – George Bernard Shaw refuses to accept the money for his Nobel Prize, saying, "I can forgive Alfred Nobel for inventing dynamite, but only a fiend in human form could have invented the Nobel Prize."
- 1928 – Release of the animated short Steamboat Willie, the first fully synchronized sound cartoon, directed by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks, featuring the third appearances of cartoon characters Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse. This is also considered by the Disney corporation to be Mickey's birthday.
- 1929 – 1929 Grand Banks earthquake: Off the south coast of Newfoundland in the Atlantic Ocean, a Richter magnitude 7.2 submarine earthquake, centered on Grand Banks, breaks 12 submarine transatlantic telegraph cables and triggers a tsunami that destroys many south coast communities in the Burin Peninsula.
- 1930 – Sōka Kyōiku Gakkai, a Buddhist association later renamed Soka Gakkai, is founded by Japanese educators Tsunesaburo Makiguchi and Josei Toda.
- 1938 – Trade union members elect John L. Lewis as the first president of the Congress of Industrial Organizations.
- 1940 – World War II: German leader Adolf Hitler and Italian Foreign Minister Galeazzo Ciano meet to discuss Benito Mussolini's disastrous invasion of Greece.
- 1940 – New York City's Mad Bomber places his first bomb at a Manhattan office building used by Consolidated Edison.
- 1943 – World War II: Battle of Berlin: 440 Royal Air Force planes bomb Berlin causing only light damage and killing 131. The RAF loses nine aircraft and 53 air crew.
- 1947 – The Ballantyne's Department Store fire in Christchurch, New Zealand, kills 41 (New Zealand's worst ever fire).
- 1963 – The first push-button telephone goes into service.
- 1970 – U.S. President Richard Nixon asks the U.S. Congress for $155 million USD in supplemental aid for the Cambodian government.
- 1978 – Jonestown incident: In Guyana, Jim Jones led his Peoples Temple cult to a mass murder-suicide that claimed 918 lives in all, 909 of them in Jonestown itself, including over 270 children. Congressman Leo J. Ryan was murdered by members of the Peoples Temple hours earlier.
- 1982 – Duk Koo Kim dies unexpectedly from injuries sustained during a 14-round match against Ray Mancini in Las Vegas, Nevada, prompting reforms in the sport of boxing.
- 1987 – Iran-Contra Affair: The U.S. Congress issues its final report on the Iran-Contra Affair.
- 1987 – King's Cross fire: In London, 31 people die in a fire at the city's busiest underground station at King's Cross St Pancras.
- 1988 – War on Drugs: U.S. President Ronald Reagan signs a bill into law allowing the death penalty for drug traffickers.
- 1991 – Shiite Muslim kidnappers in Lebanon release Anglican Church envoys Terry Waite and Thomas Sutherland.
- 1991 – After the siege of Vukovar, the Croatian city of Vukovar capitulates to the besieging Yugoslav People's Army and allied Serb paramilitary forces.
- 1993 – In the United States, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is ratified by the House of Representatives.
- 1993 – In South Africa, 21 political parties approve a new constitution.
- 1999 – In College Station, Texas, 12 are killed and 27 injured at Texas A&M University when the 59 foot tall Aggie Bonfire, under construction for the annual football game against the University of Texas, collapses at 2:42am.
- 2002 – Iraq disarmament crisis: United Nations weapons inspectors led by Hans Blix arrive in Iraq.
- 2003 – In the United Kingdom, the Local Government Act 2003, repealing controversial anti-gay amendment Section 28, becomes effective.
- 2003 – In a 50-page, 4–3 decision, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court rules that the state may not "deny the protections, benefits and obligations conferred by civil marriage to two individuals of the same sex who wish to marry."
