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1859

Members of the Melbourne Football Club codify the first rules of Australian rules football

Members of the Melbourne Football Club codify the first rules of Australian rules football.

1937

A Soviet station, North Pole-1, becomes the first scientific research settlement to operate on the drift ice of the Arct

A Soviet station, North Pole-1, becomes the first scientific research settlement to operate on the drift ice of the Arctic Ocean.

1934

Oskaloosa, Iowa, becomes the first municipality in the United States to fingerprint all of its citizens

Oskaloosa, Iowa, becomes the first municipality in the United States to fingerprint all of its citizens.

1932

Bad weather forces Amelia Earhart to land in a pasture in Derry, Northern Ireland, and she thereby becomes the first wom

Bad weather forces Amelia Earhart to land in a pasture in Derry, Northern Ireland, and she thereby becomes the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.

1927

Charles Lindbergh touches down at Le Bourget Field in Paris, completing the world's first solo nonstop flight across the

Charles Lindbergh touches down at Le Bourget Field in Paris, completing the world's first solo nonstop flight across the Atlantic Ocean.

1871

Opening of the first rack railway in Europe, the Rigi Bahnen on Mount Rigi

Opening of the first rack railway in Europe, the Rigi Bahnen on Mount Rigi.

2017

United States President Donald Trump visits the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and becomes the first sitting

United States President Donald Trump visits the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and becomes the first sitting U.S. president to visit the Western Wall.

2015

The Republic of Ireland becomes the first nation in the world to utilise a public referendum to legalise gay marriage

The Republic of Ireland becomes the first nation in the world to utilise a public referendum to legalise gay marriage.

2012

SpaceX COTS Demo Flight 2 launches a Dragon capsule on a Falcon 9 rocket in the first commercial flight to the Internati

SpaceX COTS Demo Flight 2 launches a Dragon capsule on a Falcon 9 rocket in the first commercial flight to the International Space Station.

2010

Inter Milan beat Bayern Munich 2–0 in the UEFA Champions League final in Madrid, Spain to become the first, and so far o

Inter Milan beat Bayern Munich 2–0 in the UEFA Champions League final in Madrid, Spain to become the first, and so far only, Italian team to win the historic treble (Serie A, Coppa Italia, Champions L�

1987

First ever Rugby World Cup kicks off with New Zealand playing Italy at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand

First ever Rugby World Cup kicks off with New Zealand playing Italy at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand.

1826

HMS Beagle departs on its first voyage

HMS Beagle departs on its first voyage.

1819

SS Savannah leaves port at Savannah, Georgia, United States, on a voyage to become the first steamship to cross the Atla

SS Savannah leaves port at Savannah, Georgia, United States, on a voyage to become the first steamship to cross the Atlantic Ocean.

1455

Start of the Wars of the Roses: At the First Battle of St Albans, Richard, Duke of York, defeats and captures King Henry

Start of the Wars of the Roses: At the First Battle of St Albans, Richard, Duke of York, defeats and captures King Henry VI of England.

1897

The first Blackwall Tunnel under the River Thames was opened to improve commerce and trade in the East End of London

The first Blackwall Tunnel under the River Thames was opened to improve commerce and trade in the East End of London.

1826

HMS Beagle (pictured) departed on her first voyage from Plymouth for a hydrographic survey of the Patagonia and Tierra d

HMS Beagle (pictured) departed on her first voyage from Plymouth for a hydrographic survey of the Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego regions of South America.

1995

The first version of the Java programming language is released

The first version of the Java programming language is released.

1907

The unicameral Parliament of Finland gathers for its first plenary session

The unicameral Parliament of Finland gathers for its first plenary session.

1950

Martin McGuinness, Irish republican and Sinn Féin politician, Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland (died 2017)

Martin McGuinness, Irish republican and Sinn Féin politician, Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland (died 2017)

1524

Ismail I, First Emperor of Safavid Empire (born 1487)

Ismail I, First Emperor of Safavid Empire (born 1487)