TODAY IN HISTORY

In 1814, the bloodiest battle of the War of 1812 was fought at Lundy’s Lane. The British suffered 878 casualties with 84 killed, and the Americans had 853 with 171 killed. Although neither side could claim victory, the battle checked the advance of invading U.S. forces and they withdrew to Fort Erie.

In 1824, the results of the world’s first public opinion poll were published in Delaware. The subject was voting intentions for the next U.S. presidential election.

In 1846, the electric telegraph was demonstrated at Toronto.

In 1866, Tennessee was readmitted to the United States.

In 1883, Captain Matthew Webb drowned while attempting to swim the rapids above Niagara Falls. Eight years earlier, he had become the first person to swim the English Channel.

In 1899, Oscar-nominated actor Chief Dan George was born on the Burrard Indian Reserve in B.C. He died in 1981.

In 1915, the excursion steamer “Eastland” overturned in the Chicago River, with the loss of 812 lives.

In 1922, the League of Nations approved the British mandate for Palestine.