Battle of Adrianople: Constantine I defeats Licinius, who flees to Byzantium.

Battle of Adrianople (324)Constantine the GreatLiciniusByzantium

Hugh Capet is crowned King of France, the first of the Capetian dynasty that would rule France until the French Revolution in 1792.

Hugh CapetCapetian dynastyFrench Revolution1792

William the Conqueror becomes the Duke of Normandy, reigns until 1087.

William the ConquerorDuke of Normandy

Québec City is founded by Samuel de Champlain.

Québec CitySamuel de Champlain

French and Indian War: George Washington surrenders Fort Necessity to French forces.

French and Indian WarGeorge WashingtonBattle of Fort NecessityMilitary history of France

Pitcairn Island is discovered by Midshipman Robert Pitcairn on an expeditionary voyage commanded by Philip Carteret.

Pitcairn IslandMidshipmanPhilip Carteret

Norway's oldest newspaper still in print, Adresseavisen, is founded and the first edition is published.

Adresseavisen

American Revolutionary War: George Washington takes command of the Continental Army at Cambridge, Massachusetts.

American Revolutionary WarGeorge WashingtonContinental ArmyCambridge, Massachusetts

American Revolutionary War: Iroquois allied to Britain kill 360 people in the Wyoming Valley massacre.

Wyoming Valley massacre

The Bank of Savings in New York City, the first savings bank in the United States, opens.

Savings bank

The first state normal school in the United States, the forerunner to today's Framingham State University, opens in Lexington, Massachusetts with three students.

Normal schoolFramingham State UniversityLexington, Massachusetts

The last pair of great auks is killed.

Great auk

Slaves are freed in the Danish West Indies (now U.S. Virgin Islands).

U.S. Virgin Islands

The French enter Rome in order to restore Pope Pius IX to power. This would prove a major obstacle to Italian unification.

Pope Pius IXItalian unification

Congress establishes the United States' 2nd mint in San Francisco.

San Francisco MintSan Francisco

American Civil War: The final day of the Battle of Gettysburg culminates with Pickett's Charge.

American Civil WarBattle of GettysburgPickett's Charge

Austro-Prussian War is decided at the Battle of Königgrätz, resulting in Prussia taking over as the prominent German nation from Austria.

Austro-Prussian WarBattle of KöniggrätzPrussia

Dow Jones & Company publishes its first stock average.

Dow Jones & Company

Karl Benz officially unveils the Benz Patent-Motorwagen, the first purpose-built automobile.

Karl BenzBenz Patent-Motorwagen

The New-York Tribune becomes the first newspaper to use a linotype machine, eliminating typesetting by hand.

New-York TribuneLinotype machineTypesetting

Idaho is admitted as the 43rd U.S. state.

IdahoU.S. state

A Spanish squadron, led by Pascual Cervera y Topete, is defeated by an American squadron under William T. Sampson in the Battle of Santiago de Cuba.

Pascual Cervera y TopeteWilliam T. SampsonBattle of Santiago de Cuba

Confederate veterans at the Great Reunion of 1913 reenact Pickett's Charge; upon reaching the high-water mark of the Confederacy they are met by the outstretched hands of friendship from Union survivors.

Confederate States of AmericaGreat Reunion of 1913American Civil War reenactmentPickett's ChargeHigh-water mark of the Confederacy

World speed record for a steam locomotive is set in England, by the Mallard, which reaches a speed of 125.88 miles per hour (202.58 km/h).

Steam locomotiveLNER Class A4 4468 Mallard

United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicates the Eternal Light Peace Memorial and lights the eternal flame at Gettysburg Battlefield.

Franklin D. RooseveltEternal Light Peace MemorialGettysburg Battlefield

World War II: To stop ships from falling into German hands the French fleet of the Atlantic based at Mers El Kébir, is bombarded by the British fleet, coming from Gibraltar, causing the loss of three battleships: Dunkerque, Provence and French battleship Bretagne. 1,200 sailors perish.

Mers El KébirAttack on Mers-el-KébirGibraltarFrench battleship DunkerqueFrench battleship Provence

World War II: Minsk is liberated from Nazi control by Soviet troops during Operation Bagration.

MinskRed ArmyOperation Bagration

The Constitution of Puerto Rico is approved by the United States Congress.

Constitution of Puerto RicoUnited States Congress

The SS United States sets sail on her maiden voyage to Southampton. During the voyage, the ship takes the Blue Riband away from the RMS Queen Mary.

SS United StatesSouthamptonBlue RibandRMS Queen Mary

Jackie Robinson becomes the first African American to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Jackie Robinson