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1054
Pope Leo IX died.
1529
At the Diet of Spires (Speyer) in Germany, Lutheran leaders signed a document to "protest" the lack of freedom of conscience and the rights of minorities. After this German Lutheran Reformers would be known as "Protestants."
1560
Protestant Reformer Philipp Melanchthon died.
1882
Charles Darwin died at Down House.
1914
American philosopher Charles Sanders Peirce died.
1941
Senator Robert F. Wagner, Sr. introduced a resolution in the U.S. Senate declaring that U.S. policy should favor the "restoration of the Jews in Palestine." The resolution received support from 68 other senators.
1958
Crown Prince Faisal of Saudi Arabia announces that his nation would not join either the United Arab Republic or the Arab Federation.
1978
Decided: McDaniel v. Paty
The Supreme Court found that Tennessee's statute forbidding clergy from holding public office improperly forced citizens to choose between exercising two of their fundamental rights.
1988
Decided: Lyng v. Northwest Indian CPA
By a 5-3 vote the Supreme Court allowed a road to be built through sacred Indian lands. The Court acknowledged that the road would in fact be devastating to their religious practice, but simply found this to be regrettable.
1993
A new ATF assault on the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas, lead to a fire which killed 72-86 people, including Davidian leader David Koresh.
1999
Decided: Granzeier v. Middleton
According to the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, government offices can close for Good Friday and Easter so long as they have a legitimate secular purpose, for example a desire to accommodate the travel plans of employees.
1999
Religion in Public Schools: House Bill 1773 was passed by the Florida House Judiciary Committee to allow school districts to impose a brief opening or closing message, or both at all non-compulsory activities. Carole shields, president of People for the American Way commented: "There is nothing neutral about this bill. Students of minority faiths should not, and under our Constitution cannot, be forced to choose between missing a school activity or being held captive to the denominational prayers of a majority. This is an offensive and disturbing attack on the First Amendment."
2000
Vermont approves the creation of same-sex unions, thus entitling gay couples to rights and benefits normally available to married couples.
2005
Josef Ratzinger is elected pope and adopts the name Pope Benedict XVI, evidently in honor of St. Benedict, founder of western monasticism, and Pope Benedict XV, leader of the Catholic church during World War I.
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