August 19: This Day in History

Featured Fact, 1812:
During the War of 1812, the U.S. warship "Constitution" defeats the British warship "Guerriere." According to tradition, the U.S. sailors, seeing British cannonballs bounce off their ship's hull, dubbed her "Old Ironsides." Several subsequent victories added luster to the reputation of the "Constitution," which is now permanently berthed in Boston Harbor.

Also Today:
1692: Five women are executed for practicing witchcraft in Salem, MA.
1909: The Indianapolis 500 race track opens.
1955: Hurricane Diane, the first hurricane to do an estimated billion dollars in damage, kills 200 when it passes through the Northeast.
1976: The Republican Party, meeting in Kansas City, nominates President Gerald Ford for another term and Bob Dole as his running mate.
1984: The Republican Party, meeting in Houston, nominates Ronald Reagan for president and George Bush for vice president.
1995: Five days after becoming the first female student at the Citadel, Shannon Faulkner succumbs to antifemale pressure and withdraws.

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