On April 23, 1908, President Theodore Roosevelt created the U.S. Army Reserve.
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On April 23, 1969, Sirhan Sirhan was sentenced to death for the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy. Review a 1998 statement by Sirhan attorney Larry Teeter claiming Sirhan did not commit the crime. Sirhan was most recently denied parole in March 2023.
On April 22, 1946, US Supreme Court Chief Justice Harlan Fiske Stone died at the age of 73. Learn more about the life and career of Chief Justice Stone from Oyez.
On April 22, 1930, the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, France, and Japan signed the Treaty for the Limitation and Reduction of Naval Armament (London Naval Treaty), which limited the production of warships and limited submarine warfare. Leading up to World War II, Japan and Italy withdrew from the treaty, leaving only the US, [...]
On April 21, 1649, the Maryland Assembly passed the Maryland Toleration Act, providing for freedom of worship for all Christians. The key section of the act read: And whereas the inforceing of the conscience in matters of Religion hath frequently fallen out to be of dangerous Consequence in those commonwealthes where it hath been practised, [...]
On April 21, 1509, King Henry VII died, leaving his son, Henry VIII, King of England. Henry VIII eventually seceded his nation from the Roman Catholic Church, becoming the first major European nation to do so. Henry then made himself head of the Church of England and dissolved Catholic monasteries throughout the country. Learn more [...]
On April 20, 1946, the League of Nations was officially dissolved with the close of its final session. Thirty-four countries had attended the final meeting at which they elected to dismantle the organization and bequeath its assets to the United Nations. Read a history of League of Nations from the UN.
On April 20, 1971, the US Supreme Court ruled unanimously in Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education that busing of school students could be ordered to achieve racial desegregation.
On April 19, 1967, John, Paul, George and Ringo – aka “The Beatles” – signed a partnership deed agreeing that the group would continue for a (further) period of ten years. When The Beatles split up prematurely in 1970, Paul applied to have the partnership terminated and a receiver appointed. Read a legal analysis of [...]
On April 19, 1971, Charles Manson was sentenced to death for ordering the murders of Sharon Tate and others. The sentence was then commuted to life after the Supreme Court of California overturned the death penalty in 1972. Learn more about the trial of Charles Manson from the University of Missouri – Kansas City School [...]
