Today in History....September 10

On this day in …

* 1813, an American naval force commanded by Oliver H. Perry defeated the British in the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of
1812

* 1846, Elias Howe received a patent for his sewing machine

* 1935, Sen. Huey P. Long, "The Kingfish" of Louisiana politics, died in Baton Rouge two days after being shot

* 1939, Canada declared war on Nazi Germany

* 1945, Vidkun Quisling was sentenced to death in Norway for collaborating with the Nazis, ym"sh, (He was executed by firing squad in October of that year)

* 1963, 20 black students entered Alabama public schools following a standoff between federal authorities and Gov. George C. Wallace

* 1977, convicted murderer Hamida Djandoubi, a Tunisian immigrant, became the last person to date to be executed by the guillotine in France

* 2002, the Bush administration raised the nationwide terror alert to yellow, its second-highest level, closed nine U.S. embassies overseas and heightened security at federal buildings and landmarks in America on the eve of the 9/11 anniversary. ALSO: Switzerland became the 190th member of the United Nations.