TODAY IN HISTORY: Red River flood

In 1541, Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto reached the Mississippi River.

In 1620, Samuel de Champlain sailed for Canada, accompanied by his wife.

In 1794, Antoine Lavoisier, the father of modern chemistry, was executed on the guillotine during France’s “Reign of Terror.”

In 1882, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Assiniboia and Athabaska were formed as districts of the Northwest Territories.

In 1886, Coca-Cola was served for the first time, at Jacob’s Pharmacy in Atlanta.

In 1902, a volcanic eruption on the Caribbean island of Martinique destroyed the city of St-Pierre within minutes. Only two of the 30,000 inhabitants survived.

In 1906, the University of Alberta was founded in Edmonton.

In 1906, American desperado Bill Miner held up a CPR train in Kamloops, B.C. But Canada’s first train robbery netted Miner only $15, and he was captured a few days later. The story inspired the 1983 film, “The Grey Fox.”

In 1929, Metropolitan opera tenor Edward Johnson sang on the final evening of the first music festival held in his hometown of Guelph, Ont. He was accompanied by the Vogt Choir of Guelph and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

In 1945, the Second World War ended in Europe with the unconditional surrender of all German land, sea and air forces. The surrender was signed the previous day by German envoys in a schoolhouse at Rheims, France.

In 1950, 10,000 people were forced out of the Red River Valley south of Winnipeg. An approaching flood caused $25 million in damage before the crisis ended on May 25.

In 1965, Bob Dylan made one of the earliest videos when he filmed a promotional clip for his current single, “Subterranean Homesick Blues.” It shows him flipping through cards with words and short phrases while standing in an alley in London.

In 1973, militant natives who had held the South Dakota hamlet of Wounded Knee for 10 weeks surrendered.

In 1974, the Conservatives and NDP defeated Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau’s minority Liberal government in a no-confidence motion brought against the budget in the House of Commons. The Liberals won a majority in the ensuing election.

In 1978, David R. Berkowitz pleaded guilty in a Brooklyn courtroom to murder, attempted murder and assault in connection with the “Son of Sam” shootings that had terrified New Yorkers.

In 1981, the self-titled debut album by the Canadian rock band Loverboy, was certified gold in the U.S. It included the songs “Turn Me Loose,” “The Kid Is Hot TOnite,” and “Lady of the 80’s.”

In 1982, Canadian Formula One driver Gilles Villeneuve died in a racing accident in Belgium. He was 32.

In 1984, Canadian Forces Cpl. Dennis Lortie sprayed the Quebec National Assembly with machine-gun fire, killing three and wounding 13 before surrendering.