Today

1666 ÷ The Great Fire of London broke out, claiming thousands of homes but only a few lives.

1935 ÷ A hurricane slammed into the Florida Keys, claiming 423 lives.

1945 ÷ Japan formally surrendered in ceremonies aboard the USS Missouri, ending World War II.

Wednesday

1189 ÷ England's King Richard I (the Lion-Hearted) was crowned in Westminster.

1976 ÷ The unmanned U.S. spacecraft Viking 2 landed on Mars to take the first close-up, color photographs of the planet's surface.

1997 ÷ Arizona Gov. Fife Symington was convicted of lying to get millions in loans to shore up his collapsing real estate empire. Symington's conviction was overturned in 1999, and he was pardoned by President Clinton in January 2001 as prosecutors again pursued the case.

Thursday

1781 ÷ Los Angeles was first explored by Spanish settlers.

1951 ÷ In the first live coast-to-coast television broadcast, President Truman addressed the nation from the Japanese peace treaty conference in San Francisco.

1957 ÷ Arkansas Gov. Orval Faubus called out the National Guard to prevent nine black students from entering Central High School in Little Rock.

Friday

1972 ÷ Palestinian guerrillas attacked the Israeli delegation at the Munich Olympic games; 11 Israelis, five guerrillas and a police officer were killed in the siege.

1975 ÷ President Ford escaped an attempt on his life by Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme, a disciple of Charles Manson, in Sacramento, Calif.

1997 ÷ Nobel Peace Prize winner Mother Teresa died in Calcutta, India, at age 87.