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Explore the historical events that shaped our world on August 8th. 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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Emperor Trajan, one of Rome's greatest emperors dies on August 8 or 9, 117 AD, in Selinus, Cilicia, (modern-day Turkey) and his adopted heir, Hadrian, was officially proclaimed emperor by the Senate shortly after, with formal announcements happening in late August.
The Edict of Saint-Germain is signed on August 8, 1570, granting French Protestants (Huguenots) limited religious freedoms, ending France's Third War of Religion but ultimately failing to prevent further conflict, collapsing in 1572 with the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre, which saw thousands of Huguenots killed, reigniting the Wars of Religion.
Brigham Young is chosen to lead the Mormon Church. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,(LDS) More
Soviet Russia declared war on Japan and sent troops into Japanese-held Manchuria.
Richard M Nixon announces in a national television address delivered from the Oval Office on the evening of August 8, 1974, that he he will resign the presidency the following day, August 9, 1974, due to the Watergate scandal.
The following morning, August 9, Nixon submitted a signed letter of resignation to Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, becoming the only U.S. President ever to resign. Gerald Ford became president on August 9, 1974, after Richard Nixon resigned from office and taking the oath of office in the East Room of the White House. becoming the 38th U.S. President. More
The term "Global Warming" is used for the first time in a science publication. The article by geochemist Wallace Broecker of Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory: "Climatic Change: Are We on the Brink of a Pronounced Global Warming?" More
By Bruce Gilbert - , CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/...
The opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics takes place, marking the first time China hosts the Olympic Games.
