On This Day in History
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Learn what happened on this day in history. Browse historical events, famous birthdays and notable deaths for any date, all sourced from Wikipedia.
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What Happened On This Day in History
Find out what happened on this day in history through today's featured event, latest article, famous birthday, notable death, holidays and observances, your birthday in history, and this month in history. Each card opens the complete history page.
How did 20 Cherokee slaves try to reach Mexico in 1842?
On November 15, 1842, 20 enslaved Africans escaped Cherokee owners in Indian Territory, aiming for Mexico where slavery had been abolished in 1829.
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Deborah S. Jin
Deborah Shiu-lan Jin (Chinese: 金秀兰; pinyin: Jīn Xiùlán; November 15, 1968 – September 15, 2016) was an American physicist and fellow with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST); Professor Adjunct, Department of Physics at the University of…
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Luis Bacalov
Luis Enríquez Bacalov (30 August 1933 – 15 November 2017) was an Argentine (naturalized Italian) film composer and musical director.
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Holidays and Observances Today
National and international holidays on November 15, including Day of the Imprisoned Writer.
See Today's HolidaysWhat Happened on Your Birthday?
Enter your birth date to see the events, famous birthdays and holidays of your birthday.
Find Your BirthdayNovember in History
Major events, famous birthdays and holidays of November, day by day.
See November in HistoryDaily History Challenge
Put Today's Events in Order
Four events that happened on this day, in four different years. Tap them from the oldest to the newest, you have three tries, then share your result. A new puzzle every day.
Play Today's ChallengeHolidays and Observances Today
International days, national holidays and religious feast days that fall on today's date. Each card opens the holiday in the full holidays calendar. See all 25 holidays today.
Day of the Imprisoned Writer (International observance)
International day to support persecuted writers
Read moreAmerica Recycles Day (United States)
National environmental observance
Read moreDay of the German-speaking Community of Belgium (German-speaking Community of Belgium)
The Day of the German-speaking Community is a holiday in Belgium celebrated on 15 November each year. It is a public holiday for the German-speaking…
Read moreIndependence Day, unilaterally declared in 1988. (Palestine)
1988 statement that formally established the State of Palestine
Read moreNational Tree Planting Day (Sri Lanka)
Secular holiday celebrating trees
Read moreRepublic Proclamation Day (Brazil)
In Brazil, public holidays may be legislated at the federal, statewide and municipal levels. Most holidays are observed nationwide.
Read moreThe beginning of Nativity Fast (Eastern Orthodox)
Period of abstinence and penance in Christianity
Read moreBlessed Caius of Korea
Recognition by the Catholic Church of a holy person
Read moreFrancis Asbury and George Whitefield (Episcopal Church)
Methodist minister and bishop in America (1745–1816)
Read moreLeopold III, a public holiday in Lower Austria and Vienna
Margrave of Austria from 1095 to 1136
Read moreBlessed Lucy Brocadelli
Recognition by the Catholic Church of a holy person
Read moreMechell
Saint Mechell was the 6th century founder and first abbot of the clas of Llanfechell, on Anglesey in north-west Wales. St Mechell's day is celebrated on 15…
Read moreNovember 15 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Day in the Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar
Read moreWhat Happened This Month
November in History
See what happened in November in history, from the battles, treaties and discoveries that shaped the world to the famous November birthdays and holidays, with a page for every day of the month.
See November in HistoryOn This Day in History Articles
A new history article is published every day covering one significant event from the past. Each post explores the causes, key figures, immediate impact, and the legacy that still resonates in the world today.
How did 20 Cherokee slaves try to reach Mexico in 1842?
On November 15, 1842, 20 enslaved Africans escaped Cherokee owners in Indian Territory, aiming for Mexico where slavery had been abolished in 1829.
Read MoreHow did Gottfried Kirch first spot the Great Comet of 1680?
German astronomer Gottfried Kirch discovers the Great Comet of 1680 in Coburg, marking the first comet found by telescope.
Read MoreIsraeli military launches cross-border assault on Samu
Israel launched Operation Shredder, a large cross-border assault on the West Bank village of Samu, following a mine attack that killed three soldiers.
Read MoreSaudia Flight 763 and Kazakhstan Airlines Flight 1907 collide over Charkhi Dadri
Saudia Flight 763 and Kazakhstan Airlines Flight 1907 collided over Charkhi Dadri, killing all 349 people on board in the deadliest mid-air collision…
Read MoreHow did a faulty hydraulic pipe ignite the Kaprun fire?
