Today is Thursday, April 21, the 113th day of 2016. There are 253 days left in the year.
1572 — France & England sign anti-Spanish military covenant
1654 — England & Sweden sign trade agreement
1689 — William III & Mary Stuart proclaimed king & queen of England
1739 — Spain & Naples-Austria sign peace accord
1785 — Russian tsarina Catharina II ends noble privileges
1818 — Franz Grillparzer’s "Sappho" premieres in Vienna
1828 — Noah Webster publishes first American dictionary
1836 — Texas wins independence from Mexico
1857 — Alexander Douglas patents the bustle
1862 — Congress establishes U.S. Mint in Denver CO
1865 — Abraham Lincoln’s funeral train leaves Washington
1878 — New York installs first firehouse pole