On this day in history
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Source: HistoryNet.com
1618: First recorded sighting of a comet by Europeans in Canada. The Great Comet of 1618 was visible for seven weeks.
1782: The British sign a preliminary agreement in Paris, recognizing American independence.
1838: Mexico declares war on France.
1900: Oscar Wilde dies in a Paris hotel room after saying of the room's wallpaper: "One of us had to go."
1950: President Truman declares that the United States will use the A-bomb to get peace in Korea.
1964: John Diefenbaker launches a filibuster to try to prevent the introduction of a new Canadian flag.
1974: Pioneer II sends photos back to NASA as it nears Jupiter.
1982: Thriller, Michael Jackson's second solo album, released; the album became the best-selling album in history.
1993: Maureen McTeer's Royal Commission on Reproductive Technologies issues its final report; calls for ban on cloning and on sale of fetal tissue.
2004: On the game show Jeopardy!, contestant Ken Jennings loses after 74 consecutive victories. It is the longest winning streak in game-show history, earning him a total of over $3 million.
2005: John Sentamu becomes Archbishop of York, making him the Church of England's first black archbishop.
