What Happened Today in History
Historical Events
- 363 Roman Emperor Julian is killed during retreat from the Sassanid Empire. General Jovian is proclaimed Emperor by troops on the battlefield.
- 1794 Battle of Fleurus: major victory by forces of the First French Republic under General Jean-Baptiste Jourdan over the Coalition Army (Great Britain, Hanover, Dutch Republic, and Habsburgs) first use of reconnaissance balloon
- 1857 The first 62 recipients are awarded the Victoria Cross for valour in the Crimean war by Queen Victoria
- 1917 1st US troops arrive in France during World War I
- 1945 United Nations Charter signed by 50 nations in San Francisco
- 2016 Panama Canal's third set of locks opens for commercial traffic, doubling the Canal’s capacity at an estimated cost of $5.25 billion
- Historical Events Today
Today in Film & TV
- 1925 "The gold rush", directed, starring and written by Charlie Chaplin, is released
Today in Music
- 1870 Richard Wagner's opera "Valkyrie", second in his Ring Cycle premieres in Munich, featuring "Ride of the Valkyries"
Today in Sport
- 2017 America's Cup: Emirates Team New Zealand defeat Oracle Team USA 7-1 in Bermuda, Peter Burling (26) youngest ever helmsman
Did You Know?
Did You Know?According to the Lüneburg manuscript, a piper leads 130 children of Hamelin away
Today in History in 1284
Famous Birthdays
- Charles Messier
1730 - 1817 - William Thomson
1824 - 1907 - Robert Borden
1854 - 1937 - George Hainsworth
1895 - 1950 - Babe Didrikson Zaharias
1911 - 1956
Charles Messier
William Thomson
Robert Borden
George Hainsworth
Babe Didrikson ZahariasCelebrity Birthdays
- Chris Isaak
66th Birthday - Chris O'Donnell
52nd Birthday - Derek Jeter
48th Birthday - Ariana Grande
29th Birthday
Chris Isaak
Chris O'Donnell
Derek Jeter
Ariana GrandeWould You Believe?
The Universal Product Code is scanned for the first time to sell a package of Wrigley's chewing gum at the Marsh Supermarket in Troy, Ohio
Today in History in 1974
Famous Weddings
- 1739 Taxonomist Carolus Linnaeus (32) weds Sara Elisabeth Moræa
- 1912 US Secretary of State John Foster Dulles (24) weds Janet Pomeroy Avery at Auburn, New York
- 1915 Poet T. S. Eliot (26) weds governess Vivienne Haigh-Wood (27) at Hampstead Register Office in London
Famous Divorces
- 1972 NFL quarterback Johnny Unitas (39) divorces first wife Dorothy Hoelle after nearly 2 decades of marriage
- 1974 Actress Elizabeth Taylor's 5th divorce from actor Richard Burton
- 1975 American singer and actress Cher (28) divorces singer-songwriter Sonny Bono (40)
Francisco Pizarro
James Weldon Johnson
Richard Bedford Bennett
Roy Campanella
Don Hutson
Liz ClaiborneThis Month in History
Custer's Last Stand
George Armstrong Custer was a fun-loving rebel who developed into one of America’s national heroes. He will always be remembered for Custer’s Last Stand.June 25, 1876Kennedy's Clarion Call for Freedom
Former US President John F. Kennedy was renowned for his oratory – typified by his electrifying "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech delivered on this day.June 26, 1963Around The World Alone In A Fishing Boat
They said it couldn’t be done, so Joshua Slocum set out alone and sailed 46,000 miles around the world in an old fishing boat that he had rebuilt.June 27, 1898Scrabble Creator Stuck for Words
The inventor of a new word game just could not think what to call it. Then a bright friend came up with the name – no points for guessing – Scrabble.June 28, 1971
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