Today:
1540 – Thomas Cromwell, chief minister to King Henry VIII of England, was executed for treason.
1794 – Maximilien Robespierre, a leading figure in the French Revolution, was executed by guillotine in Paris.
1821 – Peru declared its independence from Spain.
1868 – The 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution was certified, granting citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States.
1914 – Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, marking the beginning of World War I.
1932 – The Bonus Army, a group of World War I veterans, was forcibly evicted from their encampment in Washington, D.C.
1945 – A B-25 bomber crashed into the 79th floor of the Empire State Building, killing 14 people.
1951 – Walt Disney’s animated film “Alice in Wonderland” premiered in London.
1976 – An earthquake in Tangshan, China, killed over 240,000 people.
2005 – The Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) announced an end to its armed campaign to bring about a united Ireland.
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