What Happened on November 19?

On this day in 1863 President Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address, one of the most famous speeches in American history. Discover that story plus more events and birthdays.

• 1794 — United States signs the Jay Treaty with Britain

  Chief Justice John Jay signed a treaty in London settling leftover fights with Britain from the Revolutionary War and keeping the young country out of another war. Read the full story →

• 1863 — Lincoln delivers the Gettysburg Address

  President Abraham Lincoln spoke at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery at Gettysburg, giving a two-minute speech that became one of the most famous in American history. Read the full story →

• 1969 — Apollo 12 astronauts land on the Moon

  Four months after the first Moon landing, Pete Conrad and Alan Bean became the third and fourth humans to walk on the Moon, touching down next to a robotic surveyor spacecraft. Read the full story →

• 2002 — Tanker Prestige sinks off Spain, spilling oil along the coast

  The oil tanker Prestige broke apart in stormy Atlantic seas on November 19, 2002, spilling tens of thousands of tons of fuel oil that blackened Spanish and French beaches. Read the full story →

• 2006 — Nintendo Wii launches in the Americas

  Nintendo's motion-controlled Wii console went on sale, letting players swing, bowl, and tennis-swing their way through games by moving a controller in the air. Read the full story →

Famous birthdays

James A. Garfield (1831–1881) · Indira Gandhi (1917–1984) · Jodie Foster (1962) · Kerri Strug (1977)

Days & observances

World Toilet Day · International Men's Day · National Play Monopoly Day · Gettysburg Address Remembrance Day