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Today in History
FDR signs G.I. Bill
On June 22, 1944, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the G.I. Bill, an unprecedented act of legislation designed to…
U.S. Constitution ratified
June 21, 1788: New Hampshire becomes the ninth and last necessary state to ratify the Constitution of the United States, thereby…
Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor
On June 17, 1885, the dismantled Statue of Liberty, a gift of friendship from the people of France to the people of America,…
First roller coaster in America opens
On June 16, 1884, the first roller coaster in America opens at Coney Island, in Brooklyn, New York. Known as a switchback railway,…
King John puts his seal on Magna Carta
Following a revolt by the English nobility against his rule, King John puts his royal seal on Magna Carta, or “the Great Charter,”…
Congress adopts the Stars and Stripes
During the American Revolution, the Continental Congress adopts a resolution stating that “the flag of the United States be…
President Reagan challenges Gorbachev to “Tear down this wall”
On June 12, 1987, in one of his most famous Cold War speeches, President Ronald Ragan challenges Soviet Leader Mikhail Gorbachev…
James Earl Ray, suspect in Martin Luther King Jr. assassination, is…
James Earl Ray, an escaped American convict, is arrested in London, England, and charged with the assassination of African…
First successful ascent of Denali
On June 7, 1913, Hudson Stuck, an Alaskan missionary, leads the first successful ascent of Denali (formerly known as Mt.…
Chinese crackdown on protests leads to Tiananmen Square Massacre
Chinese troops storm through Tiananmen Square in the center of Beijing, killing and arresting thousands of pro-democracy…