Home
july
what happened on 16th july

16th July In History

BY CATEGORY

According to a famous saying ‘Life happens at the level of events, not of words’. Having said that, we cannot deny how pivotal a role these events play in our day to day lives. If we dig deep into the past, we get to see a series of events happening each day. Probably this list will seem to be exhaustive, making it hard for people to believe that all these events happened on just a single day. Let’s say we talk about 16th July in particular, you will be startled to learn the facts history books reveal about this day alone. From some wonderful astronomical revelations to various interesting sport events, many gruesome wars and even deaths of famous people like John F. Kennedy Jr. and Harry Chapin have occurred on this day. 16th July has great prominence in space research history too, since Neil Armstrong became the first person to step on the surface of the moon on this day. Several natural and man-made disasters like major earthquakes, executions, air and rail accidents, happened on this fateful day. A couple of famous events related to music & literature, which occurred on this day was the famous artist Mozart’s first Opera performance and the publication of author J.D. Salinger’s first novel. Come join us in exploring the importance of 16th July and you too will agree that this day has so many historical insights to offer.

HISTORICAL EVENTS ON 16th July

1377

Politics

King Richard II Crowned The King Of England

On this day, Richard II, son of Edward, the Black Prince and Joan of Kent, was enthroned the King of England. He was born during the reign of his grandfather Edward III and after the death of his father as well as grandfather Richard became the heir to the throne at the age of ten.

1790

Politics

Washington D.C. Declared As The Capital Of The U.S.

On this day, the American Congress announced that Washington D.C. would be the new capital of the United States. The capital was named after the nation’s first President, George Washington, who got the city designed by an architect named Pierre L’Enfant, who was of French descent.

1862

Politics

Farragut Becomes The First Admiral Of The U.S Navy

On this day, the American Congress honored David G Farragut by making him the first ever rear admiral in the history of the American Navy. He was believed to be one of the great admirals during the civil war times.

1894

Politics

A Deadly Attack At Lockhart Mines

On this day, Lockhart Mines located in Corona, Alabama was rocked by an explosion at around 9 am on this day. The assault was perpetuated by the white miners and it seems to have killed a significant number of miners, who were mostly black.

1894

Politics

Treaty Of Aoki-Kimberley Signed

On this day, the Treaty of Aoki-Kimberley was signed between England and Japan, which was considered a significant political development. It marked an end to the inequities prevailing in the treaties and the laws pertaining to extraterritoriality in Japan.

1918

Politics

Czar Nicholas II And Family Executed

On the fateful night between 16th and 17th July 1918, the monarch Czar Nicholas II, his wife and their five children, were killed in Serbia by the Bolsheviks. This marked the end of the Roman Dynasty which was three centuries old.

1920

Politics

China Joins The League Of Nations As A Member

On this historic day, China was approved as a member state of The League Of Nations. This organization, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, was formed after World War I, with an objective of settling international disputes.

1957

Politics

Major Glenn Sets Transcontinental Speed Record

On this day, U.S. Marine Corps Major John H. Glenn, Jr. set a transcontinental speed record by flying a F8U Crusader from California to Floyd Bennett Field, New York. This was a part of the ‘Project Bullet’ led by Glenn, in which he covered a distance of 3,798 kilometers, within a record time of 3 hours, 23 minutes, and 8.4 seconds.

1979

Politics

Saddam Husain Replaces Al-Bakr

On this day, Former Iraq leader Saddam Husain compelled Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr who was the fourth President of Iraq to resign from his esteemed designation. Subsequently, Saddam Husain rose to power and was crowned the president. In an attempt to safeguard his position, he summoned an assembly of ‘Ba’ath Party’ leaders, where he announced the removal of people who are disloyal to the party.

2002

Politics

President Bush Calls For Strengthening Homeland Security

On this day, U.S. President George W Bush laid down plans to strengthen security after the nation was jolted by the horrific 9/11 terrorist attacks. Bush initiated the establishment of the Department of Homeland Security, thereby tightening the nation’s overall safety.

2011

Politics

President Obama Meets Dalai Lama

On this day, the American President Barack Obama met His Holiness, the XIV Dalai Lama, the Tibetan Spiritual leader in the White House in Washington, U.S. Several issues were discussed during the meeting including Tibet’s current situation, China-Tibet relations and political developments in the administration of Tibet.

2013

Politics

President Putin Oversees Russian Military Display

Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, witnessed a drill comprising of 160,000 soldiers and was believed to be the largest show of force since the Soviet Union times. It is being claimed that there was no agenda attached behind this war game, it was just another regular combat training.

1212

Wars

Battle Of Las Navas De Tolosa

The famous battle known in the history of Spain and Arab was the Battle of Las Navas De Tolosa, which was fought on this day. The combined Christian forces succeeded in defeating the Almohads (A Muslim Dynasty) which soon disintegrated as a result of the Christian re-conquest.

