Associated Press

On Nov. 1, 1478, the Spanish Inquisition was established.

In 1604, William Shakespeare’s tragedy “Othello” was first presented in London.

In 1765, the Stamp Act, passed by the British Parliament, went into effect.

In 1870, the United States Weather Bureau made its first meteorological observations.

In 1950, two Puerto Rican nationalists tried to force their way into Blair House in Washington, D.C., in a failed attempt to assassinate President Harry S. Truman.

In 1989, East Germany reopened its border with Czechoslovakia, prompting tens of thousands of refugees to flee to the West.

In 2007, less than a week after workers ratified a new contract, Chrysler announced 12,000 job cuts, or about 15% of its work force.