12 History Lessons + 6 Births & 6 Deaths for July 9, 2025
Today’s History:
- 1540 – King Henry VIII annuls his marriage to Anne of Cleves after just six months.
- 1755 – British General Edward Braddock is mortally wounded in the Battle of the Monongahela during the French and Indian War.
- 1776 – The Declaration of Independence is read aloud to General George Washington’s troops in New York City.
- 1816 – Argentina declares independence from Spain.
- 1850 – U.S. President Zachary Taylor dies; Vice President Millard Fillmore becomes the 13th President.
- 1868 – The 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is ratified, granting citizenship and equal protection under the law.
- 1943 – Operation Husky begins as Allied forces land in Sicily during WWII.
- 1955 – The Russell–Einstein Manifesto is released, warning of the dangers of nuclear weapons.
- 1982 – Pan Am Flight 759 crashes shortly after takeoff in Kenner, Louisiana, killing 153 people.
- 1993 – Canada passes the Nunavut Act, paving the way for the territory’s creation.
- 2002 – The African Union is officially launched in Durban, South Africa.
- 2011 – South Sudan declares independence, becoming the world’s newest country.
Today’s Birthdays:
- 1956 – Tom Hanks, Academy Award-winning actor (Forrest Gump, Cast Away) (69)
- 1957 – Kelly McGillis, actress (Top Gun, Witness) (68)
- 1964 – Courtney Love, singer (Hole) and actress (The People vs. Larry Flynt) (61)
- 1975 – Jack White, musician (The White Stripes, The Raconteurs) (50)
- 1986 – Kiely Williams, singer (3LW, The Cheetah Girls) (39)
- 1992 – Douglas Booth, English actor (Great Expectations, Romeo & Juliet) (33)
Today’s Deaths:
- 1850 – Zachary Taylor, 12th President of the United States (65)
- 1922 – Percy Mackaye, American dramatist and poet (58)
- 1958 – Peter Collins, British Formula One driver (26)
- 2004 – Isabel Sanford, actress known for The Jeffersons (86)
- 2012 – Andy Griffith, actor and TV icon (The Andy Griffith Show) (A86)
- 2022 – James Caan, actor (The Godfather, Misery) (82)
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