On This Day | Sept. 14: The first spacecraft to reach the Moon.
In 1959, the Soviet space probe Luna 2 became the first human-made object to reach the moon when it crashed onto the lunar surface.
On This Day | Sept. 13: Rabin and Arafat shook hands.
In 1993, at the White House, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and P.L.O. chairman Yasir Arafat shook hands after signing an accord granting limited Palestinian autonomy.
On This Day | Sept. 12: The S.S. Central America sank in a hurricane.
In 1857, the S.S. Central America, later known as the “Ship of Gold,” sank in a hurricane while carrying passengers and California gold, killing hundreds and helping intensify the Panic of 1857.
On This Day | Sept. 11
In 2001, Al Qaeda hijackers crashed two airliners into the World Trade Center in New York, causing the twin towers to collapse. A third plane struck the Pentagon, and a fourth crashed near Shanksville, Pa., after passengers and crew members resisted the hijackers. Nearly 3,000 people were killed.
On This Day | Sept. 10
In 1897, sheriff’s deputies fired on striking coal miners near Lattimer, Pa., killing more than a dozen workers in a major labor-rights confrontation.
On This Day | Sept. 9
In 1971, prisoners at Attica Correctional Facility in New York seized part of the prison and took guards hostage, demanding better conditions and political reforms. The uprising left 43 people dead, including 39 during the violent retaking, while subsequent investigations exposed prisoner abuse and official misconduct.
On This Day | Sept. 8
In 1974, President Gerald R. Ford granted former President Richard M. Nixon an unconditional pardon for any crimes he may have committed while in office.
‘On This Day’ Lesson Plan Ideas
Each day, we feature a historic New York Times article alongside a scan of that day’s printed newspaper front page. Here are five teaching ideas to make these primary sources come alive for students.
