This Day in History: August

Look back in time and examine the amazing events that happened on this day in history and which helped shape the world as we know it.

Course No. 90050

This collection of historical moments reveals pivotal August events that changed science, politics, and culture – from ancient Rome to modern hurricanes. Each concise lecture brings a different day to life through expert analysis and storytelling.

Video Lessons

01: August 6, 1945 – Hiroshima (9 min)

An award-winning historian examines the decision to deploy the first atomic bomb.

02: August 18, 1920 – Women Gain Voting Rights (8 min)

Explore the decades-long suffrage movement behind the 19th Amendment’s ratification.

03: August 24, 79 AD – Vesuvius Destroys Pompeii (9 min)

Trace the catastrophic eruption that preserved an ancient Roman city.

04: August 30, 1797 – Mary Shelley Born (12 min)

Celebrate the Frankenstein author who pioneered science fiction at age 18.

05: August 2, 1990 – Iraq Invades Kuwait (6 min)

General Wesley Clark analyzes the invasion that triggered the Gulf War.

06: August 7, 1876 – Mata Hari Born (7 min)

Forensic expert Elizabeth Murray investigates the truth behind the infamous spy.

07: August 28, 2005 – Hurricane Katrina Hits Category 5 (8 min)

An atmospheric scientist explains what made this storm historically destructive.

08: August 4, 1693 – Champagne Invented? (3 min)

A wine master separates fact from fiction about bubbly’s origins.

09: August 19, 14 AD – Caesar Augustus Dies (6 min)

Professor Gregory Aldrete examines Rome’s first emperor and his legacy.

10: August 13, 1894 – Noble Gases Discovered (7 min)

How argon’s detection revolutionized our understanding of chemistry.

11: August 31, 1888 – Jack the Ripper’s First Victim (9 min)

The gruesome discovery that began history’s most infamous serial killer case.

12: August 21, 1791 – Haitian Revolution Begins (8 min)

The world’s only successful large-scale slave revolt unfolds over 13 years.

13: August 22, 1485 – Richard III Killed (6 min)

Shakespearean drama meets historical fact in this royal battlefield demise.