TODAY IN HISTORY: This was Britain’s finest hour

In 1464, Roman Catholic Pope Pius II organized a crusade against the Turks, but died before he could meet up with his allies. Soon after, the crusading mentality died out.

In 1812, the U.S. declared war on Britain following disputes over Maritime rights.

In 1815, deposed French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo by British and Prussian troops.

In 1846, the first telegraph system was opened connecting Toronto, Hamilton and Niagara Falls, Ont.

In 1855, the rebuilding of the Sault Ste. Marie Canal was completed.

In 1873, suffragist Susan B. Anthony was found guilty by a judge in Canandaigua, N.Y., of breaking the law by casting a vote in the 1872 presidential election. The judge fined Anthony $100, but she never paid.

In 1928, Norwegian polar explorer Roald Amundsen died after a flying accident in the North Sea.

In 1940, during the Second World War, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill urged his countrymen to conduct themselves in a manner that would prompt future generations to say, “This was their finest hour.”

In 1962, a federal election left the Conservatives under John Diefenbaker with a minority government after they lost 100 seats from their 1958 landslide. The Tories were defeated in both the Commons and a general election the following year.

In 1983, Sally Ride became the first American woman in space as she and four colleagues blasted off aboard the shuttle “Challenger.” The mission included the deployment of Canada’s Anik C2 communications satellite.

In 1985, an Ontario election led to the end of 42 years of Conservative rule in the province. David Peterson’s Liberals took power through an alliance with the New Democrats.

In 1996, 47-year-old Benjamin Netanyahu was sworn in as Israel’s youngest prime minister after he formed a six-party governing coalition.

In 1999, Adam Leboucan became Canada’s youngest dangerous offender when a B.C. judge sentenced the 17-year-old to an indefinite prison term for the brutal sexual assault of an infant.

In 2000, Tiger Woods romped to a record 15stroke victory in the U.S. Open golf championship at Pebble Beach, Calif.

In 2002, a joint U.S.-Canadian military inquiry found that American pilot Maj. Harry Schmidt mistakenly dropped a bomb on Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan, killing four and wounding eight because he did not take time to properly assess the threat.

In 2003, Inuvik-based Aboriginal Pipeline Group signed a landmark deal with Trans-Canada Corp. and four natural gas producers, giving natives in the Northwest Territories one-third ownership of a $5 billion Arctic pipeline project.

In 2008, Ontario joined Quebec in banning the cosmetic use of pesticides across the province.

In 2010, the inquiry report into the death of Robert Dziekanski concluded that RCMP officers were not justified in using their Taser on him at Vancouver’s airport in October 2007, and that their explanations of the events that unfolded the night he died were “patently unbelievable.”

In 2013, Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai announced Afghan forces took over the lead from the U.S.-led NATO coalition for security nationwide, a significant milestone in the 12-year war.

In 2015, Manitoba became the first province to formally apologize for the ‘60s Scoop, when childwelfare agents removed aboriginal children from their families and placed them for adoption in non-Indigenous homes. A few days later, Alberta also apologized.