[edit] Births - 1522 – Lamoral, Count of Egmont, Flemish general and statesman (d. 1568)
- 1630 – Eleanor Gonzaga, Empress of the Holy Roman Empire (d. 1686)
- 1647 – Pierre Bayle, French philosopher (d. 1706)
- 1727 – Philibert Commerçon, French naturalist (d. 1773)
- 1756 – Thomas Burgess, English author, philosopher, Bishop of Saint David's and Bishop of Salisbury (d. 1837)
- 1772 – Louis Ferdinand of Prussia, German prince (d. 1806)
- 1774 – Wilhelmine of Prussia, queen of the Netherlands (d. 1837)
- 1785 – David Wilkie, British artist (d. 1841)
- 1787 – Louis-Jacques Daguerre, French inventor and photographer (d. 1851)
- 1804 – Alfonso Ferrero la Marmora, Italian general and statesman (d. 1878)
- 1810 – Asa Gray, American botanist (d. 1888)
- 1832 – Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld, Finnish Swedish explorer (d. 1901)
- 1836 – Sir William S. Gilbert, British dramatist (d. 1911)
- 1839 – August Kundt, German physicist (d. 1894)
- 1856 – Nicholas Nikolaevich, Grand Duke of Russia (d. 1929)
- 1861 – Dorothy Dix, pseudonym of US journalist Elizabeth Meriwether Gilmer (d. 1951)
- 1874 – Clarence Day, American author (d. 1935)
- 1882 – Amelita Galli-Curci, Italian soprano (d. 1963)
- 1882 – Jacques Maritain, French philosopher (d. 1973)
- 1883 – Carl Vinson, U.S. Congressman (d. 1981)
- 1897 – Patrick Blackett, British physicist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1974)
- 1898 – Joris Ivens, Dutch filmmaker (d. 1989)
- 1899 – Eugene Ormandy, Hungarian-born conductor (d. 1985)
- 1901 – George Gallup, American statistician and opinion pollster (d. 1984)
- 1901 – V. Shantaram, Indian film producer, director, writer & actor (d. 1984)
- 1904 – Jean Paul Lemieux, Quebec painter (d. 1990)
- 1906 – Klaus Mann, German writer (d. 1949)
- 1906 – George Wald, American scientist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (d. 1997)
- 1906 – Alec Issigonis, Greek-British car designer (d. 1988)
- 1907 – Compay Segundo, Cuban musician (Buena Vista Social Club) (d. 2003)
- 1907 – Gustav Nezval, Czech actor (d. 1998)
- 1908 – Imogene Coca, American actress and comedian (d. 2001)
- 1909 – Johnny Mercer, American lyricist (d. 1976)
- 1911 – Attilio Bertolucci, Italian poet and writer (d. 2000)
- 1913 – Endre Rozsda, French surrealist painter (d. 1999)
- 1915 – Ken Burkhart, American baseball player and umpire (d. 2004)
- 1917 – Pedro Infante, Mexican actor and singer (d. 1957)
- 1918 – Tasker Watkins, Welsh World War II hero (d. 2007)
- 1919 – Jocelyn Brando, American actress (d. 2005)
- 1920 – Mustafa Khalil, Prime Minister of Egypt (d. 2008)
- 1922 – Luis Somoza Debayle, Nicaraguan president (d. 1967)
- 1923 – Alan Shepard, American astronaut (d. 1998)
- 1923 – Ted Stevens, American politician
- 1924 – Alexander Mackenzie Stuart, Scottish jurist (d. 2000)
- 1925 – Gene Mauch, American baseball manager (d. 2005)
- 1927 – Hank Ballard, American musician (d. 2003)
- 1928 – Otar Gordeli, Georgian composer
- 1928 – Salvador Laurel, Filipino politician (d. 2004)
- 1932 – Nasif Estéfano, Argentine racing driver (d. 1973)
- 1934 – Vassilis Vassilikos, Greek writer and ambassador
- 1935 – Rudolf Bahro, German dissident (d. 1997)
- 1935 – Rodney Hall, Australian author
- 1936 – Don Cherry, American jazz trumpeter (d. 1995)
- 1936 – Ennio Cardinal Antonelli, Italian cardinal and President of the Pontifical Council for the Family
- 1939 – Margaret Atwood, Canadian writer
- 1939 – Brenda Vaccaro, American actress
- 1940 – Qaboos ibn Sa’id, Sultan of Oman
- 1941 – David Hemmings, British actor (d. 2003)
- 1942 – Linda Evans, American actress
- 1942 – Susan Sullivan, American actress
