Today is Thursday, April 19, the 110th day of 2012. There are 256 days left in the year.

1539 ― Charles, protestant German monarch, signs Treaty of Frankfurt

1770 ― Captain James Cook first sees Australia

1897 ― First Boston Marathon won by John McDermott of New York in 2:55:10

1910 ― Halley's comet seen by naked eye first time this trip (Curacao)

1919 ― French assembly decides on 8-hour workday

1933 ― FDR announces U.S. will leave the gold standard

1941 ― Bertolt Brecht's ``Mutter Courage und Ihre Kinder," premieres in Zurich

1948 ― Chiang Kai-shek elected President of Nationalist China

1951 ― General Douglas MacArthur ends his military career

1967 ― Beatles sign a contract to stay together for 10 years (they don't)