1845 - Florida becomes 27th state of the Union 1893 - US Congress authorizes 1st federal road agency‚ in Department of Agriculture 1931 - "The Star-Spangled Banner" officially becomes US national anthem by congressional resolution; lyrics by Francis Scott Key in 1814‚ set to John Stafford Smith's 18th century tune "The Anacreontic Song" 1943 - Bethnal Green Tube disaster: 173 die in a stampede sheltering in an air raid‚ UK's greatest loss of civilian life in WWII (details censored till January 20 1945) 1943 - Battle of the Bismarck Sea: Australian and American air forces devastate Japanese navy convoy 1950 - National-American Football League reverts to calling itself the NFL after 3 months 1959 - British government arrests Hastings Banda of Nyasaland‚ ends emergency crisis 1978 - 1st day of Test cricket for Desmond Haynes (WI v Australia) 1980 - Pierre Trudeau sworn in‚ for the second time‚ as the 17th Prime Minister of Canada 2004 - Belgian brewer Interbrew and Brazilian rival AmBev agreed to merge in a $11.2 billion deal forming InBev‚ the world's largest brewer More Historical Events »