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On This Day in History: August 31

Explore the historical events that shaped our world on August 31st. From major milestones to cultural achievements, see what happened on this day in history. Dates for earlier events may be approximate.

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1422 CE, August 31

King Henry V of England dies, and his infant son Henry VI, who was just nine months old, becomes the king, resulting in the minority rule and political instability in England. Shortly after, his maternal grandfather, Charles VI of France, also died, and Henry VI also became the titular King of France.

As he was too young to rule, his uncle, Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, was appointed Regent of England, while another uncle, John, Duke of Bedford, became the Regent of France to govern the ongoing war efforts. Henry VI was crowned King of England in 1429 and King of France in 1431. More

1850 CE, August 31

King Kamehameha III officially declares Honolulu the capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii although it had become the de facto capital in 1845. Before that, Lahaina had served as the capital. The official declaration reflected Honolulu's growing importance as a port of trade.

1886 CE, August 31

A strong 7.0 Magnitude earthquake strikes Charleston, South Carolina, causing at least 60 deaths and $5–6 million ($200 million in 2025) in damage to over 2,000 buildings in the Southeastern United States. It was one of the most powerful and damaging earthquakes to hit the East Coast of the United States, an unusual event in an area not known for seismic activity that was felt as far as Boston, Chicago Milwaukee and New Orleans.

1916 CE, August 31

Harry Butters Jr, an American serving in the British army as a second Lieutenant during World War I, is killed by a German shell during the Battle of the Somme in France, becoming the first American citizen to die during World War I.

Butters, born in San Francisco, California and the son of a prominent San Francisco industrialist, was raised partially in England and schooled there at Beaumont College, a Jesuit academy in Old Windsor. Within months of his death, the United States entered World War I, and thousands more Americans followed Harry Butters to the battlefields of France.

1957 CE, August 31

Malaya, officially, The Federation of Malaya, declares its independence from British rule. The declaration was proclaimed by Tunku Abdul Rahman, the first Prime Minister of the Federation of Malaya at Kuala Lumpur.

Note: The term "Malaya" now refers to Peninsular Malaysia, the larger country of Malaysia, which was formed in 1963 by uniting Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore (Singapore later became a separate country).

1962 CE, August 31

Trinidad and Tobago, officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, gains its independence from Great Britain. At midnight on 30th August, 1962, the British flag was lowered and the Trinidad and Tobago flag was raised for the first time. Trinidad and Tobago is a dual-island Caribbean nation near Venezuela. Its capital city is Port of Spain.

Trinidad and Tobago is a dual-island Caribbean nation near Venezuela. Its capital city is Port of Spain. Trinidad and Tobago is located 6 nautical miles northeast off the coast of Venezuela, 70 nautical miles south of Grenada, and 155 nautical miles southwest of Barbados. As of 1924, Its population as reported to be over 1.5M.

1980 CE, August 31

The Solidarity movement in Poland is officially recognized by the government after a wave of strikes and protests, marking a significant step in the fight for workers' rights and democracy, leading to its participation in negotiations that eventually ended Communist rule in Poland in 1989. More

Image Source European Solidarity Centre, CC BY-SA 3.0 PL , via Wikimedia Commons

commons.wikimedia.org

1991 CE, August 31

Kyrgyzstan declares independence from the Soviet Union and a democratic government is established as the Republic of Kyrgyzstan and it gained full independence In 1992. Kyrgyzstan joined the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). On 5 May 1993, following the adoption of a new constitution, the official name changed from the Republic of Kyrgyzstan to the Kyrgyz Republic. Its 2025 population is estimated to be 7.3 million.