1812 – A political cartoon in the Boston Gazette coins the term "gerrymander" to describe oddly shaped electoral districts designed to help incumbents win reelection.

In 1896, the first modern Olympic games formally opened in Athens, Greece.

In 1909, American explorers Robert E. Peary and Matthew A. Henson and four Inuits became the first men to reach the North Pole.

In 1954, Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy, R-Wis., responding to CBS newsman Edward R. Murrow's broadside against him on "See It Now," said in remarks filmed for the program that Murrow had, in the past, "engaged in propaganda for Communist causes."

In 1965, the United States launched Intelsat I, also known as the "Early Bird" communications satellite, into geosynchronous orbit.

1967 – Ten thousand people gather for one of many Central Park be-ins in New York City.

1971 – East Pakistan declares its independence from Pakistan to form Bangladesh and the Bangladesh Liberation War begins.

1975 – The Biological Weapons Convention comes into force.

1979 – Anwar al-Sadat, Menachem Begin and Jimmy Carter sign the Egypt–Israel Peace Treaty in Washington, D.C.

Ten years ago in 2009:

President Barack Obama paid tribute to the memory of modern Turkey's founding father, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, during a visit to Ankara; delivering a speech to the Turkish Parliament, Obama declared the U.S. "is not and never will be at war with Islam

2015 – Saudi Arabia begins its military intervention in Yemen, which led to deaths of thousands of people, many of whom were civilians.

And if today is your birthday, you also share this special day with…

1859 – A. E. Housman, English poet and scholar (d. 1936)

1874 – Robert Frost, American poet and playwright (d. 1963)

1875 – Syngman Rhee, South Korean journalist and politician, 1st President of South Korea (d. 1965)

1904 – Joseph Campbell, American mythologist and author (d. 1987)

1905 – Viktor Frankl, Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist (d. 1997)

1911 – Tennessee Williams, American playwright, and poet (d. 1983)

1913 – Paul Erdős, Hungarian-Polish mathematician and academic (d. 1996)

1914 – William Westmoreland, American general (d. 2005)

1916 – Sterling Hayden, American actor and author (d. 1986)

1917 – Rufus Thomas, American R&B singer-songwriter (d. 2001)

1923 – Bob Elliott, American comedian, actor, and screenwriter (d. 2016)

1925 – Pierre Boulez, French pianist, composer, and conductor (d. 2016)

1925 – James Moody, American saxophonist and composer (d. 2010)

1929 – Edward Sorel, American illustrator and caricaturist

1930 – Sandra Day O'Connor, American lawyer and jurist

1930 – Gregory Corso, American poet (d. 2001)

1931 – Leonard Nimoy, American actor (d. 2015)

1934 – Alan Arkin, American actor

1935 – Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian politician, 2nd President of the State of Palestine

1937 -- Actor Billy Dee Williams

1940 – James Caan, American actor and singer

1940 – Nancy Pelosi, American lawyer and politician, 60th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives

1941 – Richard Dawkins, Kenyan-English ethologist, biologist, and academic

1942 – Erica Jong, American novelist and poet

1943 – Bob Woodward, American journalist and author

1944 – Diana Ross, American singer-songwriter, producer, and actress

1949 – Vicki Lawrence, American actress, comedian, talk show host, and singer

1950 – Teddy Pendergrass, American singer-songwriter (d. 2010)

1952 -- Actress Marilu Henner

1953 – Lincoln Chafee, American academic and politician, 74th Governor of Rhode Island

1953 – Elaine Chao, Taiwanese-American banker and politician, 24th United States Secretary of Labor

1954 – Curtis Sliwa, American talk show host and activist, founded Guardian Angels

1956 -- Former U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn.

1982 -- Folk singer-musician Kenneth Pattengale (Milk Carton Kids)

1985 – Keira Knightley, English actress

2003 – Danielle Bregoli, American rapper and social media personality

Almanac - Tuesday 3/26/19

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