On this day in history - Today, January, 31

Today in History

• 1865 The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is passed

  The Amendment, which officially abolished slavery, was adopted on December 6, 1865.

• 1961 Ham the Chimp travels into outer space

  The chimpanzee survived the US Mercury Program test flight with just a bruised nose.

• 1996 A suicide bombing in Sri Lanka kills 91 people

  Separatist Tamil Tigers detonated a truck loaded with explosives in front of the central bank in Col

• 2000 Alaska Airlines flight 261 crashes into the sea

  The MD-83 experienced horizontal stabilizer problems before descending into the Pacific Ocean, killi

• 2011 Myanmar's first elected parliament in half a century convenes

  The event underlined a general move towards democracy in the country.