Pablo Picasso's "Boy with a Pipe" became the most expensive painting ever sold.

In World War II, Germany unconditionally surrendered to the allies in Rheims, France.

Kate Middleton marries Prince William in a lavish royal wedding at Westminster Abbey in London.

France sold Louisiana and adjoining lands to the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase.

The first joint U.S.-Russian space walk was made by Jerry Linenger and Vasily Tsibliyev from space station Mir.

The first Earth Day was observed.

Pedro Alvares Cabral discovered Brazil and claimed it for Portugal.

Dennis Tito became the first space tourist.

Apollo 13 announced "Houston, we've got a problem," when an oxygen tank burst on the way to the Moon.

Samuel Johnson published his Dictionary of the English Language.