A French military and political leader who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led several successful campaigns during the Revolutionary Wars. He became Emperor of the French in 1804, dominating European affairs for over a decade.
The Panama Canal officially opens to traffic, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The SS Ancon was the first ship to make the transit through the canal.
India gains independence from British rule, ending nearly 200 years of colonial empire. Jawaharlal Nehru became the country's first Prime Minister.
The Woodstock music festival begins on a dairy farm in Bethel, New York. The three-day event featured legendary performances and became a defining moment of the 1960s counterculture.