This day in history

[April 21, 2009]  (AP)  Today is Tuesday, April 21, the 111th day of 2009. There are 254 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

Five hundred years ago, on April 21, 1509, England's King Henry VII died; he was succeeded by his 17-year-old son, Henry VIII.

On this date:

In 1649, the Maryland Toleration Act, which provided for freedom of worship for all Christians, was passed by the Maryland Assembly.

In 1789, John Adams was sworn in as the first vice president of the United States.

In 1816, Charlotte Bronte, author of "Jane Eyre," was born in Thornton, England.

In 1836, an army of Texans led by Sam Houston defeated the Mexicans at San Jacinto, assuring Texas independence.

In 1910, author Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known as Mark Twain, died in Redding, Conn., at age 74.

In 1918, Baron Manfred von Richthofen, the German ace known as the "Red Baron," was killed in action during World War I.

In 1955, the Jerome Lawrence-Robert Lee play "Inherit the Wind," inspired by the Scopes trial of 1925, opened at the National Theatre in New York.

In 1960, Brazil inaugurated its new capital, Brasilia, transferring the seat of national government from Rio de Janeiro.

In 1972, Apollo 16 astronauts John Young and Charles Duke explored the surface of the moon.

In 1975, South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu resigned after 10 years in office.

Ten years ago: A day after the mass killing at Columbine High School in Colorado, investigators continued their work, while memorial services were held across the city and dozens of counselors offered support to grieving students, parents, friends and family. Actor and bandleader Charles "Buddy" Rogers died in Rancho Mirage, Calif., at age 94.

Five years ago: Five suicide attackers detonated car bombs against police buildings in Basra, Iraq, killing at least 74 people. Mordechai Vanunu walked out of prison, 18 years after exposing Israel's nuclear secrets. Karl Hass, a former Nazi officer convicted for the wartime massacre of 335 Italian civilians, died in a rest home near Rome, where he had been serving a life sentence under house arrest; he was 92. Washington Post columnist Mary McGrory died at age 85.

One year ago: President George W. Bush opened a two-day summit in New Orleans with Mexican President Felipe Calderon and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Gasoline prices jumped to a record $3.50 a gallon in the U.S. Robert Cheruiyot of Kenya won the Boston Marathon in 2 hours, 7 minutes and 46 seconds to become the fourth man to win the race four times; Dire Tune won the women's race in 2:25:25. 1970s soul singer Al Wilson died in Fontana, Calif., at age 68.

Today's birthdays: Britain's Queen Elizabeth II is 83. Actress-comedian-writer Elaine May is 77. Actor Charles Grodin is 74. Singer-musician Iggy Pop is 62. Actress Patti LuPone is 60. Actor Tony Danza is 58. Actress Andie MacDowell is 51. Rock singer Robert Smith (The Cure) is 50. Rock musician Michael Timmins (Cowboy Junkies) is 50. Actor John Cameron Mitchell is 46. Rapper Michael Franti (Spearhead) is 43. Rock singer-musician Glen Hansard (The Frames) is 39. Comedian Nicole Sullivan is 39. Actor James McAvoy is 30.

Thought for today: "Modern man thinks he loses something -time -- when he does not do things quickly. Yet he does not know what to do with the time he gains -- except kill it." -- Erich Fromm, German-American psychoanalyst and author (1900-1980)

[Associated Press]

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