41 Roman Emperor Caligula (died), known for his eccentricity and cruel despotism, is assassinated by his disgruntled Praetorian Guards. The Guard then proclaims Caligula’s uncle Claudius as Emperor (born 12).
76 Hadrian (born), Roman emperor (died 138)
1679 King Charles II of England dissolves the Cavalier Parliament.
1712 Frederick the Great (born), Prussian king (died 1786)
1732 Pierre Beaumarchais (born), French playwright (died 1799)
1742 Charles VII Albert becomes Holy Roman Emperor.
1754 Andrew Ellicott (born), American surveyor (died 1820)
1817 Crossing of the Andes: Many soldiers of Juan Gregorio de las Heras are captured during the Action of Picheuta.
1835 Slaves in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil, stage a revolt, which is instrumental in ending slavery there 50 years later.
1848 California Gold Rush: James W. Marshall finds gold at Sutter’s Mill near Sacramento.
1862 Bucharest is proclaimed capital of Romania.
1862 Edith Wharton (born), American author (died 1937)
1864 Marguerite Durand (born), French actress, journalist, and activist (died 1936)
1900 Theodosius Dobzhansky (born), Ukrainian-American geneticist and biologist (died 1975)
1908 The first Boy Scout troop is organized in England by Robert Baden-Powell.
1916 In Brushaber v. Union Pacific Railroad, the Supreme Court of the United States declares the federal income tax constitutional.
1917 Ernest Borgnine (born), American actor (died 2012)
1918 Oral Roberts (born), American evangelist, founded Oral Roberts University and Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association (died 2009)
1920 Amedeo Modigliani (died), Italian painter and sculptor (born 1884)
1928 Desmond Morris (born), English anthropologist
1932 Alfred Yarrow (died), English businessman, founded Yarrow Shipbuilders (born 1842)
1933 The 20th Amendment to the United States Constitution is ratified, changing the beginning and end of terms for all elected federal offices.
1936 Doug Kershaw (born), American singer-songwriter and fiddler
1939 Ray Stevens (born), American singer-songwriter
1941 Neil Diamond (born), American singer-songwriter and guitarist
1941 Aaron Neville (born), American singer (Neville Brothers)
1942 World War II: The Allies bombard Bangkok, leading Thailand, then under Japanese control, to declare war against the United States andUnited Kingdom.
1943 World War II: Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill conclude a conference in Casablanca.
1946 The United Nations General Assembly passes its first resolution to establish the United Nations Atomic Energy Commission.
1947 Warren Zevon (born), American singer-songwriter (Hindu Love Gods and lyme and cybelle) (died 2003)
1949 John Belushi (born), American actor (died 1982)
1955 Ira Hayes (died), American marine, member of the Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima (born 1923)
1961 1961 Goldsboro B-52 crash: A bomber carrying two H-bombs breaks up in mid-air over North Carolina. The uranium core of one weapon remains lost.
1962 Stanley Lord (died), English captain (born 1877)
1965 Winston Churchill (died), English army officer and politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1874)
1968 Mary Lou Retton (born), American gymnast
1971 Bill W. (died), American co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous (born 1895)
1972 Japanese Sgt. Shoichi Yokoi is found hiding in a Guam jungle, where he had been since the end of World War II.
1973 J. Carrol Naish (died), American actor (born 1897)
1978 Soviet satellite Cosmos 954, with a nuclear reactor on board, burns up in Earth’s atmosphere, scattering radioactive debris over Canada’sNorthwest Territories. Only 1% is recovered.
1979 Nik Wallenda (born), American acrobat and daredevil
1983 Scott Speed (born), American race car driver
1984 The first Apple Macintosh goes on sale.
1986 Voyager 2 passes within 81,500 kilometres (50,600 mi) of Uranus.
1986 L. Ron Hubbard (died), American religious leader and author, founded the Church of Scientology (born 1911)
1986 Gordon MacRae (died), American actor and singer (born 1921)
1989 Ted Bundy (died), American serial killer (born 1946)
1993 Thurgood Marshall (died), American jurist, 32nd United States Solicitor General (born 1908)
2003 The United States Department of Homeland Security officially begins operation.
2010 Pernell Roberts (died), American actor and singer (born 1928)
2011 At least 35 died and 180 injured in a bombing at Moscow’s Domodedovo airport.
2012 James Farentino (died), American actor (born 1938)
EO Smith
Latest posts by EO Smith (see all)
- Patriotism - 4 July, 2017
- The Super Sucker Bowl - 10 February, 2017
- Alternative Facts and Science - 24 January, 2017