Australia's Sydney Opera House—designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, whose dynamic, imaginative, but problematic plan won an international competition in 1957—was opened by Queen Elizabeth II on this day in 1973.
| 2002: | | Blue Stream, the deepest underwater pipeline in the world, opened in Turkey and was put in use for the transport of natural gas. |
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| 1973: | | | During the ongoing Watergate investigation, U.S. President Richard M. Nixon fired special prosecutor Archibald Cox, prompting the resignations of Attorney General Elliot Richardson and Deputy Attorney General William D. Ruckelshaus in what has been called the “Saturday Night Massacre” of Justice Department officials. |
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| 1968: | | Former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy married Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis. |
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| 1964: | | Former U.S. president Herbert Hoover died in New York City. |
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| 1921: | | France and the Grand National Assembly of Turkey signed the Treaty of Ankara. |
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| 1822: | | The Congress of Verona, the last of the meetings held by the European powers in accordance with the terms of the Quadruple Alliance, opened in Verona, Italy. |
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| 1803: | | The U.S. Senate, after due consideration and considerable oratory, ratified the Louisiana Purchase. |
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| 1740: | | Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI died, setting off the War of the Austrian Succession. |
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| 1600: | | The Battle of Sekigahara established the hegemony of the Tokugawa family in Japan. |
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