Commentaries by William Berry

US spy Nathan Hale was executed on September 22, 1776 after he was captured by British forces during the American Revolutionary War. Hale went to British-occupied New York City to gather intelligence on military operations. He was captured and executed within a month, purportedly declaring "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country" before his death at the age of 21. Learn more from the American Battlefield Trust.

On September 22, 1692, two men and six women were executed for witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts. Read more about the Salem witchcraft trials in JURIST's Famous Trials series.

On September 22, 1896, Queen Victoria became the longest-reigning monarch in English history. One of the country's most successful rulers, Victoria oversaw the expansion of the British Empire to its greatest height of power during her reign of 63 years and 7 months. Read Victoria's speeches to the British Parliament from Archive.org.