Today:
1829: William Austin Burt patented the “typographer,” an early precursor to the typewriter in the United States.
1885: Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th president of the United States and a Civil War general, died at the age of 63.
1914: Austria-Hungary issued a harsh ultimatum to Serbia, nearly a month after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, setting the stage for World War I.
1923: John Dillinger joined the U.S. Navy in an attempt to avoid prosecution for auto theft; he later deserted and became a notorious criminal.
1952: The Free Officers, led by Gamal Abdel Nasser, overthrew King Farouk I in a military coup, ending the Egyptian monarchy.
1962: Telstar 1, a communications satellite, relayed the world’s first live transatlantic television signal.
1972: The United States launched Landsat 1, the first Earth-resources satellite, designed to collect data about the planet’s natural resources.
1982: Actor Vic Morrow and two child actors were killed in a helicopter crash during the filming of Twilight Zone: The Movie, leading to significant changes in movie set safety regulations.
1988: Guns N’ Roses’ single “Sweet Child O’ Mine” entered the Billboard Top 40, marking their mainstream breakthrough.
1996: The U.S. women’s gymnastics team, known as the “Magnificent Seven,” won its first Olympic team gold medal at the Atlanta Summer Olympics.