A fire in a Kaprun funicular tunnel killed 155 skiers and snowboarders when atomized oil from a faulty hydraulic pipe ignited near a fan heater.
Read MoreHow did a Vickers Viscount vanish off Padang?
A Merpati Nusantara Airlines Vickers Viscount crashed into the Indian Ocean near Padang, West Sumatra, killing all 69 people on board.
Read MoreHow did the 1880 Zagreb quake reshape the Lower Town?
At 07:33 AM CET on November 9, 1880, a magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Zagreb, with its epicenter located in the Medvednica mountain north of the city.
Read MoreGovernment of India announces demonetisation of banknotes
India withdrew ₹500 and ₹1,000 notes, causing cash shortages and economic disruption while aiming to curb black money and terrorism funding.
Read MoreOur blog
Explore the Blog
A new history article every day covering one major event, with sourced facts and key figures behind it.
Visit the BlogHistory in 60 Seconds
Short videos covering one significant historical event each, told through archival imagery and narration. A new video goes up every day alongside the daily article.
Israeli military launches cross-border assault on Samu
Israel launched Operation Shredder, a large cross-border assault on the West Bank villa...
Watch
Saudia Flight 763 and Kazakhstan Airlines Flight 190...
Saudia Flight 763 and Kazakhstan Airlines Flight 1907 collided over Charkhi Dadri, kill...
Watch
How did a Vickers Viscount vanish off Padang?
A Merpati Nusantara Airlines Vickers Viscount crashed into the Indian Ocean near Padang...
Watch
How did the 1880 Zagreb quake reshape the Lower Town?
At 07:33 AM CET on November 9, 1880, a magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Zagreb, with its...
Watch
How did the Charter of the Forest restore forest rig...
The Charter of the Forest of 1217 protected grazing and woodland rights. Its clauses re...
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What happened during San Salvador's 1811 revolt?
Delgado, Arce and the 1811 San Salvador revolt, from the traditional bell story to loca...
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How did Lewis Hamilton win the F1 title by one point?
Lewis Hamilton passed Timo Glock to finish fifth at the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix, taki...
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Why did the 1948 Gozo luzzu crossing end in disaster?
An overloaded luzzu sank off Gozo on October 30, 1948, killing 23 people. The cancelled...
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Click any date on the calendar to browse historical events, famous birthdays, and notable deaths from that day. Move between months to explore thousands of years of recorded history.
November
On This Day, November 15
- 2025: Anti-government demonstrations are held across Mexico following the assassination of Carlos Manzo earlier that month.
- 2022: The world population reached eight billion.
- 2020: Lewis Hamilton wins the Turkish Grand Prix and secures his seventh drivers' title, equaling the all-time record held by Michael Schumacher.
- 2017: A flood a few miles outside of Athens results in the death of 25 people.
- 2017: Khabarovsk Airlines Flight 463 crashes on approach to Nelkan Airport, killing six people.
thisDay.info is a free historical events calendar where you can explore what happened on any date in history. It covers wars, discoveries, natural disasters, famous birthdays and deaths, and landmark moments in world history, all sourced from Wikipedia.
Every day a new article is published covering one significant historical event from that calendar date. Each article includes background context, key figures, a Did You Know section, a Quick Facts block, and an analysis of the lasting impact on the world. A short quiz at the end lets you test what you have learned.
All historical events, birthdays, and deaths are sourced from Wikipedia's On This Day archives. Wikipedia is one of the most thorough and regularly updated references for world history, covering events from ancient civilizations right through to the present day on every continent.
Yes. Use the calendar on this page to go to any date of the year. Clicking a date opens a page listing everything notable that happened on that day in history, from ancient times right through to recent decades.
History in 60 Seconds is a short video series published on YouTube Shorts. Each video tells the story of one historical event using archival imagery and narration. A new video goes up every day so you can keep up with this day in history wherever you are.
A new article and a new video are published every single day. The events calendar is always current with today's On This Day data from Wikipedia. Famous birthdays and notable deaths for the current date load every time you visit the site.
Yes, thisDay.info is completely free. There is no account, no subscription, and no paywall. Every article, video, event listing, and the full historical calendar are open to everyone and will stay that way.
Yes. Every date page includes a list of notable people born or who died on that day, with links to their Wikipedia biographies. You can also browse person pages on thisDay.info to read about the historical figures who appear in our daily articles.
thisDay.info covers all major topics in world history including wars and conflicts, political revolutions, scientific discoveries, space exploration, natural disasters, cultural milestones, and sporting achievements. Events range from ancient history through to the 21st century, covering every part of the world.
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