March 16, 1827: First US newspaper, "Freedom's Journal" owned and operated by African Americans begins publishing in New York City

March 17, 432: Saint Patrick, aged about 16 is captured by Irish pirates from his home in Great Britain and taken as a slave to Ireland.

March 18, 1314: Jacques de Molay, the 23rd and the last Grand Master of the Knights Templar, is burned at the stake by King Philip IV of France

March 19, 2003: Airstrikes by an American and British-led coalition signal the beginning of the invasion of Iraq, without United Nations support and in defiance of world opinion

March 20, 1952: Final ratification of peace treaty restoring sovereignty to Japan by US Senate

March 21, 1961: The Beatles' first appearance at the Cavern Club in Liverpool

March 22, 2012: Largest protest in Quebec's history occurs in Montreal with over 200,000 people marching against government tuition hikes and for free access to post-secondary education

March 23 1775: Patrick Henry proclaims "Give me liberty or give me death" in speech in favour of Virginian troops joining US Revolutionary war

March 24, 1664: Roger Williams is granted a charter to colonize Rhode Island

March 25, 1821: The Greek revolution against the Ottoman Turks is officially declared, with hostilities having started two months earlier

March 26, 1804: Congress orders removal of Indians east of Mississippi to Louisiana

March 27, 1794: The United States Government establishes a permanent navy and authorizes the building of six frigates.

March 28, 845: Paris is sacked by Viking raiders, probably under Ragnar Lodbrok, who collects a huge ransom in exchange for leaving

March 29, 1971: Development of a serum hepatitis vaccine for children announced

March 30, 1953: Albert Einstein announces revised unified field theory

March 31, 1492: Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Aragon issue the Alhambra Decree which expels Jews from their Kingdoms of Castile and Aragon