The Speculist

Selected dates from the Wikipedia article, with a few key annotations.

1056 - Byzantine Empress Theodora dies suddenly without children to succeed the throne, ending the Macedonian dynasty.

1864 - American Civil War: Union forces led by General William T. Sherman launch an assault on Atlanta, Georgia.

1888 - Mary Ann Nichols is murdered. She is the first of Jack the Ripper's known victims.

1920 - First news radio program broadcast in Detroit, Michigan.

1939 - Nazi Germany mounts a staged attack on Gleiwitz radio station, giving them an excuse to attack Poland the following day, starting World War II in Europe.

1957 - The Federation of Malaya gains its independence from the United Kingdom. Selamat Hari Merdaka!

1962 - Trinidad and Tobago become independent; blogger Phil Bowermaster born.

1980 - The Solidarity trade union is formed in Poland; blogger Phil Bowermaster celebrates 18th birthday

1992 - Pascal Lissouba is inaugurated as the President of the Republic of the Congo; blogger Phil Bowermaster turns 30.

1997 - Diana, Princess of Wales, dies in a car crash in Paris; blogger Phil Bowermaster gets the news while celebrating his 35th birthday in Port Dixon, Malaysia over the Merdaka Day weekend.

2006 - Stolen on August 22, 2004, Edvard Munch's famous painting The Scream was recovered from a raid by Norwegian police. The paintings were said to be in a better-than-expected condition. Blogger Phil Bowermaster turns 44.