August 29th

Hurricane Katrina makes its 2nd landfall as a category 3 hurricane devastating much of the U.S. Gulf Coast from Louisiana to Florida Panhandle. Kills more than 1,836, causes over $115 billion in damage.

The Supreme Soviet, the parliament of the U.S.S.R., suspended all activities of the Communist Party, bringing an end to the institution.

Abdul Mohmand becomes the first person from Afghanistan to Visit Space. Mohmand, an Afghan Air Force pilot was a crew member of the Soyuz TM-6, a Soviet spacecraft. He was in space for 9 days, which were spent at the Mir Space Station.

Meitnerium is Synthesized for the First time. The radioactive synthetic element with an atomic number of 109 and the symbol Mt was first created at the GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research, Darmstadt, Germany. Named after Austrian physicist and discoverer of nuclear fission, Lise Meitner, the element, which is not found naturally, was discovered by a team headed by Peter Armbruster and Gottfried Münzenberg.

The Beatles played their last major live concert at Candlestick Park, California.

The U.S.S.R. tested their first atomic bomb.

Michael Faraday Discovers Electromagnetic Induction. Michael Faraday experimentally demonstrated that a changing magnetic field can induce a voltage in a conductor. The discovery of electromagnetic induction helped in the creation of electric generators, transformers, and even induction cook tops. An English scientist, Faraday was a prolific researcher and inventor. In addition to discovering electromagnetic induction, he also discovered Benzene and electrolysis. The farad, an International System of Units (SI) measurement of a capacitance – the ability of an object to hold an electric charge was named after Faraday.

Brigham Young died in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The Treaty of Nanking was signed, ending the Opium Wars and ceding the island of Hong Kong to Britain.

Portugal recognizes the Independence of Brazil.

Shays's rebellion, an insurrection of Massachusetts farmers against the state government, began.

Atahualpa, the last ruler of the Incas, was murdered as Francisco Pizarro completed his conquest of Peru.

Battle of Mohács: In a decisive battle the Hungarian Empire is conquered by the Ottoman Empire led by Suleiman the Magnificent.