Today in history: November 15

updated 12:01 a.m. ET Nov. 15, 2005

Today is Tuesday, Nov. 15, the 319th day of 2005. There are 46 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History:
On Nov. 15, 1777, the Continental Congress approved the Articles of Confederation, a precursor to the Constitution of the United States.

On this date:
In 1806, explorer Zebulon Pike sighted the mountaintop now known as “Pikes Peak.”

In 1889, Brazil’s monarchy was overthrown.

In 1926, the National Broadcasting Company debuted with a radio network of 24 stations.

In 1939, President Roosevelt laid the cornerstone of the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C.

In 1940, the first 75,000 men were called to armed forces duty under peacetime conscription.

In 1948, William Lyon Mackenzie King retired as prime minister of Canada after 21 years; he was succeeded by Louis St. Laurent.

In 1966, the flight of Gemini 12 ended successfully as astronauts James A. Lovell and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin Jr. splashed down safely in the Atlantic.

In 1969, 250,000 protesters staged a peaceful demonstration in Washington against the Vietnam War.

In 1982, funeral services were held in Moscow’s Red Square for the late Soviet President Leonid I. Brezhnev.

In 1985, Britain and Ireland signed an accord giving Dublin an official consultative role in governing Northern Ireland.

Ten years ago: A partial government shutdown stretched into a second day. The space shuttle Atlantis docked with the orbiting Russian space station Mir.

Five years ago: Al Gore made a surprise proposal for a statewide hand recount of Florida’s 6 million ballots — an idea immediately rejected by George W. Bush. Earlier, Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris had rejected requests from the counties to update presidential vote totals with the results of hand recounts under way at Gore’s urging.

One year ago: The White House announced that Secretary of State Colin Powell was leaving President Bush’s Cabinet, along with Education Secretary Rod Paige, Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman and Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham. The U.N. Security Council imposed an arms embargo on Ivory Coast’s hard-line government after its violent confrontation with France.

Today’s Birthdays: Judge Joseph Wapner is 86. Statesman Howard H. Baker Jr. is 80. Actor Ed Asner is 76. Actor John Kerr is 74. Singer Petula Clark is 73. Comedian Jack Burns is 72. Actress Joanna Barnes is 71. Actor Sam Waterston is 65. Pop singer Frida (ABBA) is 60. Actor Bob Gunton is 60. Director-actor James Widdoes is 52. Rock singer-producer Mitch Easter is 51. Actress Beverly D’Angelo is 51. CBS News anchor-reporter John Roberts is 49. “Tonight Show” bandleader Kevin Eubanks is 48. Rapper E-40 is 38. Actress Rachel True is 36. Country singer Jack Ingram is 35. Christian rock musician David Carr (Third Day) is 31. Actress Virginie Ledoyen is 29.

Thought for Today: “In seeking wisdom thou art wise; in imagining that thou has attained it thou art a fool.” — Simon Ben Azzai, second century (A.D.) Jewish scholar.

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