- 1943 – Leonardo Cardinal Sandri, Argentine Cardinal, Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches
- 1944 – Wolfgang Joop, German artist and fashion designer
- 1945 – Wilma Mankiller, first female Chief of the Cherokee Nation
- 1946 – Alan Dean Foster, American author
- 1947 – Jameson Parker, American actor
- 1948 – Andrea Marcovicci, American singer and actress
- 1948 – Jack Tatum, American football player
- 1949 – Ahmad Zaki, Egyptian Actor
- 1950 – Dennis Haskins, American actor
- 1950 – Graham Parker, English singer
- 1950 – Rudy Sarzo, Cuban bass guitarist (Quiet Riot)
- 1950 – Eric Pierpoint, American actor
- 1951 – Justin Raimondo, American author
- 1952 – Delroy Lindo, British actor
- 1952 – Peter Beattie, Australian politician
- 1953 – Alan Moore, British comic book writer and novelist
- 1953 – Kevin Nealon, American comedian and actor
- 1954 – John Parr, British pop singer
- 1954 – Evan Gray, New Zealand cricketer
- 1955 – Carter Burwell, American composer
- 1956 – Noel Brotherston, Northern Irish footballer (d. 1995)
- 1956 – Warren Moon, American football player
- 1957 – Seán Mac Falls, Irish-born poet
- 1958 – Daniel Brailovsky, Argentine football manager
- 1958 – Plamen Krastev, Bulgarian hurdler
- 1958 – Oscar Nunez, Cuban American actor
- 1959 – Jimmy Quinn, Northern Irish footballer and football manager
- 1960 – Kim Wilde, British singer
- 1960 – Elizabeth Perkins, American actress
- 1962 – Kirk Hammett, American guitarist (Metallica)
- 1962 – Jamie Moyer, American baseball player
- 1963 – Dante Bichette, American baseball player
- 1963 – Peter Schmeichel, Danish footballer
- 1963 – Len Bias, American basketball player (d. 1986)
- 1964 – Rita Cosby, American journalist
- 1966 – Jorge Camacho, Spanish poet
- 1967 – Jocelyn Lemieux, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1968 – Barry Hunter, Northern Irish footballer and manager
- 1968 – Romany Malco, American actor and music producer
- 1968 – Gary Sheffield, American baseball player
- 1968 – Owen Wilson, American actor
- 1969 – Sam Cassell, American basketball player
- 1969 – Duncan Sheik, American singer
- 1969 – Ahmed Helmi, Egyptian actor
- 1970 – Elizabeth Anne Allen, American actress
- 1970 – Mike Epps, American actor
- 1970 – Megyn Kelly, American television news anchor
- 1970 – Johan Liiva, Sweden vocalist (Arch Enemy)
- 1970 – Peta Wilson, Australian actress
- 1972 – Jessi Alexander, American country music singer/songwriter
- 1973 – Nic Pothas, South African/English wicket-keeper
- 1974 – Chloë Sevigny, American actress
- 1975 – David Ortiz, Dominican baseball player
- 1975 – Jason Williams, American basketball player
- 1975 – Anthony McPartlin, British actor, television presenter and musician
- 1975 – Pastor Troy, American rapper
- 1975 – Shawn Camp, American baseball player
- 1976 – Shagrath, Norwegian singer (Dimmu Borgir)
- 1976 – Mona Zaki, Egyptian Actress
- 1977 – Charles A. Lee, American Athlete
- 1977 – Trent Barrett, Australian rugby league footballer
- 1977 – Fabolous, American rapper
- 1978 – Damien Johnson, Northern Irish footballer
- 1980 – Junichi Okada, Japanese singer (V6)
- 1980 – Denny Hamlin, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver
- 1980 – Dustin Kensrue, American Singer/Songwriter (Thrice)
- 1980 – François Duval, Belgian rally driver
- 1980 – Luke Chadwick, English footballer
- 1980 – Minori Chihara, Japanese voice actress/singer
- 1981 – Christina Vidal, American actress
- 1981 – Gian Magdangal, Filipino singer and actor
- 1981 – Shin Ji, Korean singer
- 1983 – Travis Buck, American baseball player
- 1983 – Jon Johansen, Norwegian software developer
- 1984 – Ryohei Chiba, Japanese singer (w-inds.)
