Today in History....September 14

On this day in …

1812, the Russians set fire to Moscow in the face of an invasion by Napoleon Bonaparte's troops

1814, Francis Scott Key was inspired to write his poem ''The Star-Spangled Banner'' after witnessing the British bombardment of Fort McHenry in Maryland during the War of 1812

1901, President McKinley died in Buffalo, N.Y., of gunshot wounds inflicted by an assassin. Vice President Theodore Roosevelt succeeded him

1927, modern dance pioneer Isadora Duncan died in Nice, France, when her scarf became entangled in a wheel of her sports car

1948, a groundbreaking ceremony took place in New York at the site of the United Nations' world headquarters

1959, the Soviet space probe Luna 2 became the first manmade object to reach the moon as it crashed onto the lunar surface
1982, Princess Grace of Monaco, formerly actress Grace Kelly, died at 52 of injuries from a car crash the day before

ALSO: Lebanon's president-elect, Bashir Gemayel, was killed by a bomb

1985, terrorist kidnappers in Lebanon, Shiite practitioners of that "religion of peace", released the Rev. Benjamin Weir after holding him captive for 16 months

2001, Patriotism mixed with prayer as Americans packed synagogues and churches and clogged public squares on a day of remembrance for the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks. President Bush prayed with his Cabinet and attended services at Washington National Cathedral, then flew to New York, where he waded into the ruins of the World Trade Center and addressed rescue workers in a show of resolve. Officials announced the Pentagon would call up as many as 50,000 members of the National Guard and Reserve

2005, a federal judge in San Francisco declared the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools unconstitutional. (The Bush administration has vowed to appeal.)