Browse Historical Events by Day: What Happened on September 14th?

According to Christian tradition, Jesus Christ is crucified in Jerusalem, marking a significant event in the life and teachings of Jesus.

The Lewis and Clark Expedition, exploring the western portion of the United States, reaches the Pacific Ocean.

Napoleon and his Grande Armée enter the city of Moscow to find the city almost deserted and lacking the supplies they hoped to find for the French army. After waiting a few weeks for a surrender that never came and the threat of the approaching Russian winter, Napoleon orders the French army to leave Moscow.

The poem "The Star-Spangled Banner" is written by Francis Scott Key during the bombardment of Fort McHenry, later becoming the national anthem of the United States. More

During the Mexican-American War, General Winfield Scott captures Mexico City after a successful attack on the port city of Veracruz and a series of victories. More

The Soviet spacecraft Luna 2 reaches the moon and crashes on its surface, making it the first spacecraft to contact another solar system body. More

The massacre of Sabra and Shatila takes place in Beirut, Lebanon, where Lebanese Christian militia, under the supervision of Israeli forces, kill hundreds to thousands of Palestinian refugees.

United Farm Workers Vice President Dolores Huerta, 58 years old, is beaten in front of the St. Francis Hotel in Union Square where then-candidate for president George H. W. Bush was holding a fund-raiser, by San Francisco Police, during a peaceful and lawful protest of the policies/platform of candidate Bush. The baton-beating caused significant internal injuries to her torso, resulting in broken ribs and the loss of her spleen in emergency surgery. The beating was caught on videotape and broadcasted on television news. Later, Huerta won a large judgment against the SFPD and the City of San Francisco for the attack, the proceeds of which she used for the benefit of farm workers. As a result of this assault and the suit, the SFPD was pressured to change its crowd control policies and its process of officer discipline. Huerta received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama on May 29, 2012. More

Protests erupt in various countries in response to an anti-Islamic video.

A terrorist attack occurs at the Westgate shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya.

Ahmed Mohamed a Muslim teenager takes a reassembled home made clock to his Irving, on the outskirts of Dallas, Texas school. Ahmed, a model student, showed the clock to his science teacher but later another teacher saw it and reported it to the School Administration and the police was called. Mohamed was taken to a juvenile detention facility for fingerprinting and photographing, under suspicion of bringing a hoax bomb by the police officers, handcuffed and accused of making a "fake bomb", He was later released and the charges were dropped but he was suspended from school for three days. Two days later, President Obama twitted “Cool clock, Ahmed, Want to bring it to the White House? We should inspire more kids like you to like science. It’s what makes America great.” Ahmed took him up on the invitation and visited the White House. After the visit his family announced that Ahmed had received and accepted, an scholarship from the Qatar Qatar Foundation for Education, to study in the Middle East. More