TODAY in HISTORY

1862 — The Homestead Act provides cheap land for settlement of the West

1932 — Amelia Earhart leaves Newfoundland, becoming the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic

1954 — Chiang Kai-shek becomes president of Nationalist China

1959 — Shah of Persia visits the Netherlands

1963 — Sukarno appointed president of Indonesia

1973 — “Waltons,” “All in the Family” and “Mary Tyler Moore” win 25th Emmy Awards

1980 — In a referendum, 59.5 percent of Quebec voters reject separatism

1985 — Israel exchanges 1,150 Lebanese/Palestinian prisoners for 3 Israeli soldiers

1989 — China declares martial law in Beijing

1991 — Chicago Bull Michael Jordan, named NBA’s MVP

1992 — India launches its first satellite independently

1993 — Ukraine Premier Leonid Koetsjma resigns