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What Happened Today in History on August 27

Explore the historical events that shaped our world on August 27th. From major milestones to cultural achievements, see what happened on this day in history. Dates for earlier events may be approximate.

Pope Innocent III calls for a new crusade to reclaim Jerusalem. The Fourth Crusade plan was to invade the Holy Land through Egypt, as it was the center of Ayyubid power.

The Battle of Bouvines, the concluding battle of the Anglo-French War of 1213–1214 took place on near the town of Bouvines in the County of Flanders. The French army commanded by King Philip Augustus routed a larger allied army led by Holy Roman Emperor Otto IV in one of the rare pitched battles of the High Middle Ages and one of the most decisive medieval engagements.

The Battle of Long Island, also known as the Battle of Brooklyn, takes place, resulting in a decisive British victory. as General William Howe, defeats the Continental Army, led by General George Washington, forcing them to retreat from Brooklyn and later from Manhattan. It was the first major battle fought after the Declaration of Independence.

Edwin Drake becomes the first American to strike oil while drilling in Titusville, Pennsylvania, finding the first productive oil well in the United States. Drake's well had been nicknamed "Drake's Folly" because of the methods he devised to overcome the difficulties he encountered. In the end, at 69.5 feet (21 m), Drake was successful. 

The Heinkel He 178, a turbojet designed by German engineer Ernst Heinrich Heinkel and piloted by Erich Warsitz makes its first flight. It was the world's first aircraft to fly using a turbojet engine. 

Moldova, officially the Republic of Moldova, declares its independence from the Soviet Union. Moldova s a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, with an area of 33,843 km2 (13,067 sq mi) and a population of 2.38 million.