- 1984 – Johnny Christ, American musician (Avenged Sevenfold)
- 1984 – Nayantara, Indian actress
- 1985 – Christian Siriano, American fashion designer
- 1986 – Nic Sampson, New Zealand actor
- 1988 – Montanna Thompson, English actress
- 1991 – Noppawan Lertcheewakarn, Thai tennis player
- 1992 – Nathan Kress, American actor
[edit] Deaths - 1154 – Adélaide de Maurienne, wife of Louis VI of France (b. 1092)
- 1305 – John II, Duke of Brittany (b. 1239)
- 1559 – Cuthbert Tunstall, English churchman (b. 1474)
- 1590 – George Talbot, 6th Earl of Shrewsbury, English statesman (b. 1528)
- 1724 – Bartolomeu de Gusmão, Portuguese naturalist (b. 1685)
- 1785 – Louis Philip I, Duke of Orléans, French soldier and writer (b. 1725)
- 1797 – Jacques-Alexandre Laffon de Ladebat, French shipbuilder and merchant (b. 1719)
- 1814 – William Jessop, British civil engineer (b. 1745)
- 1852 – Rose Philippine Duchesne Catholic nun and French saint (b. 1769)
- 1886 – Chester A. Arthur, 21st President of the United States (b. 1829)
- 1889 – William Allingham, Irish author
- 1922 – Marcel Proust, French novelist (b. 1871)
- 1941 – Walther Nernst, German chemist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1864)
- 1941 – Chris Watson, third Prime Minister of Australia (b. 1867)
- 1941 – Émile Nelligan, Quebec poet (b. 1879)
- 1952 – Paul Eluard, French poet (b. 1895)
- 1962 – Niels Bohr, Danish physicist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1885)
- 1965 – Henry A. Wallace, Vice President of the United States (b. 1888)
- 1969 – Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr., American politician (b. 1888)
- 1969 – Ted Heath, British musician and bandleader (b. 1902)
- 1972 – Danny Whitten, American musician and songwriter (b. 1943)
- 1976 – Man Ray, American artist (b. 1890)
- 1977 – Kurt Schuschnigg, Austrian politician (b. 1897)
- 1977 – Victor Francen, Belgian actor (b. 1888)
- 1978 – Jim Jones, American cult leader (suicide) (b. 1931)
- 1978 – Leo Ryan, U.S. Congressman (b. 1925)
- 1979 – Freddie Fitzsimmons, baseball player (b. 1901)
- 1980 – Conn Smythe, NHL coach 1927-1931 (b. 1895)
- 1982 – Duk Koo Kim, Korean boxer (b. 1959)
- 1984 – Mary Hamman, American writer and editor (b. 1907)
- 1986 – Gia Carangi, American model (AIDS) (b. 1960)
- 1987 – Jacques Anquetil, French cyclist (cancer) (b. 1934)
- 1991 – Gustáv Husák, President of Czechoslovakia (b. 1913)
- 1994 – Cab Calloway, American bandleader (b. 1907)
- 1994 – Peter Ledger, Australian artist (b. 1945)
- 1999 – Paul Bowles, American novelist (b. 1910)
- 1999 – Doug Sahm, American musician (b. 1941)
- 2002 – James Coburn, American actor (b. 1928)
- 2003 – Michael Kamen, American composer (b. 1948)
- 2004 – Cy Coleman, American composer, songwriter and pianist (b. 1929)
- 2005 – Harold J. Stone, American actor (b. 1911)
- 2009 – Red Robbins, American basketball player (b. 1944)
[edit] Holidays and observances [edit] External links
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