In History, Today on July 16

The Great Schism between the Western (Roman Catholic) and Eastern (Orthodox) branches of Christianity is traditionally dated to this day, when Pope Leo IX's legate excommunicated Patriarch Michael I Cerularius of Constantinople.

Kissing is banned in England to prevent the spread of the plague.

The first banknotes in Europe are issued by the Bank of Stockholm.

Father Junípero Serra founds Mission San Diego de Alcalá, the first of the 21 California missions.

The Residence Act is signed into law, establishing a site along the Potomac River as the District of Columbia and the future capital of the United States.

The United States conducts the first test of a nuclear weapon, codenamed Trinity, in the New Mexico desert.

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is published for the first time.

Apollo 11, the first manned mission to land on the Moon, is launched from Kennedy Space Center.

Saddam Hussein becomes the President of Iraq, succeeding Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr.

An earthquake measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale strikes Luzon, Philippines, causing significant damage and loss of life.

Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 collided with Jupiter, providing the first direct observation of an extraterrestrial collision of solar system objects.

Millennium Park, a public park located in the Loop community area of Chicago, Illinois, officially opened to the public. It features a variety of public art installations and is a popular tourist destination.

The sixth book in the Harry Potter series, 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,' was released worldwide. The book sold nine million copies in the first 24 hours, setting a record at the time.

An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 struck Niigata Prefecture in Japan, causing significant damage and resulting in the deaths of at least 11 people. The earthquake also led to a fire and radiation leak at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant.

The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on charges of genocide in Darfur, marking the first time the ICC charged a sitting head of state with genocide.

The European Union imposed a record fine of €1.7 billion on a group of companies for operating a cartel in the automotive industry, specifically in the market for automotive bearings.

A series of shootings occurred at two military installations in Chattanooga, Tennessee, resulting in the deaths of four U.S. Marines and one Navy sailor. The gunman was also killed in a shootout with police.

The European Parliament elected Ursula von der Leyen as the first female President of the European Commission. Her election marked a significant moment in EU history, as she became the first woman to hold the position.