August 19: Facts & Historical Events On This Day

Russia’s Luna 25 lunar lander mission crash-landed on the Moon.

The mission was Roscosmos' (Russia's space agency) first attempt to send a spacecraft to the moon. The last Russian attempts occurred in the 70s under the Soviet space program.

Apple became the first US company to be valued at $2 trillion.

Apple was also the first to be valued at $1 trillion on August 2, 2018, meaning the company doubled in valuation in just over two years.

The first photos to reveal that the Aral Sea was shrinking were taken by NASA.

The Aral Sea is located between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. These particular photos became extremely valuable to scientists as they were the first to show that the eastern basin of the Aral Sea had completely dried up.

Russia and China began their first-ever joint military exercise.

Peace Mission 2005 consisted of land, sea, and air elements with 8,000 Chinese and 2,000 Russian troops. The exercise took place on the Shandong Peninsula in eastern China.

The Soviets shot down the plane of an American CIA agent, and the pilot was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Francis Gary Powers flew east of Moscow when his plane was shot down after being suspected of being an American spy. On February 10, 1962, Powers was freed in exchange for the return of Soviet spy Rudolph Abdel.

The musical “Yip! Yip! Yaphank!” by Irving Berlin premiered at the Century Theatre in New York City.

Adolphe Célestin Pégoud became Europe’s first man to use a parachute.

The London Electric Cab began operating on London streets.

The creator Walter Charles Bersey said he aimed to mimic how the horse-drawn taxis looked.

The first eclipse observation from a hot air balloon took place at 11,500 feet altitude by Dmitri Mendeleev in Russia.

A battle at sea between USS Constitution and British HMS Guerriere occurred 400 miles off Nova Scotia.

Britain was defeated during the battle. Stories tell how a crew member aboard Guerriere called out, "Huzzah! Her sides are made of iron!"

African American almanac author Benjamin Banneker wrote a letter to Thomas Jefferson asking for justice for African Americans.

One woman and four men were hanged for witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts, bringing the total to 20 during the witch trials.

The Battle of Knockdoe occurred in County Galway, Ireland.

The battle happened because of a dispute between Maelsechlainn mac Tadhg Ó Cellaigh, King of Ui Maine, and Clanricarde. There were roughly 2,500 casualties.

The coronation of King Edward I occurred at the Westminster Abbey in England.

All local Jews had to submit their books through King James I to be investigated.