394day.year
Battle of the Frigidus: Roman emperor Theodosius I defeats and kills Eugenius the usurper. His Frankish magister militum Arbogast escapes but commits suicide two days later.
In 394 AD, Emperor Theodosius I decisively defeated the usurper Eugenius at the Battle of the Frigidus, securing his rule over the Roman Empire.
The Battle of the Frigidus, fought on September 6, 394, was a crucial showdown between Emperor Theodosius I and the usurper Eugenius.
Taking place near the Frigidus River in modern Slovenia, the clash involved dense fog and fierce combat.
Theodosius's forces ultimately overwhelmed Eugenius's army, leading to the usurper's death on the field.
Frankish commander Arbogast, who had installed Eugenius, initially escaped but took his own life two days later.
This victory allowed Theodosius to reunify and stabilize both eastern and western halves of the empire.
Historians consider the battle a turning point that marked the end of significant pagan resistance in the Empire.
394
Battle of the Frigidus
Roman emperor
Theodosius I
Eugenius
Frankish
magister militum
Arbogast
1492day.year
Christopher Columbus sails from La Gomera in the Canary Islands, his final port of call before crossing the Atlantic Ocean for the first time.
In 1492, Christopher Columbus departed La Gomera, embarking on his historic first crossing of the Atlantic to the New World.
On September 6, 1492, Columbus set sail from La Gomera after final provisions and repairs.
This departure marked the beginning of his first voyage to find a western route to Asia.
The Spanish-sponsored expedition consisted of the Niña, Pinta, and Santa María.
Overcoming navigational uncertainties and harsh conditions, Columbus steered into the uncharted Atlantic.
His voyage would soon lead to the European discovery of the Americas.
The journey transformed global history by opening sustained contact between Europe and the New World.
1492
Christopher Columbus
La Gomera
Canary Islands
1522day.year
The Victoria returns to Sanlúcar de Barrameda in Spain, the only surviving ship of Ferdinand Magellan's expedition and the first known ship to circumnavigate the world.
In 1522, the carrack Victoria completed the first circumnavigation of the globe, returning to Spain under Juan Sebastián Elcano.
The Victoria arrived at Sanlúcar de Barrameda on September 6, 1522, nearly three years after departing Spain.
Originally commanded by Ferdinand Magellan, the ship continued under Juan Sebastián Elcano after Magellan's death.
It was the sole survivor of five vessels that set out in 1519.
The crew endured storms, scurvy, and conflicts in an unprecedented voyage.
The successful circumnavigation proved that the Earth was round and geographically connected.
This milestone expedition reshaped European maps and sparked an era of global exploration.
1522
Victoria
Sanlúcar de Barrameda
Ferdinand Magellan
circumnavigate
1620day.year
The Pilgrims sail from Plymouth, England on the Mayflower to settle in North America. (Old Style date; September 16 per New Style date.)
In 1620 (Old Style), the Pilgrims departed Plymouth aboard the Mayflower, beginning their journey to found a new settlement in North America.
On September 6, 1620 (Old Style calendar), the Pilgrims boarded the Mayflower at Plymouth harbor.
These English Separatists sought religious freedom and economic opportunity in the New World.
The transatlantic voyage lasted 66 days before they sighted Cape Cod.
They would establish Plymouth Colony, one of the earliest English settlements in North America.
Their experience laid foundations for self-governance and religious tolerance in America.
This voyage later became central to the Thanksgiving narrative in the United States.
1620
Pilgrims
Plymouth
Mayflower
Old Style
September 16
New Style
1628day.year
Puritans settle Salem, which became part of Massachusetts Bay Colony.
In 1628, a group of Puritan settlers established Salem, becoming one of the first towns in what would become Massachusetts Bay Colony.
Puritan colonists arrived at Naumkeag (later named Salem) on September 6, 1628.
They founded the settlement under the auspices of the Massachusetts Bay Company.
Salem quickly grew as a center for trade, agriculture, and shipbuilding.
The town's strict religious ethos reflected Puritan values and governance.
Salem’s early prosperity set the stage for its later prominence and controversies.
It would become infamous for the witch trials in 1692 over six decades later.
1628
Puritans
Salem
Massachusetts Bay Colony
1634day.year
Thirty Years' War: In the Battle of Nördlingen, the Catholic Imperial army defeats Swedish and German Protestant forces.
In 1634, the Battle of Nördlingen saw Catholic Imperial forces triumph over Swedish and Protestant armies, shifting momentum in the Thirty Years' War.
The Battle of Nördlingen was fought on September 6 and 7, 1634, in southern Germany.
Imperial and Spanish troops under the command of Count Córdoba and Duke Charles of Lorraine faced Swedish and Protestant German forces.
The decisive victory ended years of Protestant advances in the war.
Thousands were killed or captured in one of the largest pitched battles of the conflict.
