Today in history: The amendment to abolish slavery was passed by the U.S. Senate in 1864

The following is a chronological list of notable events that occurred on April 8 throughout history:

217 – Assassination of Roman Emperor Caracalla: Emperor Caracalla was assassinated and succeeded by his Praetorian Guard prefect, Marcus Opellius Macrinus.

1820 – Discovery of the Venus de Milo: A farmer on the Greek island of Milos discovered the ancient statue, believed to date back to the 2nd century BCE.

1864 – U.S. Senate Passes the 13th Amendment: The amendment to abolish slavery was passed by the Senate with a vote of 38-6. It was later ratified in December 1865.

1904 – Signing of the Entente Cordiale: France and the United Kingdom signed the Entente Cordiale, a series of agreements that improved Anglo-French relations and settled colonial disputes.

1913 – Ratification of the 17th Amendment: The U.S. Constitution was amended to allow for the direct election of U.S. senators by popular vote, rather than by state legislatures.

1944 – Russian Forces Attack German Army in Crimea: Under the command of Marshal Fyodor Tolbukhin, Russian forces launched an offensive to reclaim Crimea from German occupation during World War II.

1953 – Jomo Kenyatta Sentenced to Seven Years Hard Labor: Kenyatta, leader of the Kenyan independence movement, was convicted by British colonial rulers for his alleged role in the Mau Mau uprising.

1974 – Hank Aaron Breaks Babe Ruth’s Home Run Record: Atlanta Braves’ Hank Aaron hit his 715th career home run, surpassing Babe Ruth’s longstanding record.

1990 – Death of Ryan White: Ryan White, an 18-year-old who became a national symbol for AIDS awareness after contracting the disease through a blood transfusion, died in Indianapolis.

2005 – Funeral of Pope John Paul II: Over four million people gathered to pay their last respects to Pope John Paul II, making it one of the largest gatherings in history.