Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1, based on J.K. Rowling's 2007 fantasy novel, was released worldwide.
The Nintendo Wii was released in the US.
The People's Republic of China launched Shenzhou 1, the first uncrewed Shenzhou spacecraft.
Television broadcasting company CBS banned a Calvin Klein Jeans advertisement.
Pelé, the legendary Brazilian soccer star, scored his 1,000th goal.
Goldwyn Pictures film studio was founded by Samuel Goldwyn, Edgar Selwyn, and Archibald Selwyn.
Inventor Frederick E. Blaisdell patented the pencil in the US.
A meteorite weighing 8kg landed southwest of Odessa, Ukraine.
One of the greatest speeches of all American history, The Gettysburg Address, was given by Abraham Lincoln.
The British poet Alfred Lord Tennyson became Britain's Poet Laureate.
The Great Flood of St Petersburg killed 10,000 people and affected almost half a million more.
The University of Warsaw, Poland, was founded as a Royal University following the Partitions of Poland.
Christopher Columbus discovered Puerto Rico on his second voyage.
Pope Hilarius became the Bishop of Rome.