The outcome forced Sweden to withdraw its troops from southern Germany.
This setback altered the balance of power and led to a strategic stalemate until French intervention.
1634
Thirty Years' War
Battle of Nördlingen
1781day.year
American Revolutionary War: The Battle of Groton Heights takes place, resulting in a British victory.
In 1781, British forces under Benedict Arnold captured Fort Griswold at Groton Heights, securing a victory in the American Revolutionary War.
On September 6, 1781, British troops led by turncoat General Benedict Arnold attacked Groton Heights, Connecticut.
They targeted Fort Griswold, which defended the Thames River approach.
After heavy fighting, British forces overwhelmed the American defenders.
The assault resulted in significant casualties and controversy over post-surrender killings.
This raid demonstrated the reach of British operations even late in the war.
It remains a poignant episode in Revolutionary War history.
1781
American Revolutionary War
Battle of Groton Heights
1803day.year
British scientist John Dalton begins using symbols to represent the atoms of different elements.
In 1803, John Dalton introduced a system of symbols to represent chemical atoms, laying groundwork for modern atomic theory.
John Dalton first published his atomic symbols in 1803 as part of his pioneering work in chemistry.
Each element was assigned a unique symbol to visualize atomic relationships.
Dalton’s system accompanied his broader atomic theory, proposing that matter is composed of discrete atoms.
These ideas were outlined in his book 'A New System of Chemical Philosophy'.
The symbolic notation allowed chemists to better communicate and balance chemical equations.
Dalton’s contributions became foundational to modern chemical science.
1803
John Dalton
1861day.year
American Civil War: Forces under Union General Ulysses S. Grant bloodlessly capture Paducah, Kentucky, giving the Union control of the Tennessee River's mouth.
In 1861, Union General Ulysses S. Grant seized Paducah, Kentucky without a fight, securing control of the Tennessee River’s mouth.
On September 6, 1861, Grant's troops marched into Paducah and the city surrendered without resistance.
This strategic move gave the Union navy access to the Tennessee River for troop movements and supply lines.
Paducah’s location at the confluence of the Ohio and Tennessee Rivers made it a valuable logistical hub.
Grant’s bloodless capture boosted his reputation early in the Civil War.
The occupation helped to isolate Confederate forces in the Western theater.
It marked one of Grant’s first significant victories and foreshadowed his later prominence.
1861
American Civil War
Union
Ulysses S. Grant
Paducah, Kentucky
Tennessee River
1863day.year
American Civil War: Confederate forces evacuate Battery Wagner and Morris Island in South Carolina.
In 1863, Confederate defenders withdrew from Battery Wagner and Morris Island, opening Charleston’s harbor to Union siege operations.
On September 6, 1863, Confederate troops abandoned key fortifications on Morris Island.
Battery Wagner had endured a famous assault by the 54th Massachusetts Infantry the previous month.
The evacuation allowed Union forces to tighten the siege of Charleston, South Carolina.
Morris Island's beaches and forts had been under relentless bombardment.
The withdrawal marked the failure of Confederate coastal defenses.
It underscored the growing effectiveness of Union naval and artillery power.
1863
Confederate forces
Battery Wagner
Morris Island
South Carolina
1870day.year
Louisa Ann Swain of Laramie, Wyoming becomes the first woman in the United States to cast a vote legally after 1807.
Louisa Ann Swain makes history as the first woman in the United States to cast a legally recognized vote since 1807 in Laramie, Wyoming.
On September 6, 1870, under a new Wyoming territorial law, Louisa Ann Swain cast her ballot in a general election, becoming the first woman to vote legally in the United States since early informal votes in 1807. Swain’s historic vote followed the Wyoming Legislature’s landmark decision to grant women suffrage, setting an early example for gender equality. Her action challenged prevailing norms and inspired suffrage campaigns nationwide. Wyoming would later become the first state to enshrine full voting rights for women in its constitution. This moment remains a symbol of progress in the struggle for women’s political rights.
1870
Louisa Ann Swain
Laramie, Wyoming
1807
1885day.year
Eastern Rumelia declares its union with Bulgaria, thus accomplishing Bulgarian unification.
Eastern Rumelia proclaims union with Bulgaria on September 6, 1885, achieving Bulgarian national unification.
On this day in 1885, Eastern Rumelia, an autonomous Ottoman province established by the Treaty of Berlin, declared its union with the Principality of Bulgaria. Bulgarian nationalists, led by students and officers, staged a bloodless uprising in Plovdiv to demand annexation. The union fulfilled a long-held aspiration for national unity following liberation from Ottoman rule in 1878. Though the Great Powers initially protested, they eventually accepted the de facto unification. This act laid the foundation for modern Bulgarian statehood and is celebrated as a national holiday in Bulgaria.
1885
Eastern Rumelia
Bulgaria
Bulgarian unification