Demolition of the East Wing of the White House in Washington, D.C., began, in preparation for construction of a ballroom. [How often has the White House been renovated?]

NASA’s OSIRIS-REx collected a sample of rock and dust from the asteroid Bennu—the first time a U.S. spacecraft had done so. [Discover who’s competing in today’s space race.]

Fashion designer Oscar de la Renta—whose work, blending European luxury with American ease, helped define standards of elegant dressing among socialites, U.S. first ladies, and red-carpet celebrities—died in Connecticut. [Test your knowledge of fashion.]

Muammar al-Qaddafi, the de facto leader of Libya since 1969, was killed by rebel forces following a revolt that ended his rule.

Blue Stream, the deepest underwater pipeline in the world, opened in Turkey and was put in use for the transport of natural gas. [Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about oil and natural gas.]

A plane carrying the Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, known for such songs as Free Bird and Sweet Home Alabama, crashed in Gillsburg, Mississippi, killing singer Ronnie Van Zant and guitarist Steve Gaines, among others. [Take our rock and roll quiz.]

During the ongoing Watergate investigation, U.S. President Richard Nixon ordered special prosecutor Archibald Cox fired, resulting in the resignations of Attorney General Elliot Richardson and Deputy Attorney General William D. Ruckelshaus, both of whom refused to carry out his request; the events became known as the “Saturday Night Massacre” of Justice Department officials. [Read a first-person account of reporting Watergate as it happened.]

Former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy married Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis. [How much do you know about U.S. first ladies?]

Herbert Hoover, who was president of the United States from 1929 to 1933, died in New York City at age 90. [Learn how Hoover was elected—and what his reputation was before he took office.]

Baseball player Mickey Mantle—who was one of the game’s greatest players, known for his tremendous power as a switch-hitter—was born in Spavinaw, Oklahoma. [Test your knowledge of baseball.]

Peru and Chile signed the Treaty of Ancón, ending hostilities between the two countries in the War of the Pacific (1879–83). Under the treaty, Peru ceded Tarapacá province to Chile.

Actor Bela Lugosi—who was famous for his sinister portrayal of the elegantly mannered vampire Count Dracula—was born in Hungary. [Test your knowledge of scary movies.]

The Congress of Verona, the last of the meetings held by the European powers in accordance with the terms of the Quadruple Alliance, opened in Verona, Italy. [Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about European history.]

The U.S. Senate, after due consideration and considerable oratory, ratified the Louisiana Purchase. [Learn how the Louisiana Purchase transformed America.]

Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI died, setting off the War of the Austrian Succession. [Test your knowledge of kings and emperors.]

The Battle of Sekigahara established the hegemony of the Tokugawa family in Japan. [Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about Japanese history.]