1542

Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo sets sail from the Mexican port of Navidad to explore the west coast of North America on behalf of the Spanish Empire.

1652

New Amsterdam (now New York City) enacts first speed limit law in North America.

1743

War of the Austrian Succession: Battle of Dettingen: in Bavaria, King George II of Britain personally leads troops into battle. The last time a British monarch commanded troops in the field.

1778

Liberty Bell returns home to Philadelphia after the British departure.

1844

Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormon church, was murdered by an armed mob in Carthage, Illinois.

1862

During the first Battle of Cold Harbor in the American Civil War, Confederate General Robert E. Lee attacked Union troops, driving them back in disorder and forcing them to withdraw to the south side of the Chickahominy River.

1890

Canadian boxer George Dixon becomes first black world champion when he stops English bantamweight champion Edwin “Nunc” Wallace in 18 rounds in London, England.

1898

Canadian-American adventurer Joshua Slocum arrives in Newport, Rhode Island, completing the 1st solo circumnavigation of the globe.

1902

US National Championship Women’s Tennis, Newport, RI: Marion Jones wins her second US singles title; beats Elisabeth Moore 6-1, 1-0 when the defending champion is forced to retire.

1917

During World War I Greece declared war on the Central Powers.

1922

First Newbery Medal for children’s literature awarded to Hendrik Willem van Loon.

1929

1st color Television demo, performed by Bell Laboratories in NYC.

1940

Germans employ Enigma coding machine for the first time.

1950

President Truman orders U.S. forces to Korea.

1954

1st atomic power station opens – Obninsk, near Moscow in Russia.

1966

Dark Shadows, American Gothic soap opera, premieres on ABC-TV.

1969

Denver Pop Festival opens; 50,000 attend; Frank Zappa, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and Jimi Hendrix headline; other performers include Three Dog Night, Tim Buckley, Big Mama Thornton, Johnny Winter, Joe Cocker, and Poco.

1972

Legendary video game and home computer Atari, Inc. founded by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney in Sunnyvale, California.

1977

Djibouti gained its independence from France.

1985

After 59 years, the iconic Route 66 enters the realm of history, when the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials decertifies the road and votes to remove all its highway signs.