June 26: Today in History – Historical Events
Early Centuries – June 26 Historic Events – Before the 1700s
1. 26th June 1409: Peter of Candia or Peter Philarges was elected as nominal Pope, Pope Alexander V by the Council of Pisa today.
2. 26th June 1483: After the Parliament declared Edward V as illegitimate, the Duke of Gloucester succeeded as King Richard III of England.
3. 26th June 1498: China invented the toothbrush today. They used the bore bristle for the brush.
4. 26th June 1553: Christ Hospital in England was today granted a charter.
18th Century – What Happened on June 26 – The 1700s
5. 26th June 1714: Spain and Netherlands signed a peace/trade agreement today.
6. 26th June 1718: Son of Peter the Great, Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich, who was sentenced to death by his father for plotting against him, died mysteriously today.
7. 26th June 1721: The first smallpox inoculation was given in America today by Dr. Zabdiel Boylston.
8. 26th June 1723: Baku surrendered to the Russians after sustained siege and bombardment by cannons.
9. 26th June 1794: In the Battle of Fleurus in which a reconnaissance balloon was used for the first time French Republican Army led by General Jean-Baptiste Jourdan scored a major victory over the Coalition Army of Great Britain, Hanover, Dutch Republic, and Habsburgs today.
10. 26th June 1797: The first cast-iron plow was patented today by Charles Newbold although farmers feared the effect of iron on the soil.
19th Century – June 26 This Day That Year – The 1800s
11. 26th June 1807: In Luxembourg, a gunpowder warehouse was struck by lightning killing 230 people.
12. 26th June 1843: Hong Kong was today proclaimed as a British Crown Colony.
13. 26th June 1848: The US today enacted the first pure food law.
14. 26th June 1848: In Paris, June days upraising of the French workers ended today.
15. 26th June 1857: Queen Victoria awarded the Victoria Cross for valor in the Crimean War to the first 62 recipients today.
16. 26th June 1862: US Army of Virginia was established today under Gen John Pope.
17. 26th June 1894: German Engineer and Inventor Karl Benz received the US patent for a gas-driven auto today.
20th Century – Important Events On This Day June 26th – The 1900s
18. 26th June 1900: Dr. Walter Reed began his research for fighting Yellow Fever today.
19. 26th June 1900: Despite growing unrest in Finland and growing international concern over Russia’s behavior there, the Russians ordered that Russian must be the official language in Finland.
20. 26th June 1900: To help put down the Boxer uprising in China and also to further their long-term interest in gaining land and power in mainland Asia, Japan today mobilized 20,000 troops.
21. 26th June 1902: King Edward VII instituted the Order of Merit today.
22. 26th June 1902: Aga Khan III was today appointed the Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire.
23. 26th June 1909: The Victoria and Albert Museum opened in London today.
24. 26th June 1911: Nieuport’s aircraft today set a speed record of 83 MPH (133 KMPH).
25. 26th June 1914: After a prolonged period of passive resistance by Gandhi, The Indian Relief Act was passed today which abolished the £3 tax imposed on Indians who had not renewed their indentures. It also recognizes “the validity of Indian customary marriages”.
26. 26th June 1915: Germany suppressed the “Vorwarts” newspaper after it called for peace.
27. 26th June 1917: The US troops arrived in France today during World War I.
28. 26th June 1918: A mine laid by the German raider Wolf in 1917 north of Cape Maria van Diemen, sunk an Australian streamer “Wimmera” today killing 26 of the 151 passengers and crew on board the streamer.
29. 26th June 1919: In New York, NY Daily News commenced publishing today.
30. 26th June 1924: Ending 8 years of occupation, US troops left the Dominican Republic today.
31. 26th June 1925: Charlie Chaplin’s starrer “The Gold Rush” which was also written and directed by him was released today.
32. 26th June 1928: Architect and city planner Le Corbusier organized the first meeting of the International Congress of Modern Architects (CIAM) at Lake Leman today.
33. 26th June 1934: US President Franklin D Roosevelt signed the Federal Credit Union Act today establishing Credit Unions.
34. 26th June 1934: A non-aggression treaty was signed today by Germany and Poland.
35. 26th June 1935: In Germany, work service for recent graduates became obligatory today.
36. 26th June 1936: Fw61 helicopter makes its maiden flight today.
37. 26th June 1937: Len Hutton made his test cricket debut against New Zealand at Lords today with 0 and 1.
38. 26th June 1941: In Kovno, 2,300 Jews were massacred by Lithuanian fascists today.
39. 26th June 1944: The 2nd British Army reached the Grainville-Mouen line today.
40. 26th June 1945: The United Nations Charter was today signed by 50 nations in San Francisco.
41. 26th June 1946: Arnold Meijer, the Dutch Nazi collaborator was sentenced to 5 years today.
42. 26th June 1949: The first parliamentary election was held in Belgium after women’s suffrage today.
43. 26th June 1952: In South Africa, anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela and 51 others infringed curfew today.
44. 26th June 1952: The Dutch social democratic party won the elections today.
45. 26th June 1953: The Interior minister and vice-premier of Russia Lavrently Pavlovich Beria was arrested today.
46. 26th June 1955: In South Africa, the Freedom Charter was signed today.
47. 26th June 1958: Gaston Eyskens became the Premier of Belgium today.
48. 26th June 1958: The launch of Vanguard LSV-2 for Earth orbit failed today.
49. 26th June 1959: The St. Lawrence Seaway was opened by Queen Elizabeth and President Eisenhower today.
50. 26th June 1959: In the 9th Berlin International Film Festival “The Cousins” won the Golden Bear award.
51. 26th June 1960: British Somaliland, now called Somalia got its independence from Britain today.
52. 26th June 1960: Italian Somaliland declared its independence from the Italian administration today.
53. 26th June 1960: Madagascar today declared its independence from France.
54. 26th June 1962: In Cairo, Illinois, blacks began their passive resistance today.
55. 26th June 1963: Commercial TV was today condemned by the Dutch 2nd Chamber.
56. 26th June 1963: Alfons Gorbach formed government in Austria today.
57. 26th June 1963: John F Kennedy’s famous speech “Ich bin ein Berliner” intended to mean “I am a Berliner”, but meant “I am a doughnut” was delivered today in West Berlin.
58. 26th June 1966: A female suffrage movement led by Kanton Bazel began in Switzerland today.
59. 26th June 1967: Pope Paul VI today named 27 new Cardinals.
60. 26th June 1968: The Islands of Iwo Jima and Bonin were returned to Japan by the US today.
61. 26th June 1972: In test cricket, Bob Massie took 16 wickets (8 for 84 and 8 for 53) on his test debut against England.
62. 26th June 1973: In the USSR, nine people were killed when the Cosmos 3-M rocket exploded on Plesetsk Cosmodrome today.
63. 26th June 1974: The bar code reader was used for the first time today for scanning Wrigley’s chewing gum at Marsh Supermarket in Troy, Ohio.
64. 26th June 1975: In India, a state of Emergency was declared by the Indian Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi today.
65. 26th June 1975: The US Supreme Court in the case “O’Connor V. Donaldson”, unanimously ruled that non-dangerous people can’t be confined to psychiatric facilities without adequate treatment if able to live viably in the outside society.
66. 26th June 1977: An inmate caused a fire at Maury County Jail in Columbia, Tennessee, in which 42 people died.
67. 26th June 1982: The United States today vetoed the UN Security Council’s resolution calling for the limited withdrawal of Israeli and Palestine Liberation Organization forces from Beirut.
68. 26th June 1989: The Supreme Court today ruled that 16-year-olds can receive a death Penalty.
69. 26th June 1991: Leader of the African National Congress, Nelson Mandela addresses the Congress today.
70. 26th June 1992: India today leased the Tin Bigha corridor to Bangladesh.
71. 26th June 1992: The Supreme Court today ruled that fund soliciting can be banned at airports.
72. 26th June 1994: Yasser Arafat, the leader of the PLO today returned to the Gaza Strip after 27 years.
73. 26th June 1995: Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak was today ambushed by gunmen. He escaped unhurt.
74. 26th June 1997: Doctor-assisted suicide ban was today upheld by the US Supreme Court.
21st Century – June 26 This Day In History – The 2000s
75. 26th June 2013: In India, 20 people were killed when a rescue helicopter crashed in Uttarakhand.
76. 26th June 2015: The US Supreme Court in its split judgment 5-4, ruled same-sex marriage is a legal right across all US states.
77. 26th June 2015: In Island, history professor Guŏni Jóhennesson won the Presidential elections today.
78. 26th June 2017: In Brazil, state prosecutors today filed corruption charges against President Michel Temer.
79. 26th June 2017: The Conservative minority government of the UK led by Theresa May struck a deal to govern Northern Ireland’s DUP with a guarantee of one billion in funding.
80. 26th June 2018: President Trump’s travel ban against mostly Muslim countries was today upheld by the US Supreme Court.
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