1571 – Spanish troops occupied Manila.

1628 – The Massachusetts colony was founded by Englishmen.

1644 – 200 members of the Peking imperial family/court committed suicide.

1687 – French explorer La Salle was murdered by his own men while searching for the mouth of the Mississippi River, in the Gulf of Mexico.

1702 – Upon the death of William III of Orange, Anne Stuart, the sister of Mary, succeeds to the throne of England, Scotland and Ireland.

1748 – The English Naturalization Act passed granting Jews right to colonize in the U.S.

1775 – Poland & Prussia signed a trade agreement.

1822 – The city of Boston, MA, was incorporated.

1831 – The first bank robbery in America was reported. The City Bank of New York City lost $245,000 in the robbery.

1865 – The Battle of Bentonville took place. The Confederates retreated from Greenville, NC.

1866 – The immigrant ship Monarch of the Seas sank in Liverpool killing 738.

1879 – Jim Currie opened fire on the actors Maurice Barrymore and Ben Porter near Marshall, TX. The shots wounded Barrymore and killed Porter.

1895 – The Los Angeles Railway was established to provide streetcar service.

1900 – U.S. President McKinley asserted that there was a need for free trade with Puerto Rico.

1900 – Archeologist Arthur John Evans began the excavation of Knossos Palace in Greece.

1903 – The U.S. Senate ratified the Cuban treaty, gaining naval bases in Guantanamo and Bahia Honda.

1905 – French explorer S. de Segonzac was taken prisoner by Moroccans.

1906 – Reports from Berlin estimated the cost of the German war in S.W. Africa at $150 million.

1908 – The state of Maryland barred Christian Scientists from practicing without medical diplomas.

1915 – Pluto was photographed for the first time. However, it was not known at the time.

1917 – The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Adamson Act that made the eight-hour workday for railroads constitutional.

1918 – The U.S. Congress approved Daylight-Saving Time.

1918 – A German seaplane was shot down for the first time by an American pilot.

1920 – The U.S. Senate rejected the Versailles Treaty for the second time maintaining an isolation policy.

1924 – U.S. troops were rushed to Tegucigalpa as rebel forces took the Honduran capital.

1931 – The state of Nevada legalized gambling.

1940 – The French government of Daladier fell.

1942 – The Thoroughbred Racing Association was formed in Chicago.

1944 – Tippett’s oratorium “Child of Our Time,” premiered in London.

1945 – About 800 people were killed as Japanese kamikaze planes attacked the U.S. carrier Franklin off Japan.

1945 – Adolf Hitler issued his “Nero Decree” which ordered the destruction of German facilities that could fall into Allied hands as German forces were retreating.

1947 – Chiang Kai-Shek’s government forces took control of Yenan, the former headquarters of the Chinese Communist Party.

1948 – Lee Savold knocked out Gino Buonvino in 54 seconds of the first round of their prize fight at Madison Square Gardens.

1949 – The Soviet People’s Council signed the constitution of the German Democratic Republic, and declared that the North Atlantic Treaty was merely a war weapon.

1953 – The Academy Awards aired on television for the first time.

1953 – Tennessee Williams’ “Camino Real” premiered in New York City.

1954 – Viewers saw the first televised prize fight shown in color when Joey Giardello knocked out Willie Tory in round seven at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

1954 – The first rocket-driven sled that ran on rails was tested in Alamogordo, NM.

1963 – In Costa Rica, U.S. President John F. Kennedy and six Latin American presidents pledged to fight Communism.

1964 – Sean Connery began shooting his role in “Goldfinger.”

1965 – Indonesia nationalized all foreign oil companies.

1965 – Rembrandt’s “Titus” sold for $7,770,000.

1968 – Students at Howard University students seized an administration building.

1969 – British invaded Anguilla.

1972 – India and Bangladesh signed a friendship treaty.

1976 – Buckingham Palace announced the separation of Princess Margaret and her husband, the Earl of Snowdon, after 16 years of marriage.

1977 – Congo President Marien Ngouabi was killed by a suicide commando.

1977 – France performed a nuclear test at Muruora Island.

1977 – The last episode of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” aired.

