October 13
1775 - The U.S. Continental Congress ordered the construction of a naval fleet.
1792 - The cornerstone of the Executive Mansion was laid in Washington, DC. The building became known as the White House in 1818.
1812 - American forces were defeated at the Battle of Queenstown Heights. The British victory effectively ended an further U.S. invasion of Canada.
1843 - B'nai B'rith, the Jewish organization, was founded by Henry Jones and eleven others in New York City, NY.
1854 - The state of Texas ratified a state constitution.
1924 - The play "The Guardsman" opened in New York City, NY.
1943 - During World War II, Italy signed an armistice with the Allies and declared war on Germany.
1944 - American troops entered Aachen, Germany, during World War II.
1944 - During World War II, British and Greek advance units landed at Piraeus.
1951 - In Atlanta, GA, a football with a rubber covering was used for the first time. Georgia Tech beat Louisiana State 25-7.
1953 - An ultrasonic burglar alarm was patented by Samuel Bagno.
1957 - Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra introduced the Ford Edsel on an hour long special.
1960 - The World Series ended on a home run for the first time. Bill Mazeroski's homerun allowed the Pirates to beat the Yankees.
1962 - "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" opened on Broadway.
1967 - The first game of the new American Basketball Association was played.
1981 - Egyptian voters elected Vice President Hosni Mubarak as the new president one week after Anwar Sadat was assassinated.
1989 - U.S. President George H.W. Bush called for an overthrow of the Panamanian ruler Manuel Antonio Noriega.
1992 - A commercial flight record was set by an Air France supersonic jetliner for circling the Earth in 33 hours and one minute.
1995 - Walt Disney World Resort admitted its 500-millionth guest.
Disney movies, music and books
1998 - The National Basketball Association (NBA) canceled regular season games, due to work stoppage, for first time in its 51-year history.
1999 - The U.S. Senate rejected the ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT).
2010 - Near Copiapó, Chile, 33 miners were trapped underground in San José Mine. The miners were rescued after 69 days underground.
