This week in history encompasses monumental events ranging from the dawn of sustained European contact with the Americas and the establishment of the U.S. Navy to the start of the War in Afghanistan and a major political upheaval in California. Notable disasters include the devastating Great Chicago Fire and the Kashmir earthquake, while significant cultural milestones mark the birth of John Lennon and the premiere of “Saturday Night Live.” The week also features key moments in civil rights and space exploration with the shooting of education advocate Malala Yousafzai and the successful launch of Apollo 7, along with the first-ever Summer Olympics held in Asia in Tokyo.
October 7
- 2001: The United States launches Operation Enduring Freedom with airstrikes in Afghanistan following the Sept. 11 attacks.
- 2003: California voters recall Gov. Gray Davis; Arnold Schwarzenegger is elected governor.
October 8
- 1871: The Great Chicago Fire erupts; on the same day, the deadlier Peshtigo Fire devastates northeastern Wisconsin, and major fires strike Michigan.
- 2005: A 7.6 magnitude earthquake hits Kashmir, killing tens of thousands in Pakistan and India.
October 9
- 1940: John Lennon is born in Liverpool, England.
- 2012: Taliban gunmen shoot 15-year-old Malala Yousafzai in Pakistan for advocating girls’ education; she survives and later wins the Nobel Peace Prize.
October 10
- 1973: Vice President Spiro T. Agnew resigns from office and later pleads no contest to tax evasion.
- 1964: The Summer Olympics open in Tokyo, the first Games held in Asia.
October 11
- 1968: Apollo 7 launches, the first crewed U.S. spaceflight since the Apollo 1 fire and the program’s first successful crewed mission.
- 1975: “Saturday Night Live” premieres on NBC from Studio 8H in Rockefeller Center.
October 12
- 1492: Christopher Columbus makes landfall in the Bahamas, marking sustained European contact with the Americas.
- 2000: Suicide bombers attack the USS Cole in Aden, Yemen, killing 17 U.S. sailors.
October 13
- 1775: The Continental Congress establishes the U.S. Navy.
- 1792: The cornerstone of the White House is laid in Washington, D.C.
