On This Day in History: September 13

September 13 has witnessed pivotal moments across thousands of years of human history. From transformative artistic achievements and naval clashes to landmark diplomatic agreements and constitutional foundations, here are ten significant historical events that took place on this day.

122 — Construction Begins on Hadrian's Wall

In 122 CE, Roman forces initiated the construction of Hadrian's Wall across the northern frontier of the province of Britannia, under the orders of Emperor Hadrian. Spanning approximately 73 miles from the River Tyne near the North Sea to the Solway Firth on the Irish Sea, the stone and turf fortification served to defend Roman territory and regulate frontier trade and movement.

1501 — Michelangelo Begins Work on David

On September 13, 1501, the Italian Renaissance master Michelangelo Buonarroti began sculpting his monumental statue of David in Florence, Italy. Commissioned by the Overseers of the Office of Works of Florence Cathedral, Michelangelo carved the masterpiece from a single block of Carrara marble over three years, creating an enduring emblem of Renaissance art and civic virtue.

1515 — The Battle of Marignano Commences

On September 13, 1515, French forces led by King Francis I engaged the Swiss Confederacy near the town of Melegnano (then known as Marignano) southeast of Milan. The two-day confrontation resulted in a decisive French victory, securing control of Milan for Francis I and prompting the Swiss Confederacy to sign a treaty of perpetual peace with France the following year.

1759 — The Battle of the Plains of Abraham

On September 13, 1759, British troops under Major General James Wolfe defeated French forces led by Lieutenant General Louis-Joseph de Montcalm outside the walls of Quebec City during the Seven Years' War. Both commanders were mortally wounded in the engagement, which led directly to the British capture of Quebec and altered the colonial administration of North America.

1788 — The United States Congress of the Confederation Sets New Government Dates

On September 13, 1788, the Congress of the Confederation established the operational timetable for the new federal government under the newly ratified United States Constitution. The resolution declared New York City as the temporary seat of government and designated the first Wednesday in January 1789 for appointing presidential electors, the first Wednesday in February for casting electoral votes, and the first Wednesday in March for the new government to convene.

1814 — British Forces Bombard Fort McHenry

During the War of 1812, the British Royal Navy initiated a 25-hour naval bombardment of Fort McHenry in Baltimore Harbor on September 13, 1814. American troops successfully defended the fort, preventing British forces from capturing the city. The sight of the American garrison flag still flying at dawn inspired lawyer and poet Francis Scott Key to write the verses that became the U.S. national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner."

1859 — The Broderick-Terry Duel Occurs in California

On September 13, 1859, a duel occurred at Lake Merced near San Francisco between sitting United States Senator David Colbreth Broderick and former California Supreme Court Chief Justice David Smith Terry. The confrontation stemmed from severe political divisions regarding slavery and the Democratic Party's leadership. Broderick was shot and died three days later, marking the only time a sitting U.S. senator was fatally wounded in a duel.

1906 — Alberto Santos-Dumont Conducts Early Fixed-Wing Flight Test

On September 13, 1906, Brazilian aviation pioneer Alberto Santos-Dumont completed a short tethered hop in his 14-bis biplane at the Bagatelle grounds near Paris, France. While this initial hop covered only a brief distance, it served as an essential trial leading to his officially certified, untethered sustained flights of a heavier-than-air machine in Europe later that autumn.

1933 — Elizabeth McCombs Becomes New Zealand's First Female Member of Parliament

On September 13, 1933, Elizabeth Reid McCombs won the Lyttelton by-election representing the Labour Party, becoming the first woman elected to the New Zealand Parliament. Her victory occurred forty years after New Zealand had recognized women's right to vote in 1893, representing a breakthrough for female representation in the nation's legislative governance.

1993 — Israel and the PLO Sign the Oslo I Accord

On September 13, 1993, representatives of the State of Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) officially signed the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements, known as the Oslo I Accord, at the White House in Washington, D.C. Facilitated through secret negotiations in Norway and hosted by United States President Bill Clinton, the document was signed by Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and PLO representative Mahmoud Abbas, accompanied by a historic handshake between Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat. The accord created the Palestinian National Authority and outlined a five-year framework for interim Palestinian self-governance in parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.