On This Day In History
June 6th
1523 Gustav Vasa is elected King of Sweden, marking the end of the Kalmar Union
1716 French transport the 1st African slaves to Louisiana
1916 The death of Yuan Shikai, ruler of much of China since 1912, causes the central government to virtually collapse in the face of warlords, including Sun Yat-sen
1944 Operation Overlord: D-Day begins as the 156,000-strong Allied Expeditionary Force lands in Normandy, France, during World War II
1982 30,000 Israeli troops invade Lebanon to drive out the PLO
Did You Know?
Electric iron patented by Henry W Seely, NYC
Today in History in 1882
Would You Believe?
A near-Earth asteroid estimated at 10 metres diameter explodes over the Mediterranean Sea between Greece and Libya. Resulting explosion estimated to have a force of 26 kilotons, more powerful than the Nagasaki atomic bomb.
Today in History in 2002
June 7th
1494 Treaty of Tordesillas: Spain and Portugal divide the new world along a meridian 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde islands, off the west coast of Africa
1628 English King Charles I ratifies the Petition of Rights
1654 Louis XIV crowned King of France
1753 British Museum founded by an Act of Parliament with royal assent from King George II (opens in 1759)
1929 Vatican City becomes a sovereign state
1965 The Supreme Court of the United States decides on Griswold v. Connecticut, effectively legalizing the use of contraception by married couples
Did You Know?
Thomas Malthus publishes the first edition of his influential ‘Essay on the Principle of Population’ (date of the unsigned preface)
Today in History in 1798
Would You Believe?
Police warn bald men against attacks in Mozambique after 5 men murdered for the gold believed in their heads
Today in History in 2017
June 8th
452 Italy invaded by Attila the Hun
793 Vikings in long ships from modern-day Norway plunder St Cuthbert’s monastery on Lindisfarne Island, off the northeast coast of England capturing and killing monks
1191 King Richard I of England arrives at Acre in modern day Israel to join the Siege of Acre during the Third Crusade
1783 Laki volcano in southern Iceland begins 8-month eruption, killing 10,000 and causing widespread famines throughout Asia and Europe
1789 James Madison introduces a proposed Bill of Rights in the US House of Representatives
1918 Nova Aquila, brightest nova since Kepler’s nova of 1604, discovered
1987 New Zealand’s Labour government legislates against nuclear weapons and nuclear powered vessels in NZ. Only nation to legislate against nuclear power.
Did You Know?
Ives W. McGaffey of Chicago patents the 1st vacuum cleaner, calls it a “sweeping machine”
Today in History in 1869
Would You Believe?
Reds’ Edd Roush falls asleep in center during long infield argument Heinie Groh goes to wake him, but umpire ejects Roush for delay of game
Today in History in 1920
June 9th
68 Roman Emperor Nero commits suicide, imploring his secretary Epaphroditos to slit his throat to evade a Senate-imposed death by flogging
721 Odo of Aquitaine defeats a Umayyad Muslim army at the Battle of Toulouse
1549 Book of Common Prayer is adopted by the Church of England
1815 End of the Congress of Vienna: New European political situation is set
1856 500 Mormons leave Iowa City, Iowa, and head west for Salt Lake City, Utah, carrying all their possessions in two-wheeled handcarts
1977 Silver jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain celebrated with fireworks
2019 Over 1 million people protest in Hong Kong over proposed new extradition laws to China in one of largest-ever protests in the city
Did You Know?
1st Automat restaurant opens at 818 Chestnut St, Philadelphia
Today in History in 1902
Would You Believe?
The Harvard Corporation, the more powerful of the two administrative boards of Harvard, is established. First legal corporation in the Americas.
Today in History in 1650
June 10th
1190 Third Crusade: Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa drowns while crossing the Saleph River (modern Turkey) leading an army to Jerusalem
1786 A landslide dam on the Dadu River caused by earthquake ten days earlier collapses, killing 100,000 in the Sichuan province of China
1898 US Marines land in Cuba during the Spanish–American War
1916 Great Arab Revolt begins against ruling Ottoman turks
1963 US Equal Pay Act signed into law by President John F. Kennedy
1977 Apple Computer ships its first Apple II computers
2003 The Spirit Rover is launched, beginning NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover mission
Did You Know?
Mrs Clements of England markets first paste-style mustard
Today in History in 1720
Would You Believe?
Andrew Jackson‘s African Grey parrot “Poll” is removed from his funeral for swearing at The Hermitage, Tennessee. Funeral attendee William Menefee Norment recorded: “Before the sermon and while the crowd was gathering, a wicked parrot that was a household pet got excited and commenced swearing so loud and long as to disturb the people and had to be carried from the house”
Today in History in 1845
June 11th
1184 BC Trojan War: Troy is sacked and burned, according to calculations by Eratosthenes
631 Emperor Taizong of Tang of China, sends envoys to the Xueyantuo bearing gold and silk for the release of Chinese prisoners captured during transition from Sui to Tang from northern frontier; succeeds in freeing 80,000
1776 Continental Congress creates committee to draft a Declaration of Independence with Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston as members
1963 US President JFK says segregation is morally wrong and that it is “time to act”
1987 Margaret Thatcher is 1st British Prime Minister in 160 years to win a third consecutive term
2014 Islamic State of Iraq forces seize control of government offices and other important buildings in the northern city of Mosul
Did You Know?
Brothers John and Clarence Anglin and fellow inmate Frank Morris escape from Alcatraz Island prison, the only ones to do so
Today in History in 1962
Would You Believe?
George Dennett, aided by Gilbert Jessop, dismisses Northamptonshire for 12 runs, the lowest total in first-class cricket
Today in History in 1907
June 12th
1381 Peasants’ Revolt: in England, rebels arrive at Blackheath
1830 Beginning of the French colonization of Algeria: 34,000 French soldiers land 27 kilometers west of Algiers, at Sidi Ferruch
1931 Al Capone is indicted on 5,000 counts of prohibition and perjury
1942 Anne Frank gets her diary as a birthday present in Amsterdam
1964 Nelson Mandela is sentenced to life in prison in South Africa
2018 singapore summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump – first time a North Korean leader and an incumbent US President have ever met