- 41 A.D.: Claudius I becomes Roman emperor after the assassination of his nephew Caligula.
- 1877: The world's first solar power plant opens in Odeillo, France, marking a significant step towards renewable energy development.
- 1909: Richard Strauss's opera "Elektra" receives its premiere performance in Dresden, Germany.
- 1915: Alexander Graham Bell inaugurates the U.S. transcontinental telephone service, speaking from New York to Thomas Watson in San Francisco.
- 1919: The League of Nations, the forerunner to the United Nations, is officially established.
- 1924: The first Winter Olympics open in Chamonix, France, marking the beginning of a major international sporting event.
- 1971: Idi Amin seizes power in Uganda, ushering in a period of brutal dictatorship.
- 1981: Alicia Keys, the renowned singer and songwriter, is born in New York City.
- 2005: Philip Johnson, the renowned architect, dies at the age of 93.
What is the official state reptile of Florida, and why was it chosen?