Today:
1. 753 BC – Traditional date for the founding of Rome by Romulus.
2. 1509 – Henry VIII ascends to the throne of England after the death of his father, Henry VII.
3. 1836 – Texas forces led by Sam Houston defeat the Mexican army at the Battle of San Jacinto, securing Texas’ independence.
4. 1918 – World War I: German fighter ace Manfred von Richthofen, also known as “The Red Baron”, is shot down and killed near Vaux-sur-Somme in France.
5. 1926 – Queen Elizabeth II is born in Mayfair, London. She would become the longest-reigning British monarch.
6. 1960 – Brasilia is officially inaugurated as the capital of Brazil, moving the capital from Rio de Janeiro in an effort to promote population growth in the interior of the country.
7. 1966 – The opening of the artificial reservoir Lake Volta in Ghana, which is created by the Akosombo Dam and is one of the largest man-made lakes in the world.
8. 1989 – Thousands of Chinese students begin gathering at Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, starting pro-democracy protests that lasted until the June 4 crackdown.
9. 1992 – The first discoveries of extrasolar planets are announced by astronomers Alexander Wolszczan and Dale Frail. They had discovered planets orbiting the pulsar PSR 1257+12.
10. 2016 – Iconic musician Prince is found dead at his Paisley Park compound in Minnesota. His death was a significant moment in the music industry.