This Day In History, September 2nd.
Five Historical Events That Happened on September 2nd
The Great Fire of London erupted in 1666, devastating much of the city in four days.
An act of Congress created the United States Department of the Treasury in 1789.
Japan formally surrendered to the Allies aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay in 1945, thereby ending World War II.
The first automated teller machine (ATM) was established in Rockville Centre, New York, in 1969.
Swissair Flight 111 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, in 1998, killing all 229 passengers and crew.
In 1666, the Great Fire of London began, destroying much of the city over the course of four days.
The Great Fire of London was a huge calamity that lasted from September 2 to September 6, 1666. It began at a bakery on Pudding Lane and swiftly spread due to high winds and the fact that many of London's buildings at the period were constructed of wood and had thatched roofs. A substantial chunk of the city was destroyed by fire, including almost 13,000 residences, 87 churches, and several other public structures. Despite the devastation, there were few casualties, with only a few deaths reported. The fire sparked a vast reconstruction effort that would eventually shape London into what it is today.
In 1789, the United States Department of the Treasury was established by an act of Congress.
On September 2, 1789, an act of Congress established the United States Department of the Treasury. The department was established to oversee the finances of the United States government, including tax collection, public debt management, and currency manufacturing. Alexander Hamilton was the first Secretary of the Treasury, and he was instrumental in creating the new nation's economic policies and setting the groundwork for the current American economy. Since its inception, the Department of the Treasury has played a critical role in shaping the United States government's financial and economic policies.
In 1945, Japan formally surrendered to the Allied Powers aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, marking the end of World War II.
The Japanese government signed the Instrument of Surrender aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945, formally ending World War II. After months of fierce battle in the Pacific theater, and after the United States detonated atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan surrendered. General Douglas MacArthur attended the surrender ceremony, when he accepted the Japanese surrender on behalf of the Allied Powers, and it was televised over the world, signaling the end of one of the bloodiest battles in human history.
In 1969, the first automatic teller machine (ATM) was installed in Rockville Centre, New York.
On September 2, 1969, the first automatic teller machine (ATM) was installed in a Chemical Bank branch in Rockville Centre, New York. Don Wetzel, who was upset by long lineups at his local bank, devised the machine. Initially, ATMs were not frequently utilized, but they soon gained popularity as banks saw their ability to give clients with 24-hour access to cash. ATMs are now widespread, with millions of machines installed worldwide, and they have become a vital component of the contemporary banking system.
In 1998, Swissair Flight 111 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, killing all 229 people on board.
On September 2, 1998, Swissair Flight 111 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, on its way from New York City to Geneva, Switzerland. The plane, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11, was carrying 215 passengers and 14 crew members when it crashed. The cause of the crash was determined to be a fire in the cockpit caused by an electrical problem. The crash of Swissair Flight 111 was one of Canada's deadliest aviation catastrophes, prompting substantial reforms in airline safety rules, including enhanced fire prevention and detection systems in planes.