787day.year
Second Council of Nicaea: The council assembles at the church of Hagia Sophia.
The Second Council of Nicaea convened at Hagia Sophia to address the controversy over icon veneration in the Byzantine Empire.
Called by Empress Irene, representatives from across the empire gathered in Constantinople’s grand cathedral.
Delegates debated the theological status of religious images after decades of iconoclasm.
The council ultimately restored the veneration of icons and condemned their destruction as heretical.
Its decrees were ratified by both Eastern and later Western churches, shaping Christian worship practices.
These decisions had a profound influence on Byzantine art, liturgy, and imperial policy for centuries to come.
787
Second Council of Nicaea
1674day.year
Second Tantrik Coronation of Shivaji.
Maratha leader Shivaji undergoes a second tantric coronation ritual, reinforcing his sovereign authority in India.
Shivaji’s elaborate tantric ceremony affirmed his claim to kingship and divine sanction.
Elite priests performed Vedic rites at his capital, Raigad, blending Hindu traditions with Maratha customs.
This ritual followed a previous coronation to strengthen his legitimacy among local chieftains.
It underscored Shivaji’s ambition to establish an independent Maratha state free from Mughal rule.
The event marked a pivotal moment in the rise of Maratha power across western India.
1674
Shivaji
1789day.year
The United States Congress passes the Judiciary Act, creating the office of the Attorney General and federal judiciary system and ordering the composition of the Supreme Court.
The U.S. Congress enacts the Judiciary Act, establishing the federal court system and the position of Attorney General.
As one of its first legislative achievements, the First Congress structured the Supreme Court with six justices.
It also created federal district and circuit courts to ensure nationwide judicial coverage.
The act defined the jurisdiction of each court and the process for appeals.
It established the Attorney General’s role as chief legal advisor to the government.
This foundational law laid the groundwork for the modern American judiciary and rule of law.
1789
Judiciary Act
1830day.year
A revolutionary committee of notables forms the Provisional Government of Belgium.
Revolutionary leaders in Brussels establish a Provisional Government, setting Belgium on the path to independence.
Following widespread unrest against Dutch rule, prominent Belgians met to form a provisional council.
They declared independence from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands and organized a national assembly.
Count Félicité de Merode and other notables led diplomatic efforts to gain European recognition.
Their manifesto emphasized constitutional monarchy and civil liberties.
This provisional government paved the way for Belgium’s official independence in 1831.
1830
Provisional Government of Belgium
1841day.year
The Sultanate of Brunei cedes Sarawak to James Brooke.
Brunei cedes Sarawak to James Brooke, inaugurating the era of the White Rajahs in Borneo.
After assisting the Sultan against rebels, Brooke secured governing rights over Sarawak.
A formal treaty transferred sovereignty, establishing Brooke as Rajah without British annexation.
He implemented administrative reforms to curb piracy and promote trade.
Brooke’s dynasty would rule Sarawak for over a century under British protection.
This event marked a unique chapter in colonial history and local governance in Southeast Asia.
1841
Sultanate of Brunei
Sarawak
James Brooke
1853day.year
Admiral Despointes formally takes possession of New Caledonia in the name of France.
French Admiral Auguste Despointes annexes New Caledonia, marking the start of French colonial rule in the Pacific.
Despointes arrived with a naval squadron to claim the archipelago for France.
A formal ceremony raised the French flag at Balade Bay, asserting sovereignty.
The annexation aimed to secure strategic ports and resources in the Pacific.
Local Kanak communities resisted early colonial administration and land seizures.
New Caledonia would become a penal colony and vital source of nickel for France.
1853
Despointes
New Caledonia
1932day.year
Gandhi and Dr. Ambedkar agree to the Poona Pact, which reserved seats in the Indian provincial legislatures for the "Depressed Classes" (Untouchables).
Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar signed the Poona Pact on September 24, 1932, agreeing to reserved legislative seats for India’s Depressed Classes.
