Today in history

In 1582 Pope Gregory XIII issued a papal bull, or edict, outlining his calendar reforms. (The Gregorian calendar is the calendar in general use today.)

In 1803, in Marbury v. Madison, the Supreme Court ruled itself the final interpreter of constitutional issues.

In 1821 Mexico declared its independence from Spain.

In 1863 Arizona was organized as a territory.

In 1868 the House impeached President Andrew Johnson following his attempted dismissal of Secretary of War Edwin Stanton; Johnson later was acquitted by the Senate.

In 1903 the United States signed an agreement acquiring a naval station at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.

In 1920 a fledgling German political party held its first meeting of importance in Munich; it became known as the Nazi Party, and its chief spokesman was Adolf Hitler.

In 1942 the Voice of America went on the air for the first time.

In 1945 American soldiers liberated Manila from Japanese control during World War II.

In 1981 Buckingham Palace announced the engagement of Britain’s Prince Charles to Lady Diana Spencer.

In 1991 the United States and its Gulf War allies launched a large-scale ground assault against Iraqi troops, many of whom surrendered.