Today is the 276th day of 2014 and the 12th day of autumn.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln designated the last Thursday in November as a national day of thanksgiving.

In 1952, the United Kingdom conducted a successful test of an atomic bomb off the coast of Australia, becoming the world's third nuclear power.

In 1990, East and West Germany were reunified.

In 1993, Somali forces shot down two U.S. Black Hawk helicopters, setting off the two-day "Battle of Mogadishu."

In 1995, O.J. Simpson was acquitted of the murders of ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Thomas Wolfe (1900-1938), author; Harvey Kurtzman (1924-1993), cartoonist; Gore Vidal (1925-2012), author; Chubby Checker (1941- ), singer-songwriter; Al Sharpton (1954- ), minister/activist; Stevie Ray Vaughan (1954-1990), singer-songwriter; Fred Couples (1959- ), golfer; Clive Owen (1964- ), actor; Gwen Stefani (1969- ), singer-songwriter; Neve Campbell (1973- ), actress; Lena Headey (1973- ), actress; Talib Kweli (1975- ), rapper; Seann William Scott (1976- ), actor; Anquan Boldin (1980- ), football player.

TODAY'S FACT: In 1789, President George Washington announced that Nov. 26 of that year would be "a day of public thanksgiving and prayer," the first in the nation's history.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1951, New York Giants player Bobby Thomson hit the "Shot Heard 'Round the World," a three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to clinch the National League pennant over the Brooklyn Dodgers.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "How marvelous books are, crossing worlds and centuries, defeating ignorance and, finally, cruel time itself." -- Gore Vidal, "Julian"

TODAY'S NUMBER: $1 trillion -- amount of public and private funds that eastern Germany received from western Germany in the five years following reunification.

TODAY'S MOON: Between first quarter moon (Oct. 1) and full moon (Oct. 8).

Today is the 275th day of 2014 and the 11th day of autumn.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1835, the Texas Revolution began as American settlers battled Mexican troops near the Guadalupe River.

In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson suffered a stroke that left him partially paralyzed.

In 1950, the comic strip "Peanuts" (starring Charlie Brown and Snoopy) debuted in newspapers.

In 1967, Thurgood Marshall was sworn in as the first African-American Supreme Court justice.

In 2002, the first two "Beltway sniper" attacks left one person dead in Montgomery County, Md.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Nat Turner (1800-1831), slave rebellion leader; Mohandas Gandhi (1869-1948), political/spiritual leader; Cordell Hull (1871-1955), statesman; Groucho Marx (1890-1977), comedian/actor; Bud Abbott (1895-1974), comedian/actor; Graham Greene (1904-1991), novelist; Rex Reed (1938- ), movie critic; Steve Sabol (1942-2012), director/producer; Don McLean (1945- ), singer-songwriter; Sting (1951- ), singer-songwriter; Lorraine Bracco (1954- ), actress; Kelly Ripa (1970- ), actress/TV personality.

TODAY'S FACT: After translating Leo Tolstoy's "Letter to a Hindu," Mohandas Gandhi began a regular correspondence with the novelist that lasted from October 1909 until Tolstoy's death in November 1910.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 2005, the Arizona Cardinals beat the San Francisco 49ers 31-14 in Mexico City. It was the first regular-season NFL game to take place outside the United States.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "A man is but the product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes." -- Mohandas Gandhi

TODAY'S NUMBER: 17,897 -- number of original "Peanuts" comic strips published between the strip's debut in 1950 and creator Charles Schulz's death in 2000.

TODAY'S MOON: Between first quarter moon (Oct. 1) and full moon (Oct. 8).

Today is the 274th day of 2014 and the 10th day of autumn.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1890, an act of Congress established Yosemite National Park in California.

In 1949, Chinese Communist Party Chairman Mao Zedong declared the People's Republic of China at a ceremony in Beijing.

In 1971, Walt Disney World opened to the public in Orlando, Fla.

In 1975, Muhammad Ali defeated Joe Frazier in the "Thrilla in Manila" boxing match in the Philippines.

In 1989, Danish activists Axel and Eigil Axgil were wed in a ceremony establishing the world's first legally recognized same-sex union.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Helio Gracie (1913-2009), martial artist; Walter Matthau (1920-2000), actor; Jimmy Carter (1924- ), 39th U.S. president; William Rehnquist (1924-2005), United States chief justice; Tom Bosley (1927-2010), actor; Richard Harris (1930-2002), actor; Julie Andrews (1935- ), actress; Rod Carew (1945- ), baseball player; Tim O'Brien (1946- ), author; Randy Quaid (1950- ), actor; Esai Morales (1962- ), actor; Mark McGwire (1963- ), baseball player; Zach Galifianakis (1969- ), actor/comedian.

TODAY'S FACT: In 1957, the first paper currency bearing the U.S. motto "In God we trust" entered circulation.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1961, Roger Maris hit his 61st home run of the season, breaking the single-season record that had been held by Babe Ruth since 1927.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "War may sometimes be a necessary evil. But no matter how necessary, it is always an evil, never a good. We will not learn to live together in peace by killing each other's children." -- Jimmy Carter

TODAY'S NUMBER: $3.50 -- adult ticket price at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom the day it opened in 1971. The one-day ticket price (age 10 and up) in 2014 was $99.

TODAY'S MOON: First quarter moon (Oct. 1).