In History, Today on July 9

Today we explore events from the year 1357 to the year 2021. Events span the globe, from the countries of United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Netherlands, Germany, Argentina, Northern Mariana Islands, South Africa, South Sudan, Eritrea, Haiti, Bohemia, England, Austria.

1357

Prague, Bohemia

Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor, lays the foundation stone for Charles Bridge in Prague.

1540

London, England

King Henry VIII of England annuls his marriage to his fourth wife, Anne of Cleves.

1701

Vienna, Austria

The War of the Spanish Succession begins when Austria, England, and the Dutch Republic declare war on France.

1816

San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina

Argentina declares independence from Spain.

1850

Washington, D.C., United States

U.S. President Zachary Taylor dies after serving only 16 months in office, and Millard Fillmore becomes the 13th President of the United States.

1877

London, United Kingdom

The inaugural Wimbledon Championship begins, marking the first official lawn tennis tournament.

1922

Alameda, United States

Johnny Weissmuller swims the 100 meters freestyle in 58.6 seconds, breaking the world swimming record and the 'minute barrier.'

1944

Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands

The Battle of Saipan ends in a decisive victory for the United States over Japan during World War II.

1955

London, United Kingdom

The Russell-Einstein Manifesto is released, highlighting the dangers of nuclear weapons and calling for peaceful resolutions to international conflicts.

1981

Kyoto, Japan

Donkey Kong, a video game created by Nintendo, is released, introducing the character Mario and becoming a major success.

2001

The Hague, Netherlands

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that the United States had violated international law by failing to inform German consular officials of the arrest of two German nationals, Karl and Walter LaGrand, who were sentenced to death in Arizona.

2002

Durban, South Africa

The African Union (AU) was officially launched in Durban, South Africa, replacing the Organization of African Unity (OAU) with the aim of promoting greater unity and cooperation among African states.

2006

Berlin, Germany

Italy won the FIFA World Cup, defeating France in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw in the final match held in Berlin, Germany.

2011

Juba, South Sudan

South Sudan officially declared independence from Sudan, becoming the world's newest nation after decades of civil war and a 2011 referendum in which nearly 99% of South Sudanese voted for independence.

2018

Asmara, Eritrea

Ethiopia and Eritrea signed a historic peace agreement, formally ending a state of war between the two countries that had lasted since 1998. The agreement was signed in Asmara, Eritrea.

2021

Port-au-Prince, Haiti

The assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse occurred, leading to political turmoil in Haiti.