On September 8, 1974, President Gerald Ford, in a televised address to the American people, pardoned ex-President Richard Nixon for any offenses committed in association with the Watergate break-in. Read the full text of Ford’s address.

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On September 7, 1901, the Boxer Protocol was signed between the Qing Dynasty of China on one side and eight Western Powers and Japan on the other. The treaty ended the Boxer Rebellion in China. Among other clauses, it levied an indemnity on China and allowed foreign troops to be stationed in Peking.

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On September 6, 1620, the Pilgrims left Plymouth, England. They set sail on the Mayflower for North America, where they would found the Plymouth Colony in modern-day Massachusetts.While in transit, the Pilgrims promulgated the Mayflower Compact, which would serve as their colony’s first governing document.

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On September 6, 1961, the Non-Aligned Movement concluded its first official conference in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. The organization was founded in 1955 to support mostly developing countries who did not wish to side with either of the great Cold War powers. It also worked to shepherd these nations through the process of decolonization. Learn more about [...]

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On September 5, 1798, France promulgated a conscription policy with the passage of the Jourdan Law. The law instituted a draft for all males between the ages of twenty and twenty-five with exceptions for clergy, holders of public office, and certain students and industrial workers. The law also allowed the wealthy to pay for someone [...]

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On September 5, 1774, the first assembly of the Continental Congress, forerunner of the US Congress, convened in Philadelphia to protest the so-called “Intolerable Acts” passed by the British Parliament. Review the Declaration and Resolves of the First Continental Congress.

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