70 — The Romans destroy the Second Temple in Jerusalem.
1789 — In France members of the National Constituent Assembly take an oath to end feudalism and abandon their privileges.
1792 — The revolutionaries order all houses of worship to close in France.
1824 — Battle of Kos is fought between Turks and Greeks.
1914 — Germany invades Belgium. The United Kingdom declares war on Germany. The United States declares itself neutral.
1944 — The Gestapo finds Jewish diarist Anne Frank and her family in a sealed-off area of an Amsterdam warehouse.
1961 — Barack Obama is born and, despite the where being dubious in the minds of millions, eventually becomes the 44th President of the United States. Wish him well on his birthday. You may contact him here or via email.
1964 — American civil rights workers Michael Schwerner, Andrew Goodman, and James Chaney are found dead in Mississippi after disappearing on June 21. Also US destroyers USS Maddox and USS C. Turner Joy report coming under attack in the Gulf of Tonkin, resulting in an engagement known as the Gulf of Tonkin Incident.
1977 — US President Jimmy Carter signs legislation creating the United States Department of Energy.
1984 — The African republic Upper Volta changes its name to Burkina Faso.
1987 — The Federal Communications Commission rescinds the Fairness Doctrine which had required radio and television stations to present controversial issues “fairly”.
2009 — National Night Out is today!