12 History Lessons + 7 Births & 6 Deaths for June 13, 2025
Today’s History:
- 1373 – England and Portugal sign the Treaty of London, the oldest active diplomatic alliance in the world.
- 1525 – Martin Luther marries Katharina von Bora, defying clerical celibacy and setting a precedent for Protestant ministers.
- 1774 – Rhode Island becomes the first American colony to ban the importation of slaves.
- 1886 – King Ludwig II of Bavaria is found dead under mysterious circumstances in Lake Starnberg.
- 1893 – Grover Cleveland notices a tumor in his mouth, leading to a secret cancer surgery aboard a yacht.
- 1920 – The U.S. Post Office rules children may not be sent by parcel post.
- 1944 – Germany launches the first V-1 flying bomb attack on London during WWII.
- 1966 – The U.S. Supreme Court rules in Miranda v. Arizona, establishing Miranda rights.
- 1971 – The New York Times begins publishing the Pentagon Papers, exposing U.S. involvement in Vietnam.
- 1983 – Pioneer 10 becomes the first man-made object to leave the central Solar System.
- 1997 – Timothy McVeigh is sentenced to death for the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.
- 2005 – Pop icon Michael Jackson is acquitted of all charges in his child molestation trial.
Today’s Birthdays:
- 1943 – Malcolm McDowell, English actor (A Clockwork Orange) (82)
- 1953 – Tim Allen, comedian and actor (Home Improvement, Toy Story) (72)
- 1969 – Steve-O, stunt performer and comedian (Jackass) (56)
- 1981 – Chris Evans, American actor (Captain America, Knives Out) (44)
Today’s Deaths:
- 1886 – King Ludwig II of Bavaria, patron of Wagner and builder of Neuschwanstein Castle (40)
- 1965 – Martin Buber, Austrian-Israeli philosopher (I and Thou) (87)
- 1986 – Benny Goodman, American jazz clarinetist and bandleader (77)
- 1997 – Harold Robbins, best-selling American novelist (The Carpetbaggers) (81)
- 2008 – Tim Russert, American journalist and host of Meet the Press (58)
- 2010 – Jimmy Dean, country singer and sausage entrepreneur (81)
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