November 4 in history — On This Day
1979
Students Seize the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and Begin the Iran Hostage Crisis
On November 4, 1979, Iranian students stormed the American embassy in Tehran and took dozens of people hostage. The crisis lasted 444 days and reshaped relations between the United States and Iran.
Read the story →Also on November 4
This Week in History
History
All History →Politics
All Politics →War & Conflict
All War & Conflict →
Crime & Justice
All Crime & Justice →Science
All Science →
Space
All Space →Technology
All Technology →
Medicine & Health
All Medicine & Health →Nature & Disasters
All Nature & Disasters →Exploration
All Exploration →Sport
All Sport →
Art & Literature
All Art & Literature →Music
All Music →Film & TV
All Film & TV →The Story Behind the Photo
Chicago After the Fire: From Burned Blocks to a New Skyline
A photograph taken after the 1871 fire can make Chicago look as though its future had been decided by a wall of flame. A view from around 1905 tells a different story: tall offices, busy transport routes and commercial streets crowded again.
Explore the frame →Collections
Explore by Topic
My Birthday in History
See what happened on your date.
Watch in 30 Seconds
Big moments, short videos.
Browse videos →