1979 – The U.S. House of Representatives began broadcasting its daily business on TV.

1981 – During a test of the space shuttle Columbia two workers were injured and one was killed.

1981 – The Buffalo Sabres set an NHL record when they scored 9 goals in one period against Toronto.

1984 – The TV show “Kate and Allie” premiered.

1984 – A Mobile oil tanker spilled 200,000 gallons into the Columbia River.

1985 – IBM announced that it was planning to stop making the PCjr consumer-oriented computer.

1985 – The U.S. Senate voted to authorize production of the MX missile.

1987 – Televangelist Jim Bakker resigned from the PTL due to a scandal involving Jessica Hahn.

1988 – Two British soldiers were killed by mourners at a funeral in Belfast, North Ireland. The soldiers were shot to death after being dragged from a car and beaten.

1990 – Latvia’s political opposition claimed victory in the republic’s first free elections in 50 years.

1990 – The first world ice hockey tournament for women was held in Ottawa.

1991 – Brett Hull, of the St. Louis Blues, became the third National Hockey League (NHL) player to score 80 goals in a season.

1994 – The largest omelet in history was made with 160,000 eggs in Yokohama, Japan.

1998 – The World Health Organization warned of tuberculosis epidemic that could kill 70 million people in next two decades.

1999 – 53 people were killed and dozens were injured when a bomb exploded in a market place in southern Russia.

2000 – Vector Data Systems conducted a simulation of the 1993 Branch Davidian siege in Waco, TX. The simulation showed that the government had not fired first.

2001 – California officials declared a power alert and ordered the first of two days of rolling blackouts.

2002 – Operation Anaconda, the largest U.S.-led ground offensive since the Gulf War, ended in eastern Afghanistan. During the operation, which began on March 2, it was reported that at least 500 Taliban and al Qaeda fighters were killed. Eleven allied troops were killed during the same operation.

2002 – Actor Ben Kingsley was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace.

2003 – U.S. President George W. Bush announced that U.S. forces had launched a strike against “targets of military opportunity” in Iraq. The attack, using cruise missiles and precision-guided bombs, were aimed at Iraqi leaders thought to be near Baghdad.

2015 – Apple replaced AT&T in the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

on-this-day.com

**Costco’s meatloaf with mashed Yukon potatoes and glaze, sold in 26 states, Melina Khan, USA TODAY, Updated March 16, 2026

USA TODAY has reached out to Costco and Griffith Foods Inc., the ingredient supplier

DE,DC,FL,GA,HI,IL,IN,IA,KY,MD,MI,MS,MO,NV,NM,NC OH,PA,Puerto Rico,SC,TN,Utah,VA,WI

** Rosina Food Products, Inc. Recalls Ready-To-Eat Frozen Meatball Products Due To Possible Foreign Matter Contamination

Rosina Food Products, Inc., a West Seneca, N.Y. establishment, is recalling approximately 9,462 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) frozen meatball products that may be contaminated with foreign material, specifically metal, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

**Pure Vitamins and Natural Supplements, LLC Issues Voluntary Nationwide Recall of Honey Products Due to Undeclared Sildenafil and Tadalafil. This Product contains sildenafil and tadalafil. Company Name:Pure Vitamins and Natural Supplements, LLCBrand Name:

Boner Bear, Red Bull and Blue BullProduct Description:

Honey dietary supplement

** Medical Device Correction impacts only specific lots of Omnipod® 5 Pods

Customers can visit omnipod.com/check-podsExternal Link Disclaimer to check lot numbers and request replacement Pods at no cost edical DevicesReason for Announcement:

Pods may have a small tear in the internal tubing that delivers insulin. This may leak inside the Pod instead of being fully infused into the body as intended.Company Name:Insulet CorporationBrand Name:

OmnipodProduct Description:

Alternate controller enabled insulin infusion pump

** FSIS Issues Public Health Alert For Frozen Ready-To-Eat Turkey Stuffed Pastry Products Due To Misbranding

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert for frozen ready-to-eat turkey stuffed pastry products due to misbranding. Some boxes of the turkey, pesto, and cheese stuffed pastries contain ham and cheese instead. A recall was not requested because the product is no longer available for purchase.

