1712 – The New York Slave Revolt of 1712 begins near Broadway.
1776 – American Revolutionary War: Ships of the Continental Navy fail in their attempt to capture a Royal Navy dispatch boat.
1808 – John Jacob Astor incorporates the American Fur Company, that would eventually make him America's first millionaire.
1830 – Church of Christ, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement, is organized by Joseph Smith and others at Fayette or Manchester, New York.
1841 – U.S. President John Tyler is sworn in, two days after having become President upon William Henry Harrison's death.
1860 – The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, later renamed Community of Christ, is organized by Joseph Smith III and others at Amboy, Illinois.
1862 – American Civil War: The Battle of Shiloh begins: In Tennessee, forces under Union General Ulysses S. Grant meet Confederate troops led by General Albert Sidney Johnston.
1865 – American Civil War: The Battle of Sailor's Creek: Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia fights and loses its last major battle while in retreat from Richmond, Virginia during the Appomattox Campaign.
1866 – The Grand Army of the Republic, an American patriotic organization composed of Union veterans of the American Civil War, is founded. It lasts until 1956.
1888 – Thomas Green Clemson dies, bequeathing his estate to the State of South Carolina to establish Clemson Agricultural College.
1893 – Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is dedicated by Wilford Woodruff.
1909 – Robert Peary and Matthew Henson reach the North Pole.
1917 – World War I: The United States declares war on Germany.
1929 – Huey P. Long, Governor of Louisiana, is impeached by the Louisiana House of Representatives.
1947 – The first Tony Awards are presented for theatrical achievement.
1962 – Leonard Bernstein causes controversy with his remarks from the podium during a New York Philharmonic concert featuring Glenn Gould performing Brahms' First Piano Concerto.
1968 – In Richmond, Indiana's downtown district, a double explosion kills 41 and injures 150.
1972 – Vietnam War: Easter Offensive: American forces begin sustained air strikes and naval bombardments.
1973 – Launch of Pioneer 11 spacecraft.
1973 – The American League of Major League Baseball begins using the designated hitter.
1998 – Travelers Group announces an agreement to undertake the $76 billion merger between Travelers and Citicorp, and the merger is completed on October 8, of that year, forming Citibank.
1892 – Donald Wills Douglas, Sr., American businessman, founded the Douglas Aircraft Company (d. 1981)
1892 – Lowell Thomas, American journalist and author (d. 1981)
1941 – Don Prudhomme, American race car driver and manager
1951 – Bert Blyleven, Dutch-American baseball player and sportscaster
1956 – Michele Bachmann, American lawyer and politician
1966 – Vince Flynn, American author (d. 2013)
1862 – Albert Sidney Johnston, American general (b. 1803)
1971 – Igor Stravinsky, Russian-American pianist, composer, and conductor (b. 1882)
1992 – Isaac Asimov, American science fiction writer (b. 1920)
2015 – Ray Charles, American singer-songwriter and conductor (b. 1918)
2017 - Don Rickles, American Comedian and actor, given the nickname "Mr. Warmth" (b. 1926)