1812 – A massive earthquake struck Caracas, Venezuela, killing an estimated 26,000 people.
1885 – The first commercial moving-picture film was produced in Rochester, NY, by the Eastman Kodak company.
1920 – F. Scott Fitzgerald published his first novel, This Side of Paradise.
1951 – The U.S. Air Force approved its new flag, which included the coat of arms, 13 white stars and the Air Force seal on a blue background.
1953 – Dr. Jonas Salk announced a new vaccine against poliomyelitis, the virus that causes polio.
1979 – Egyptian President Anwar el-Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin sign a peace treaty at the White House, ending 3 decades of hostilities between their countries and establishing formal diplomatic and commercial ties.
Chief Writing Wolf 