On this day in 1813, the character “Uncle Sam” was first used as a symbolic reference to the United States, in an editorial in the Troy Post of New York.
On this day in 1822, Brazil proclaimed its independence from Portugal, with Pedro I appointed as its first emperor in December of that year.
On this day in 1901, the Qing court signed the Treaty of Peking with 11 foreign countries, ending the Boxer Uprising. Under the humiliating treaty, China was disarmed and forced to pay large indemnities.
On this day in 1910, Polish chemist Marie Curie announced she had isolated pure radium.
And on this day in 1940, hundreds of German bombers began the year-long “blitz” bombing campaign, raiding London in waves that continued well into the night, killing more than 300 people.