Amid a political struggle over separate electorates for Dalits, Gandhi protested the British government’s Communal Award by undertaking a fast unto death. To avert a schism within the independence movement, Gandhi and Dr. Ambedkar negotiated the Poona Pact in Bombay. The agreement reserved seats for the Depressed Classes within general electorates rather than separate voting rolls. It sought to balance the need for political representation with national unity. The pact significantly influenced India’s constitutional framework and subsequent affirmative action policies. Its legacy endures in India’s system of caste-based reservations in government institutions.
1932
Poona Pact
1946day.year
The top-secret Clifford-Elsey Report on the Soviet Union is delivered to President Truman.
President Truman receives the confidential Clifford-Elsey Report, shaping U.S. policy toward the Soviet Union.
On September 24, 1946, President Harry S. Truman received the top-secret Clifford-Elsey Report, a comprehensive analysis of Soviet geopolitical intentions. Commissioned by Secretary of State James F. Byrnes, the report was prepared by a special panel led by Solomon L. Clifford and Hanson W. Elsey. It candidly portrayed the USSR as expanding its influence through intimidation and subversion in Eastern Europe. The recommendations called for a firm U.S. stance, laying the groundwork for the Truman Doctrine and the policy of containment. The report's stark assessment shaped early Cold War diplomacy, influencing American military and economic aid programs in Europe. Its delivery marked a pivotal turn from wartime alliance to Cold War rivalry with Moscow.
Clifford-Elsey Report
1957day.year
President Eisenhower sends the 101st Airborne Division to Little Rock, Arkansas, to enforce desegregation.
President Eisenhower deploys federal troops to Little Rock to enforce school desegregation during the civil rights crisis.
On September 24, 1957, President Dwight D. Eisenhower federalized the Arkansas National Guard and ordered the 101st Airborne Division to Little Rock, Arkansas. This decisive action enforced a federal court's order to desegregate Central High School after state officials resisted integration. Troops escorted nine African American students, known as the Little Rock Nine, through hostile crowds to ensure their safe entry. Eisenhower's move marked the first time since Reconstruction that federal troops were used to uphold civil rights in the South. The operation underscored the federal government's commitment to enforcing Supreme Court rulings and signaled a turning point in the civil rights movement.
1957
desegregation
1973day.year
Guinea-Bissau declares its independence from Portugal.
Guinea-Bissau proclaims its independence from Portugal, becoming one of the first African colonies to break free from European rule.
On September 24, 1973, the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) unilaterally declared Guinea-Bissau's independence from Portuguese colonial rule. Led by revolutionary leader Amílcar Cabral, the declaration followed years of guerrilla warfare against Portuguese forces during the Guinea-Bissau War of Independence. Although Portugal did not immediately recognize the new nation, the proclamation galvanized international support for decolonization across Africa. Guinea-Bissau's struggle inspired liberation movements in other Portuguese colonies. Full diplomatic recognition from many countries and the United Nations followed after Portugal's Carnation Revolution in 1974. The event marked a significant milestone in ending European colonialism on the continent.
1973
Guinea-Bissau
1993day.year
The Cambodian monarchy is restored, with Norodom Sihanouk as king.
In 1993, Cambodia restored its monarchy under King Norodom Sihanouk after years of civil unrest.
Following decades of conflict and the Khmer Rouge regime, Cambodia held UN-sponsored elections in May 1993.
On September 24, the restored monarchy was officially declared, and Norodom Sihanouk was crowned king.
This event symbolized the nation's return to constitutional monarchy and efforts toward political stability.
Sihanouk's reign marked a new chapter in Cambodia's recovery and international reintegration.
The restoration fostered national unity amidst reconstruction and peacebuilding.
1993
Norodom Sihanouk
1996day.year
Representatives of 71 nations sign the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty at the United Nations.
In 1996, delegates from 71 nations signed the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty at the UN to prohibit nuclear explosions.
At the United Nations in New York, representatives of 71 countries gathered to sign the CTBT on September 24, 1996.
The treaty aimed to ban all nuclear explosions for both civilian and military purposes, reducing proliferation risks.
It followed decades of arms control negotiations during the Cold War and beyond.
While a landmark diplomatic achievement, the treaty still awaits ratification by key states to enter into force.
The CTBT remains a cornerstone of global nonproliferation efforts and nuclear disarmament aspirations.
1996
Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty