Today:
1214 – Battle of Bouvines: Philip II of France defeated a coalition led by Otto IV, Holy Roman Emperor, strengthening the French monarchy.
1694 – The Bank of England received its Royal Charter, officially establishing England’s central bank.
1789 – The United States Department of State was created by the U.S. Congress, originally as the Department of Foreign Affairs.
1866 – The first successful permanent transatlantic telegraph cable was completed, allowing reliable communication between North America and Europe.
1940 – Bugs Bunny made his official debut in the animated short A Wild Hare.
1953 – Korean War Armistice Agreement was signed at Panmunjom, ending major combat in the Korean War, although no formal peace treaty followed.
1974 – The United States House Committee on the Judiciary Approval of Impeachment Articles Against Richard Nixon began when the committee approved the first article of impeachment against Richard Nixon.
1996 – A pipe bomb exploded during the Centennial Olympic Park bombing at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, killing two people and injuring more than 100.
2002 – Ukraine Air Show Disaster occurred near Lviv, Ukraine, when a military jet crashed into spectators, killing 77 people in one of history’s deadliest air show accidents.
2012 – 2012 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony was held in London, featuring a widely acclaimed ceremony directed by Danny Boyle.