TODAY IN HISTORY

October 31

1517		Martin Luther nails his 95 Theses to the door of the church at Wittenberg in Germany. Luther's theories and writings inaugurate Protestantism, shattering the external structure of the medieval church and at the same time reviving the religious consciousness of Europe.
1803		Congress ratifies the purchase of the entire Louisiana area in North America, adding territory to the U.S. which will eventually become 13 more states.
1838		A mob of about 200 attacks a Mormon camp in Missouri, killing 20 men, women and children.
1864		Nevada becomes the 36th state.
1941		After 14 years of work, the Mount Rushmore National Memorial is completed.
1952		The United States explodes the first hydrogen bomb at Eniwetok Atoll in the Pacific.
1968		The bombing of North Vietnam is halted by the United States.
1971		Saigon begins the release of 1,938 Hanoi POW's.
1984		Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi is assassinated in New Delhi by two Sikh members of her bodyguard.
1998		Iraq announces it will no longer cooperate with United Nations weapons inspectors.
1999		EgyptAir Flight 990 crashes into Atlantic Ocean killing all 217 people on board.
2000		Soyuz TM-31 launches, carrying the first resident crew to the International Space Station.
2002		Former Enron Corp. CEO Andrew Fastow convicted on 78 counts of conspiracy, money laundering, obstruction of justice and wire fraud; the Enron collapse cost investors millions and led to new oversight legislation.