Browse Historical Events by Day: What Happened on September 3rd?

The Battle of Ain Jalut takes place between the Mongol Empire and the Mamluk Sultanate of Egypt, resulting in a significant Mongol defeat.

Henry Hudson’s party aboard the ship Half Moon on a trip to discover a water passage to the east funded by the Dutch East India Company. arrives at what would be called the Hudson River, stopped to trade with the local natives, and proceeded as far as present-day Albany. This voyage established a Dutch claim to the region and Hudson’s report sparked interest in Holland by detailing opportunities for agriculture and fur trading in the valley that would bear his name. More

The Battle of Dunbar takes place during the English Civil War, resulting in a decisive victory for the English Parliamentarians over the Scottish Covenanters. More

The Treaty of Paris is signed, officially ending the American Revolutionary War and recognizing the United States as an independent nation. More

France and the United Kingdom declare war on Germany.

The Battle of Stalingrad begins as German forces launch an offensive against the city, marking a turning point in World War II as the Soviet Union successfully defends and ultimately defeats the German army.

Italy secretly signs an armistice with the Allies, effectively surrendering in World War II and leading to the collapse of Fascist rule in Italy. No public announcement was made until five days later. Tthe Italian Instrument of Surrender was signed by Major-General Walter Bedell Smith for the Allies and Brigade-General Giuseppe Castellano for Italy, the armistice's signing took place at a summit in an Allied military camp at Cassibile, Sicily. More

Montgomery’s 8th Army crosses the Strait of Messina from Sicily and lands at Calabria, beginning the invasion of the Italian mainland.

Qatar declares independence, after negotiations with neighboring sheikhdoms (present day United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) and Bahrain). The earlier Protectory agreement with Britain was replaced with a treaty of friendship.

Viking 2 lands on Mars at Utopia Planitia Mars after a nearly year long journey and begins relaying information about the planet's atmosphere and soil as well as color photographs of the rocky surface. Like its predecessor, the Viking 2 mission consisted of a lander and an orbiter designed to take high-resolution images and study the Martian surface and atmosphere. The Viking Orbiter 2 functioned until July 25, 1978. The last data from Viking Lander 2 arrived at Earth on April 11, 1980. More