Today in History

Today is Sunday, Nov. 15, the 319th day of 2015. There are 46 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On Nov. 15, 1315, in the Battle of Morgarten, Swiss Confederation forces lying in wait attacked and defeated invading Austrian troops.

On this date:

In 1777, the Second Continental Congress approved the Articles of Confederation.

In 1806, explorer Zebulon Pike sighted the mountaintop now known as Pikes Peak in present-day Colorado.

In 1864, during the Civil War, Union forces led by Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman began their "March to the Sea" from Atlanta; the campaign ended with the capture of Savannah on Dec. 21.

In 1889, Brazil was proclaimed a republic as its emperor, Dom Pedro II, was overthrown.

In 1935, the Commonwealth of the Philippines was established as its new president, Manuel L. Quezon, took office.

In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt laid the cornerstone of the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C.

In 1942, the naval Battle of Guadalcanal ended during World War II with a decisive U.S. victory over Japanese forces.

In 1959, four members of the Clutter family of Holcomb, Kansas, were found murdered in their home. (Ex-convicts Richard Hickock and Perry Smith were later convicted of the killings and hanged.)

In 1964, Bonanza Air Lines Flight 114, a Fairchild F-27A, crashed outside of Las Vegas, killing all 29 people on board.

In 1979, the British government publicly identified Sir Anthony Blunt as the "fourth man" of a Soviet spy ring.

In 1985, Britain and Ireland signed an accord giving Dublin an official consultative role in governing Northern Ireland.

In 1990, Bulgaria's Grand National Assembly voted to change the country's name from the People's Republic of Bulgaria to the Republic of Bulgaria and invalidate the Communist constitution of 1971.

Ten years ago: Israel and the Palestinians, under strong U.S. pressure, reached an agreement to open Gaza's borders. Baseball players and owners agreed on a tougher steroids-testing policy. Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals won the National League MVP award. At the CMA Awards, Lee Ann Womack won three trophies, including album of the year for "There's More Where That Came From."

Five years ago: A House ethics committee panel began closed-door deliberations on 13 counts of alleged financial and fundraising misconduct by U.S. Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., who walked out of the proceeding after pleading unsuccessfully for more time to raise money for a lawyer. (Rangel was convicted the next day of 11 rules violations.) San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey and Texas Rangers closer Neftali Feliz were voted the Rookies of the Year.

One year ago: Closing out his Asia-Pacific tour in Brisbane, Australia, President Barack Obama called on Asian nations to join the United States in confronting the globe's biggest challenges, from climate change and poverty to violent extremism. Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, arrived in Iraq on a previously unannounced visit, his first since a U.S.-led coalition began launching airstrikes against the extremist Islamic State group. Pope Francis denounced the right to die movement, telling the Association of Italian Catholic Doctors it was a "false sense of compassion" to consider euthanasia an act of dignity when it was in fact a sin against God and creation.

Today's Birthdays: Judge Joseph Wapner is 96. Actor Ed Asner is 86. Singer Petula Clark is 83. Comedian Jack Burns is 82. Actress Joanna Barnes is 81. Actor Yaphet Kotto is 76. Actor Sam Waterston is 75. Classical conductor Daniel Barenboim is 73. Pop singer Frida (ABBA) is 70. Actor Bob Gunton is 70. Former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson is 68. Actress Beverly D'Angelo is 64. Director-actor James Widdoes is 62. Rock singer-producer Mitch Easter is 61. News correspondent John Roberts is 59. Former "Jay Leno Show" bandleader Kevin Eubanks is 58. Comedian Judy Gold is 53. Actress Rachel True is 49. Rapper E-40 is 48. Country singer Jack Ingram is 45. Actor Jay Harrington is 44. Actor Jonny Lee Miller is 43. Actress Sydney Tamiia Poitier is 42. Christian rock musician David Carr (Third Day) is 41. Rock singer-musician Chad Kroeger is 41. Rock musician Jesse Sandoval is 41. Actress Virginie Ledoyen is 39. Actor Sean Murray (TV: "NCIS") is 38. Pop singer Ace Young (TV: "American Idol") is 35. Golfer Lorena Ochoa is 34. Hip-hop artist B.o.B is 27. Actress Shailene Woodley is 24. Actress-dancer Emma Dumont is 21.

Thought for Today: "To oppose something is to maintain it." -- Ursula K. LeGuin, American writer (1929- ).

Copyright 2015, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.