1054 Hermann of Reichenau (died), German composer, mathematician, and astronomer (born 1013)
1143 Pope Innocent II (died)
1180 Manuel I Komnenos, last Emperor of the Komnenian restoration dies. The Byzantine Empire slips into terminal decline.
1501 Gerolamo Cardano (born), Italian mathematician, physician, and astrologer (died 1576)
1541 Paracelsus (died), German-Swiss physician, botanist, and chemist (born 1493)
1564 William Adams (born), English sailor and navigator (died 1620)
1645 Battle of Rowton Heath, Parliamentarian victory over a Royalist army commanded in person by King Charles
1717 Horace Walpole (born), English historian, author, and politician (died 1797)
1742 Johann Matthias Hase (died), German mathematician, astronomer, and cartographer (born 1684)
1780 Benedict Arnold flees to British Army lines when the arrest of British Major John André exposes Arnold’s plot to surrender West Point.
1789 The United States Congress passes the Judiciary Act which creates the office of the United States Attorney General and the federal judiciary system, and orders the composition of the Supreme Court of the United States.
1841 The Sultan of Brunei cedes Sarawak to the United Kingdom.
1845 Nikolai Anderson (born), German philologist (died 1905)
1846 Mexican–American War: General Zachary Taylor captures Monterrey.
1852 The first airship powered by (a steam) engine, created by Henri Giffard, travels 17 miles (27 km) from Paris to Trappes.
1853 Admiral Despointes formally takes possession of New Caledonia in the name of France.
1869 “Black Friday”: Gold prices plummet after Ulysses S. Grant orders the Treasury to sell large quantities of gold after Jay Gould and James Fisk plot to control the market.
1870 Georges Claude (born), French chemist and engineer, invented Neon lighting (died 1960)
1883 Franklin Clarence Mars (born), American businessman, founded Mars, Incorporated (died 1934)
1883 Lawson Robertson (born), Scottish-American high jumper (died 1951)
1890 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints officially renounces polygamy.
1893 Blind Lemon Jefferson (born), American singer-songwriter and guitarist (died 1929)
1894 Tommy Armour (born), Scottish-American golfer (died 1968)
1896 F. Scott Fitzgerald (born), American author and poet (died 1940)
1898 Howard Florey (born) Australian pharmacologist and pathologist, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1968)
1900 Ham Fisher (born), American cartoonist (died 1955)
1902 Ruhollah Khomeini (born), Iranian religious leader and politician, 1st Supreme Leader of Iran (died 1989)
1905 Severo Ochoa (born), Spanish–American physician and biochemist, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1993)
1906 Leonard Marsh (born), Canadian sociologist and educator (died 1982)
1906 U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt proclaims Devils Tower in Wyoming as the nation’s first National Monument.
1908 Renee Roberts (born), English actress (died 1996)
1911 Konstantin Chernenko (born), Russian politician (died 1985)
1917 Arthur W. Lehman (born), American euphonium player (died 2009)
1917 Doud Eisenhower (born), American son of Dwight D. Eisenhower (died 1921)
1921 Jim McKay (born), American sportscaster (died 2008)
1921 Sheila MacRae (born), English actress, singer, and dancer (died 2014)
1932 Gandhi and Dr. B. R. Ambedkar agree to the Poona Pact, which reserved seats in the Indian provincial legislatures for the “Depressed Classes” (Untouchables).
1933 Mel Taylor (born), American drummer (The Ventures) (died 1996)
1935 Earl Bascom and Weldon Bascom produce the first rodeo ever held outdoors under electric lights at Columbia, Mississippi
1936 Jim Henson (born), American puppeteer, director, producer and screenwriter, created The Muppets (died 1990)
1939 Carl Laemmle (died), German-American film producer, founded Universal Studios (born 1867)
1940 Yves Navarre (born), French author (died 1994)
1941 Linda McCartney (born), American singer, photographer, and activist (Wings and Suzy and the Red Stripes) (died 1998)
1942 Gerry Marsden (born), English singer-songwriter and guitarist (Gerry & The Pacemakers)
1944 Diana Körner (born), German actress
1945 Hans Geiger (died), German physicist, co-invented the Geiger counter (born 1882)
1945 Lou Dobbs (born), American journalist
1946 Cathay Pacific Airways is founded in Hong Kong.
1947 Andrew C. McLaughlin (died), American historian and author (born 1861)
1948 Gordon Clapp (born), American actor
1948 The Honda Motor Company is founded.
1950 John Kessel (born), American author
1957 Camp Nou, the largest stadium in Europe, is opened in Barcelona.
1957 President Dwight D. Eisenhower sends 101st Airborne Division troops to Little Rock, Arkansas, to enforce desegregation.
1960 USS Enterprise (CVN-65), the world’s first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, is launched.
1961 Allen Bestwick (born), American sportscaster
1962 United States court of appeals orders the University of Mississippi to admit James Meredith.
1968 60 Minutes debuts on CBS.
1968 Swaziland joins the United Nations.
1969 Shawn Crahan (born), American drummer, songwriter, and producer (Slipknot, To My Surprise, and Dirty Little Rabbits)
1971 Michael S. Engel (born), American paleontologist and entomologist
1973 Guinea-Bissau declares its independence from Portugal.
1978 James Bassett (died), American journalist and author (born 1912)
1979 CompuServe launches the first consumer internet service, which features the first public electronic mail service.
1981 Patsy Kelly, American actress and singer (born 1910)
1981 Ryan Briscoe (born), Australian race car driver
1982 Morgan Hamm (born), American gymnast
1982 Paul Hamm (born), American gymnast
1990 Periodic Great White Spot is observed on Saturn.
1991 Dr. Seuss, American author, poet, and illustrator (born 1904)
1996 Representatives of 71 nations sign the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty at the United Nations.
2013 Boris Karvasarsky, Ukrainian-Russian psychiatrist (born 1931)
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