Historical events on April 20
APRIL 20, 1968
Pierre Trudeau was sworn in as prime minister of Canada, succeeding Lester B. Pearson.
Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau was a Canadian politician, statesman, and lawyer who served as the 15th prime minister of Canada
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APRIL 20, 2010
An explosion on Deepwater Horizon, an offshore rig in the Gulf of Mexico, resulted in the largest marine oil spill in history.
On April 20, 2010, an explosion and fire occurred on the Deepwater Horizon semi-submersible mobile offshore drilling unit, which was owned and
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APRIL 20, 1818
Four days after the Court of King's Bench upheld an English murder suspect's right to a trial by battle in Ashford v Thornton, the plaintiff declined to fight, allowing the defendant to go free.
The Court of King's Bench, formally known as The Court of the King Before the King Himself, was a court of common
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APRIL 20, 1914
A fire and a gun battle between the Colorado National Guard and striking coal miners led to 17 deaths in the Ludlow Massacre.
The Colorado National Guard consists of the Colorado Army National Guard and Colorado Air National Guard, forming the state of Colorado's component
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APRIL 20, 1968
Enoch Powell (pictured), a British Conservative member of Parliament, made a controversial speech in opposition to immigration and anti-discrimination legislation, resulting in his removal from the shadow cabinet.
John Enoch Powell was a British politician, scholar and writer. He served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Wolverhampton South West
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APRIL 20, 2008
American racing driver Danica Patrick won the Indy Japan 300, becoming the first woman to win an IndyCar auto race.
Danica Sue Patrick is an American former professional racing driver and model. She is the most successful woman in the history of
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APRIL 20, 1828
French explorer René Caillié reached Timbuktu in present-day Mali, and later received a 9,000-franc prize from the Société de Géographie for being the first European to return with a description of the city.
Auguste René Caillié was a French explorer and the first European to return alive from the town of Timbuktu. Caillié had been
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APRIL 20, 1939
Billie Holiday recorded the song "Strange Fruit", which later became an emblem of the civil rights movement.
Billie Holiday was an American jazz and swing music singer. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner, Lester Young, Holiday
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APRIL 20, 1535
Sun dogs were observed over Stockholm, Sweden, inspiring Vädersolstavlan (pictured), the oldest coloured depiction of the city.
A sun dog or mock sun, also called a parhelion in atmospheric science, is an atmospheric optical phenomenon that consists of a
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APRIL 20, 1939
Adolf Hitler's 50th birthday was celebrated as a national holiday in Nazi Germany.
Adolf Hitler's 50th birthday was celebrated as a national holiday throughout Nazi Germany on 20 April 1939. Minister of Propaganda Joseph Goebbels
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APRIL 20, 1657
Anglo-Spanish War: The English navy sank much of a Spanish treasure fleet at the Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife off the Canary Islands, but was unable to capture the treasure.
The Anglo-Spanish War was a conflict between the English Protectorate and Spain between 1654 and 1660. It was driven by the economic
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APRIL 20, 1537
Bacatá, the main settlement of the Muisca Confederation in present-day Colombia, was conquered by Spanish conquistadors led by Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada.
Bacatá is the name given to the main settlement of the Muisca Confederation on the Bogotá savanna. It mostly refers to an
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APRIL 20, 2008
Fernando Lugo became the first candidate not from the Colorado Party candidate to be elected President of Paraguay in 61 years.
Fernando Armindo Lugo Méndez is a Paraguayan politician and laicized Catholic bishop who was President of Paraguay from 2008 to 2012. Previously,
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APRIL 20, 1942
World War II: German and Italian forces began a large-scale counter-insurgency operation in occupied Yugoslavia.
World War II or the Second World War was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers. Nearly all
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APRIL 20, 2004
An incomplete tunnel leading to the Nicoll Highway MRT station in Singapore collapsed, resulting in four deaths and the station's relocation.
Nicoll Highway MRT station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station on the Circle Line (CCL) in Singapore. Located in the
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APRIL 20, 1809
War of the Fifth Coalition: Commanded by Napoleon, Franco-German forces defeated a reinforced Austrian corps at the Battle of Abensberg.
The War of the Fifth Coalition was a European conflict in 1809 that was part of the Napoleonic Wars and the Coalition
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