What Happened Today in History on August 18

Genghis Khan, (actually named Borjigin Temujin), the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, dies in Mongolia some time in late August. 1227. At the time of his death, the Mongol Empire was 2.5 times larger by territory than the Roman Empire.  Expand +

The United States Exploring Expedition under the command of US Navy Lieutenant Charles Wilkes departs from from Hampton Roads for the Pacific Ocean and Antarctica. It was a significant scientific and exploratory voyage that took place from 1838 to 1842.  Expand +

The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, granting women the right to vote is ratified as Tennessee, by a vote of 50 to 49, becomes the 36th State to do so. The deciding vote came from Harry T. Burn, a 24 year old, who supported suffrage but but was under political pressure to vote no. In his pocket was a letter from his mother, Febb Burn, urging him to vote for the amendment. The amendment was formally adopted into the Constitution by proclamation of Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby on August 26, 1920. More

Federico García Lorca, widely considered one of the most important Spanish poet and playwright of the 20th century, was murdered by Nationalist forces at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War. His remains have never been found and the motive remains unknown, although a personal dispute is believed to be the more likely reason. 

The Woodstock three day outdoor music festival celebrates its final night. The audience was estimated at more than 450,000 and it was the largest and most memorable of dozens of outdoor music festivals that took place between 1967 and 1969. Expand +