August 1st

Justinian I becomes the sole ruler of the Byzantine Empire.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed, 269-161, emergency legislation to avert the nation's first-ever financial default.

King Fahd of Saudi Arabia died. Crown Prince Abdullah, the king's half-brother, became the country's new monarch.

Westinghouse Electric Corp. struck a deal to buy CBS for $5.4 billion.

Conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh began broadcasting his nationally syndicated radio program.

MTV made its debut at 12:01 AM. The first video shown was Video Killed the Radio Star by the Buggles.

Vigdís Finnbogadóttir takes office in Iceland. The Icelandic politician was the fourth president of Iceland and the world's first democratically elected female head of state. Her 16 years of Presidency also makes her the longest serving female head of state in the world.

Charles Joseph Whitman shot and killed 14 people at the University of Texas before he was gunned down by police.

US atomic sub USS Nautilus 1st begins transit of North Pole 'operation Sunshine.

Japan Airlines (JAL) is founded. The flagship airlines of Japan, JAL started operating on October 25, 1951

President Truman signed the congressional acts that established the Atomic Energy Commission and the Fulbright Scholarship program.

An uprising broke out in Warsaw, Poland, against Nazi occupation.

Race-related rioting erupted in New York City's Harlem section, resulting in several deaths.

Rock musician Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead was born in San Francisco.

The Olympic games opened in Berlin with a ceremony presided over by Adolf Hitler.

Germany declared war on Russia at the onset of World War I.

Colorado was admitted to the union as the 38th state.

Slavery abolished throughout the British Empire - Slavery Abolition Act 1833 comes into effect.

The first U.S. census was completed, showing a population of nearly 4 million people.

Joseph Priestley, English theologian, chemist and author discovers oxygen.

Results of the Domesday inquiry presented to William the Conqueror in Salisbury (the date of compilation and the Great Domesday are historically contestable).