Discover what happened in this year with HISTORY’s summaries of major events, anniversaries, famous births and notable deaths.
Jun
19
Oct
18
On October 18, 1867, the U.S. formally takes possession of Alaska after purchasing the territory from Russia for $7.2 million, or less than two cents an acre. Indigenous peoples had settled the unforgiving territory thousands of years earlier. The Alaska purchase comprised 586,412 square miles, about twice the size of Texas, and was championed by William Henry Seward, the enthusiastically expansionist secretary of state under President Andrew Johnson.
Welcome to Alaska sign, entering from Canada. (Photo by: Planet One Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Planet One Images/Universal Imag
Nov
15
On November 15, 1867, the first stock ticker is unveiled in New York City. The advent of the ticker ultimately revolutionized the stock market by making up-to-the-minute prices available to investors around the country. Prior to this development, information from the New York Stock Exchange, which has been around since 1792, traveled by mail or messenger.
NEW YORK - JULY 19: The final Dow Jones tally is shown on a ticker outside the floor of the New York Stock Exchange moments after the closing bell July 19, 2007 in New York City. The Dow closed above 14,000 for the first time finishing at 14,000.41. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
Getty Images
Dec
04
Dec
23
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