** According to a notice published on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) website, Georgia-based Savannah Bee Company announced a recall on Friday, Feb. 27, of its 16-fluid-ounce Honey BBQ Sauce-Mustard due to undeclared wheat and soy.

0037 – The Roman Senate annuls Tiberius’ will and proclaims Caligula emperor.

1123 – The first Latern Council (9th ecumenical council) opened in Rome.

1190 – Crusaders killed 57 Jews in Bury St. Edmonds England.

1532 – The English parliament banned payments by English church to Rome.

1541 – Hernando de Soto observed the first recorded flood of the Mississippi River.

1583 – Dutch States General & Anjou signed a treaty.

1673 – Lord Berkley sold his half of New Jersey to the Quakers.

1692 – William Penn was deprived of his governing powers.

1766 – Britain repealed the Stamp Act.

1813 – David Melville patented the gas streetlight.

1818 – The U.S. Congress approved the first pensions for government service.

1834 – The first railroad tunnel in the U.S. was completed. The work was in Pennsylvania.

1835 – Charles Darwin left Santiago Chile on his way to Portillo Pass.

1850 – Henry Wells & William Fargo founded American Express.

1865 – The Congress of the Confederate States of America adjourned for the last time.

1874 – Hawaii signed a treaty giving exclusive trading rights with the islands to the U.S.

1881 – Barnum and Bailey’s Greatest Show on Earth opened in Madison Square Gardens.

1891 – Britain became linked to the continent of Europe by telephone.

1899 – Phoebe, a moon of the planet Saturn, was discovered.

1900 – Ajax (Amsterdam Football Club) was formed.

1902 – In Turkey, the Sultan granted a German syndicate the first concession to access Baghdad by rail.

1903 – France dissolved the Catholic religious orders.

1906 – In Morocco, it was reported that France and Germany were in a deadlock at the Algeciras Conference.

1909 – Einar Dessau of Denmark used a short wave transmitter to become the first person to broadcast as a “ham” operator.

1910 – The first opera by a U.S. composer performed at the Met in New York City.

1911 – Theodore Roosevelt opened the Roosevelt Dam in Arizona. It was the largest dam in the U.S. at the time.

1911 – North Dakota enacted a hail insurance law.

1913 – Greek King George I was killed by an assassin. Constantine I succeeded him.

1916 – Russia countered the Verdun assault with an attack at Lake Naroch. The Russians lost 100,000 men and the Germans lost 20,000.

1917 – The Germans sank the U.S. ships, City of Memphis, Vigilante and the Illinois, without any warning.

1919 – The Order of DeMolay was established in Kansas City.

1920 – Greece adopted the Gregorian calendar.

1921 – Poland was enlarged with the second Peace of Riga.

1921 – The steamer “Hong Koh” ran aground off of Swatow China. Over 1,000 people were killed.

1922 – Mohandas K. Gandhi was sentenced to six years in prison for civil disobedience in India. He served only 2 years of the sentence.

1922 – Princeton and Yale played the first intercollegiate indoor polo championship.

1931 – Schick Inc. displayed the first electric shaver.

1937 – More than 400 people, mostly children, were killed in a gas explosion at a school in New London, TX.

1938 – Mexico took control of all foreign-owned oil properties on its soil.

1938 – New York first required serological blood tests of pregnant women.

1940 – The soap opera “Light of the World” was first heard on NBC radio.

1940 – Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini held a meeting at the Brenner Pass. The Italian dictator agreed to join in Germany’s war against France and Britain during the meeting.

1942 – The third military draft began in the U.S. because of World War II.

1943 – The Reich called off its offensive in Caucasus.

1943 – American forces took Gafsa in Tunisia.

1944 – The Russians reached the Rumanian border in the Balkans during World War II.

1945 – 1,250 U.S. bombers attacked Berlin.

1945 – Maurice “Rocket” Richard became the first National Hockey League (NHL) player to score 50 goals.

1948 – France, Great Britain, and Benelux signed the Treaty of Brussels.

1949 – The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was ratified.

1950 – Nationalist troops landed on the mainland of China and capture Communist held Sungmen.

