Today:
927 – The Saracens conquer Taranto.
1543 – King Henry VIII of England marries his sixth and last wife, Catherine Parr.
1562 – Fray Diego de Landa, acting Bishop of Yucatán, burns the sacred books of the Maya.
1690 – Battle of Boyne: The armies of William III defeat those of the deposed King James II of England.
1804 – Former United States Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton dies a day after being shot in a duel by sitting Vice President Aaron Burr.
1943 – World War II: The Battle of Prokhorovka, one of the largest tank engagements in history, takes place.
1962 – The Rolling Stones perform their first concert, at the Marquee Club in London.
1967 – The Newark riots in Newark, New Jersey, begin, leading to 26 deaths and significant property damage.
1975 – São Tomé and Príncipe declare independence from Portugal.
2006 – Hezbollah initiates Operation True Promise, leading to the 2006 Lebanon War.
30 American Heritage Events: #12
Abolition of Slavery (1865)
The 13th Amendment to the Constitution abolished slavery.