On Aug. 19, 1812, the USS Constitution defeated the HMS Guerriere during the War of 1812, earning the nickname “Old Ironsides.”

In 1848, the New York Herald reported the discovery of gold in California.In 1909, the first automobile races were run at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway; the winner of the first event was Louis Schwitzer, who drove a car twice around the track at an average speed of 57.4 mph.

In 1934, a plebiscite in Germany approved the vesting of sole executive power in Adolf Hitler.

In 1955, torrential rains caused by Hurricane Diane resulted in severe flooding in the northeastern U.S.

In 2020, Kamala Harris accepted the Democratic nomination for vice president in a speech to the party’ virtual convention, cementing her place as the first Black woman on a major party ticket.