On This Day in History August 25, 2023 Historical Events 1609  Galileo demonstrates his first telescope to Venetian lawmakers, including to the Doge (ruler) of Venice, Leonardo Donato 1718  Hundreds of French colonists arrive in Louisiana; New Orleans founded 1768  Captain James Cook departs from Plymouth, England, on his first voyage on board the Endeavour, bound for the Pacific Ocean 1894  Japanese scientist Shibasaburo Kitasato discovers the infectious agent of the bubonic plague and publishes his findings in The Lancet 1944  German commander Dietrich von Choltitz surrenders Paris to the Free French forces of Philippe Leclerc, disobeying Adolf Hitler's orders to destroy the city. President of the Provisional Government of the French Republic Charles de Gaulle gives a famous speech at the Hôtel de Ville. 1990  UN security council authorizes military action against Iraq 1991  Linux is born when Linus Torvalds sends off an email announcing his project to create a new computer operating system Famous Birthdays Billy Ray Cyrus 62nd Birthday Claudia Schiffer 53rd Birthday Elvis Costello 69th Birthday Leonard Bernstein 1918 - 1990 More Famous Birthdays Famous Deaths James Watt 1736 - 1819 Michael Faraday 1791 - 1867 More Famous Deaths