HISTORY TODAY: October 31

1517

Martin Luther nails his 95 Theses to the door of the church at Wittenberg in Germany. Luther’s theories and writings inaugurate Protestantism, shattering the external structure of the medieval church and at the same time reviving the religious consciousness of Europe.

1517		Martin Luther nails his 95 Theses to the door of the church at Wittenberg in Germany. Luther’s theories and writings inaugurate Protestantism, shattering the external structure of the medieval church and at the same time reviving the religious consciousness of Europe.
1803		Congress ratifies the purchase of the entire Louisiana area in North America, adding territory to the U.S. which will eventually become 13 more states.
1941		After 14 years of work, the Mount Rushmore National Memorial is completed.
1952		The United States explodes the first hydrogen bomb at Enewetok Atoll in the Pacific.
1968		The bombing of North Vietnam is halted by the United States.
1971		Saigon begins the release of 1,938 Hanoi POWs.
1984		Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi is assassinated in New Delhi by two Sikh members of her bodyguard.
1998		Iraq announces it will no longer cooperate with United Nations weapons inspectors.
1999		EgyptAir Flight 990 crashes into the Atlantic Ocean killing all 217 people on board.
2000		Soyuz TM-31 launches, carrying the first resident crew to the International Space Station.
2002		Former Enron Corp. CEO Andrew Fastow is convicted on 78 counts of conspiracy, money laundering, obstruction of justice and wire fraud; the Enron collapse cost investors millions and led to new oversight legislation.
Born on October 31
1795		John Keats, poet.
1802		Benoit Fourneyron, inventor of the water turbine.
1860		Juliette Low, founder of the Girl Scouts.
1887		Chiang Kai-shek, Chinese Nationalist.
1896		Ethel Waters, actress and blues singer.
1902		Carlos Drummond de Andrade, Brazilian poet, journalist and short story writer.
1917		William H. McNeil, historian (The Rise of the West).
1925		Charles Moore, influential post-modern architect.
1930		Michael Collins, U.S. astronaut.
1931		Dan Rather, journalist; anchor of CBS Evening News (1981–2005).
1936		Michael Landon, actor (Bonanza, Little House on the Prairie TV series).
1937		Tom Paxton, folk singer, songwriter, musician; received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (2009).
1942		David Ogden Stiers, actor; best known for his role as stuffy Maj. Charles Emerson Winchester III on the M*A*S*H TV series (1977–1983).
1950		Jane Pauley, journalist; co-host of The Today Show (1976–1989) and Dateline NBC (1992–2003).
1950		Antonio Taguba, retired US Army major general best known for authoring the Taguba Report on the abuse of detainees at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq; Taguba is the second American citizen of Philippine birth to reach the rank of general in the US Army.
1961		Sir Peter Jackson, New Zealand film director, producer, screenwriter (Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit)
1961		Larry Mullen Jr., musician; drummer for the band U2.
2005		Infanta Leonor of Spain, second in the line of succession to the Spanish throne.

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