Today in history—May 20

325: The first Christian ecumenical council opens its meeting at Nicaea, in what is now Turkey. The “Nicene Creed” it developed is still the basic creed of Catholic and Orthodox Christians.

1293: Sancho IV of Aragon creates a new school at Alcalá de Henares, which in 1499 will become the great Universidad Complutense de Madrid.

1504: Christopher Columbus, who insists to the last that he reached Asia, dies at Valladolid in Spain.

1570: Abraham Ortelius of Antwerp creates the first modern world atlas, although the term won’t come into general use until later.

1806: Utilitarian philosopher John Stuart Mill is born at London. By the age of 10 he will have read all the standard classic works assigned in English universities, in the original tongues.

1845: Two ships and 134 men under Sir John Franklin set sail from England on a voyage to find the Northwest Passage. None will return.

1862: President Lincoln signs the Homestead Act, which gives federal land to farmers who will live on it and cultivate it.

1873: Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis receive a patent for denim work pants reinforced by copper rivets.

1920: Station XWA in Montréal begins what is considered to be the first regularly scheduled radio broadcasts in North America.

1993: The long-running television show Cheers closes its doors after 11 years.