Browse Historical Events by Day: What Happened on October 19th?

Ferdinand of Aragon marries Isabella of Castile. The united kingdoms became the basis for the unification of Spain. In 1478, the Spanish Inquisition was introduced, a brutal force of control in Spanish society. In 1492, the reconquest of Granada from the Moors was completed, and the crown ordered all Spanish Jews to convert to Christianity or face expulsion from Spain. Also in 1492, the crown supported the explorations of Christopher Columbus, eventually resulting in Spain becoming a dominant world power. In 1496, the Spanish Muslims were also order to convert to Christianity or face expulsion from Spain. More

Italian explorer John Cabot lands in North America, possibly in Newfoundland.

The Siege of Yorktown concludes with the surrender of British General Cornwallis to American and French forces, effectively ending major combat in the American Revolutionary leading to the end of British rule in the colonies and the birth of a new nation — the United States of America. More

A mysterious editorial from a writer named Phocion appeared in the Gazette of the United States, a popular Federalist newspaper in Philadelphia. Phocion said, in terms understood by most readers, that presidential candidate Jefferson was having an affair with one of his female slaves. More

Napoleon begins his retreat from Moscow. It is estimated that of the 612,000 combatants who entered Russia only 112,000 returned to the frontier; 100,000 are thought to have been killed in action, 200,000 died from other causes, 50,000 were left sick in hospitals, 50,000 deserted, and 100,000 were been taken as prisoners of war. Russian casualties have been estimated at 200,000 killed. More

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) dropped 22.6 percent in a single trading session, a loss that remains the largest one-day stock market decline in history. Reaction of market distress sent global stock exchanges plummeting in a matter of hours. More