On this day:
1851 Moby Dick, written by Herman Melville, is Published for the First Time
1867 Alaska Becomes a Part of the United States after it purchases it from Russia
1967 The Soviet Probe Venera 4 Becomes First Space Probe to Enter the Atmosphere of Another Planet
Gone on this day:
1871 Charles Babbage, English mathematician, engineer, invented the Difference engine. He is known as the Father of Computers
1931 Thomas Edison, American businessman, invented the light bulb, phonograph
1973 Leo Strauss, German/American philosopher
