On this day in 1959, the modern United States receives its crowning star when President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs a proclamation admitting Hawaii into the Union as the 50th state.

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President Richard Nixon resigns, Henry David Thoreau published Walden Pond, Jesse Owens wins his 4th gold medal in the Summer Olympics, and the first Hispanic is named as Secretary of Education in This Day in History video. The date is August 9th. Adolph Hitler opened up this Berlin Summer Olympic.

In this "This Day in History" video clip learn about different events that have occurred on October 21st. Some of the events include the launching of the USS Constitution and Thomas Edison creating the first working light bulb. Also, a former Philippine President is arrested and the Guggenheim Museum opens.

In this "This Day in History" video clip learn about different events that have occurred on January 1st. Some of these events include the enactment of the emancipation proclamation and the opening of Ellis Island. Also, David Dinkins becomes the first African-American mayor of New York City and dictator Batista is forced out of Cuba by revolution.

Both Mildred Gillars and James Earl Ray had run ins with the law on March 10th as we are told by Russ Mitchell in this video clip from "This Day in History." Gillars was convicted of treason, and Ray pleaded guilty to assassinating MLK Jr. Also in this day, Abraham Lincoln applied for a patent, which made him the only president to ever hold a patent. Thirty thousand Tibetans revolted against communist China when they formed a human wall around the palace of the Dalai Lama so that he could escape safely to India. Although they feared he would be kidnapped the human wall allowed him to escape.

On this day in 1974, on an evening televised address, President Richard M. Nixon announces his intention to become the first president in American history to resign. With impeachment proceedings underway against him for his involvement in the Watergate affair, Nixon was finally bowing to pressure from the public and Congress to leave the White House. "By taking this action," he said in a solemn address from the Oval Office, "I hope that I will have hastened the start of the process of healing which is so desperately needed in America."On this day in 1974, on an evening televised address, President Richard M. Nixon announces his intention to become the first president in American history to resign. With impeachment proceedings underway against him for his involvement in the Watergate affair, Nixon was finally bowing to pressure from the public and Congress to leave the White House. "By taking this action," he said in a solemn address from the Oval Office, "I hope that I will have hastened the start of the process of healing which is so desperately needed in America."On this day in 1974, on an evening televised address, President Richard M. Nixon announces his intention to become the first president in American history to resign. With impeachment proceedings underway against him for his involvement in the Watergate affair, Nixon was finally bowing to pressure from the public and Congress to leave the White House. "By taking this action," he said in a solemn address from the Oval Office, "I hope that I will have hastened the start of the process of healing which is so desperately needed in America."

On this day in 1943, Japanese troops evacuate Guadalcanal, leaving the island in Allied possession after a prolonged campaign. The American victory paved the way for other Allied wins in the Solomon Islands. Guadalcanal is the largest of the Solomons, a group of 992 islands and atolls, 347 of which are inhabited, in the South Pacific Ocean. The Solomons, which are located northeast of Australia and have 87 indigenous languages, were discovered in 1568 by the Spanish navigator Alvaro de Mendana de Neyra (154195). In 1893, the British annexed Guadalcanal, along with the other central and southern Solomons. The Germans took control of the northern Solomons in 1885, but transferred these islands, except for Bougainville and Buka (which eventually went to the Australians) to the British in 1900. The Japanese invaded the Solomons in 1942 during World War II and began building a strategic airfield on Guadalcanal. On August 7 of that year, U.S. Marines landed on the island, signaling the Allies' first major offensive against Japanese-held positions in the Pacific. The Japanese responded quickly with sea and air attacks. A series of bloody battles ensued in the debilitating tropical heat as Marines sparred with Japanese troops on land, while in the waters surrounding Guadalcanal, the U.S. Navy fought six major engagements with the Japanese between August 24 and November 30. In mid-November 1942, the five Sullivan brothers from Waterloo, Iowa, died together when the Japanese sunk their ship, the USS Juneau. Both sides suffered heavy losses of men, warships and planes in the battle for Guadalcanal. An estimated 1,600 U.S. troops were killed, over 4,000 were wounded and several thousand more died from disease. The Japanese lost 24,000 soldiers. On December 31, 1942, Emperor Hirohito told Japanese troops they could withdraw from the area; the Americans secured Guadalcanal about five weeks later.