1952 – In Philadelphia, PA, the first plastic lenses were fitted for a cataract patient.

1953 – An earthquake hit West Turkey killing 250 people.

1954 – RKO Pictures was sold for $23,489,478. It became the first motion picture studio to be owned by an individual. The person was Howard Hughes.

1959 – U.S. President Eisenhower signed the Hawaii statehood bill.

1962 – French and Algerian rebels agreed to a truce.

1963 – “Tovarich” opened at the Broadway Theater in New York City for 264 performances.

1963 – France performed an underground nuclear test at Ecker Algeria.

1963 – The U.S. Supreme Court handed down the Miranda decision concerning legal council for defendants.

1965 – Cosmonaut Alexei Leonov became the first man to spacewalk when he left the Voskhod II space capsule while in orbit around the Earth. He was outside the spacecraft for about 20 minutes.

1966 – The government of Indonesia was formed by General Suharto.

1966 – Scott Paper began selling paper dresses for $1.

1968 – The U.S. Congress repealed the requirement for a gold reserve.

1969 – U.S. President Nixon authorizes Operation Menue. It was the ‘secret’ bombing of Cambodia.

1970 – The U.S. Postal Service experienced the first postal strike.

1970 – The NFL selected Wilson to be the official football and scoreboard as official time.

1971 – U.S. helicopters airlifted 1,000 South Vietnamese soldiers out of Laos.

1971 – A landslide in Lake Yanahuani, Chungar Peru, killed 200.

1974 – Most of the Arab oil-producing nations ended their five-month embargo against the United States, Europe and Japan.

1975 – Saigon abandoned most of the Central Highlands of Vietnam to Hanoi.

1975 – The Kurds ended their fight against Iraq.

1977 – Vietnam turned over an MIA to a U.S. delegation.

1979 – Iranian authorities detained American feminist Kate Millett. The next day she was deported.

1980 – The Vostok rocket exploded on the launch pad killing 50.

1981 – The U.S. disclosed that there were biological weapons tested in Texas in 1966.

1986 – Buckingham Palace announced the engagement of Prince Andrew to Sarah Ferguson.

1986 – The U.S. Treasury Department announced that a clear, polyester thread was to be woven into bills in an effort to thwart counterfeiters.

1987 – The U.S. performed nuclear tests at a Nevada test site.

1990 – Thirteen paintings were stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. The value was $100 million making it the largest art robbery in history.

1989 – A 4,400-year-old mummy was discovered at the Pyramid of Cheops in Egypt.

1990 – The first free elections took place in East Germany.

1990 – The 32-day lockout of baseball players ended.

1990 – In Tampa, FL, a little league player was killed after being hit with a pitch.

1992 – Leona Hemsly was sentenced to 4 years in prison for tax evasion.

1992 – White South Africans voted for constitutional reforms that would give legal equality to blacks.

1994 – Zsa Zsa Gabor filed for bankruptcy.

1997 – A Russian AN-24 crashed killing 50 people.

2003 – China’s new president, Hu Jintao, announced that his country must deepen reforms and raise living standards of workers and farmers.

After four months of widespread protest in America, the British Parliament repeals the Stamp Act, a taxation measure enacted to raise revenues for a standing British army in America.

The Stamp Act was passed on March 22, 1765, leading to an uproar in the colonies over an issue that was to be a major cause of the Revolution: taxation without representation.

Enacted in November 1765, the controversial act forced colonists to buy a British stamp for every official document they obtained. The stamp itself displayed an image of a Tudor rose framed by the word “America” and the French phrase Honi soit qui mal y pense–“Shame to him who thinks evil of it.”

The colonists, who had convened the Stamp Act Congress in October 1765 to vocalize their opposition to the impending enactment, greeted the arrival of the stamps with outrage and violence.

Most Americans called for a boycott of British goods, and some organized attacks on the custom houses and homes of tax collectors. After months of protest, and an appeal by Benjamin Franklin before the British House of Commons, Parliament voted to repeal the Stamp Act in March 18, 1766.

However, the same day, Parliament passed the Declaratory Acts, asserting that the British government had free and total legislative power over the colonies.