MONDAY, March 30, 2026

240 BC-First recorded perihelion passage of Halley's Comet

1856-The Russian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, Great Britain, France and the Kingdom of Sardinia sign the Treaty of Paris ending the Crimean War

1867-The United States buys Alaska from Russia for $7,200,000 (109 million in 2018 dollars), roughly 2 cents an acre

1870-The 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is adopted, guaranteeing the right to vote regardless of race

19590-Dalai Lama flees China and is granted political asylum in India

1972-Northern Ireland's government and parliament are dissolved by the British government, and direct rule from Westminster is introduced

2023-Key figures in Artificial Intelligence including Elon Musk and Steve Wozniak sign an open letter warning the race to develop AI systems is out of control and asking for a suspension of at least six months