THURSDAY IN HISTORY

Today is Thursday, Nov. 2, the 306th day of 2017. There are 59 days left in the year.

Highlight in History:

On Nov. 2, 1947, Howard Hughes piloted his huge wooden flying boat, the Hughes H-4 Hercules (derisively dubbed the “Spruce Goose” by detractors), on its only flight, which lasted about a minute over Long Beach Harbor in California.

On this date:

In 1889, North Dakota and South Dakota became the 39th and 40th states.

In 1917, British Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour issued a declaration expressing support for a “national home” for the Jews in Palestine.

In 1948, President Harry S. Truman surprised the experts by winning a narrow upset over Republican challenger Thomas E. Dewey.

In 1976, former Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter became the first candidate from the Deep South since the Civil War to be elected president as he defeated incumbent Gerald R. Ford.

In 1986, kidnappers in Lebanon released American hospital administrator David Jacobsen after holding him for 17 months.

In 2000, American astronaut Bill Shepherd and two Russian cosmonauts, Yuri Gidzenko and Sergei Krikalev, became the first residents of the international space station.

Ten years ago: British college student Meredith Ker ch er, 21, was found slain in her bedroom in Perugia, Italy; her roommate, American Amanda Knox and Knox’s Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, were later convicted of killing Kercher, but both were later exonerated.

Five years ago: President Barack Obama accused Mitt Romney of scaring voters with lies, while the Republican challenger warned grimly of political paralysis and another recession if Obama reclaimed the White House.

One year ago: Ending a championship drought that had lasted since 1908, the Chicago Cubs won the World Series, defeating the Cleveland Indians 8-7 in extra innings at Progressive Field.

Today’s Birthdays: Political commentator Patrick Buchanan is 79. Actress Stefanie Powers is 75. Singersongwriter k.d. lang is 56. Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage is 53. Rapper Nelly is 43. Actorsinger Kendall Schmidt is 27.

Thought for Today: “If I have done any deed worthy of remembrance, that deed will be my monument. If not, no monument can preserve my memory.” — Agesilaus II, King of Sparta (c. 444-360 B.C.)