WEDNESDAY, Sept. 2, 2026
Summary
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 2, 2026 lists major events in history, from the Battle of Actium in 31 B.C. to V-J Day in 1945. It also notes the Treaty of Jaffa in 1192, the Great Fire of London in 1666, and the September Massacres in 1792. Later entries include the capture of Atlanta in 1864, the signing of ERISA in 1974, and a 2018 jail escape near Tripoli in Libya.
Key Facts
- The Battle of Actium in 31 B.C. saw Octavian's naval forces defeat those of Mark Antony and Cleopatra off the western coast of Greece.
- The Treaty of Jaffa was signed in 1192 by Sultan Saladin and King Richard the Lionheart, ending the Third Crusade.
- President Gerald Ford signed the Employee Retirement Income Security Act in 1974, setting minimum standards for pension plans.
31 B.C.-Battle of Actium: Octavian's (later Augustus) naval forces defeat those under Mark Antony and Cleopatra off the western coast of Greece; naval battle leading to the end of the Roman Republic
1192-Sultan Saladin and King Richard the Lionheart of England sign the Treaty of Jaffa ending the Third Crusade in a compromise neither is happy with. Treaty leaves Jerusalem under Islamic control with Christian pilgrimage rights and restores the Kingdom of Jerusalem.
1666-Great Fire of London begins at 2am in Pudding Lane, 80 percent of London is destroyed
1792-September Massacres of the French Revolution: In Paris rampaging mobs slaughter three Roman Catholic bishops, more than two hundred priests, and prisoners believed to be royalist sympathizers.
1864-U.S. Civil War: Union General William T. Sherman captures and occupies Atlanta, Georgia, ending the Atlanta Campaign in the US Civil War
1945-V-J Day, formal surrender of Japan signed aboard the USS Missouri, marks the end of World War II
1974-U.S. President Gerald Ford signs Employee Retirement Income Security Act - sets minimum standards for pension plans
2018-About 400 prisoners escape a jail near Tripoli in Libya during militia fighting
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