Today:
657: The Battle of Siffin takes place between the forces of Ali, the fourth caliph, and Muawiyah, the governor of Syria.
811: Battle of Pliska: Byzantine Emperor Nikephoros I is killed and his heir Staurakios is seriously wounded.
1139: The Battle of Ourique takes place, which leads to the independence of Portugal from the Kingdom of León.
1469: Wars of the Roses: The Battle of Edgecote Moor results in the capture of Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick.
1788: New York ratifies the United States Constitution and becomes the 11th state of the United States.
1822: José de San Martín declares the independence of Peru from Spain.
1847: Liberia declares its independence from the American Colonization Society.
1908: United States Attorney General Charles Joseph Bonaparte issues an order to immediately staff the Office of the Chief Examiner (later renamed the Federal Bureau of Investigation).
1945: The Labour Party wins the United Kingdom general election of July 5 by a landslide, removing Winston Churchill from power.
1953: Fidel Castro leads an attack on the Moncada Barracks, which marks the start of the Cuban Revolution.
Disclaimer: Snake does not fact check these items. In fact, he doesn’t even read them before posting. Often he doesn’t read them after posting. If you have a complaint, click here