1465

Wars

The Battle Of Montlhéry Fought

On this fateful day, a bloody battle was fought between Louis XI and the League of the Public Weal in the south of Paris. After the battle got over, there was no clear winner and both parties claimed that they had not lost in the battle.

1683

Wars

The Battle Of Penghu

On this day, the Battle of Penghu was fought in which the forces belonging to the Chinese Qing Dynasty invaded the Kingdom of Tungning in Taiwan. The Tungning forces were defeated due to the superior artillery and bigger size of the opponent’s fleet.

1779

Wars

A Military Coup At Stony Point

On this day, at Stony Point, New York, American military officer Anthony Wayne ushered a sudden midnight assault against the British bulwark. Post this successful attack, Wayne was nicknamed ‘Mad’, for succeeding in a mission considered next to impossible.

1983

Disasters & Natural Calamities

‘British Airways’ Helicopter Crashes In Atlantic Ocean

The commercial helicopter of the ‘British Airways’, ‘Sikorsky S-61 N-69’, crashed into the Atlantic Ocean, leaving 20 of the 26 passengers onboard dead. The helicopter was flying from Penzance to St Mary’s aerodrome, located in the Isles of Scilly, in thick mist, which caused poor visibility.

1990

Disasters & Natural Calamities

Massive Earthquake Shakes Philippines

On this day, a deadly earthquake hit the island nation of Philippines, killing more than 1000 people and leaving many critically injured. The 7.7 magnitude quake ravaged Luzon, the largest island of Philippines, while the city of Baguio, seemed to be in shambles post this fatal disaster.

1999

Disasters & Natural Calamities

John F Kennedy Jr. Along With Wife And Sister Die In Plane Crash

John Fitzgerald Kennedy Jr., as well as his wife Carolyn and sister-in- law, Lauren Bessette, died in a horrific plane crash on this day in 1999. The pilot of this ill-fated aircraft was Kennedy and the tragedy occurred near Martha Vineyard, Massachusetts. The single-engine plane ripped into the Atlantic Ocean which caused the three of them to die instantly.

2007

Disasters & Natural Calamities

Central Japan Struck By A Major Earthquake

A high intensity earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale rocked Central Japan on this day. Around eight people were killed and hundreds of them were injured in this ghastly incident. The tragedy also resulted in severe damage to numerous homes and public property. It even triggered a fire in one of the world’s most powerful nuclear plants, resulting in radioactive leaks.

1845

Sports

The First American Regatta Was Flagged Off

On this day, the first American regatta was hosted by the New York Yacht Club and the event created a festive mood all over the city. People from various professions participated in the Regatta and most spectators rejoiced this great display of boat races.

1950

Sports

Uruguay Crushes Brazil In The FIFA World Cup

Uruguay rocks the show by beating the host Brazil 2-1 in the finals of FIFA World Cup, held in Rio de Janeiro, on 16th July, 1950. The four favorites in the race for the cup were Sweden, Spain, Uruguay and Brazil.

1955

Sports

Stirling Moss Wins First Formula One Grand Prix Race

On 16th July, 1955, formula British Formula One driver, Stirling Moss emerged victorious for the first time during the British Grand Prix, held in Aintree. He beat Juan Manuel Fangio, his teammate and competitor for the first time.

1782

Literature & Entertainment

Mozart’s First Opera Performance In Vienna

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart., the legendary music composer’s first performance of ‘The Abduction from the Seraglio’ was held in the city of Vienna, Austria. This composition of Mozart’s, is considered one of his finest works and the audience thoroughly enjoyed the wonderful performance.

1951

Literature & Entertainment

J.D. Salinger’s First Novel Published

The controversial book ‘The Catcher in the Rye’ was published on this day by the publication firm Little, Brown and Company. J.D. Salinger, the author, had spent years to write this book and finally made waves when the work turned into a bestseller and earned a ‘Book of the Month Club’ selection.

1966

Literature & Entertainment

Tommy James’s Song ‘Hanky Panky’ Tops The Charts

Michigan based Tommy James, the founder of the acclaimed band ‘The Shondells’ song ‘Hanky Panky’, bagged the top spot on the ‘Billboard hot 100’ on this day. It is also believed that close to 1 million copies of ‘Hanky Panky’ were sold and the recording of the song was done in their high school days.

1054

Trivia

Patriarch Of Constantinople, Michael Cerularius Excommunicated

On this day, legate of Pope Leo IX, Cardinal Humbert, barged into the famous shrine of Hagia Sophia to declare the excommunication of Michael Cerularius, the Patriarch of Constantinople. He was appointed as the Patriarch at a time when the conflicts between the churches of east and west were increasing.

1439

Trivia

Kissing Prohibited In The Capital City Of U.K.

Due to the fear of a pandemic which rocked the British capital of London, King Henry VI had banned kissing in public, since it was believed the gesture would cause pathogens to spread. The disease is remembered as the ‘Black Death’ and it killed 30% of the nation’s population.

1548

Trivia

La Paz City In Bolivia Founded

On this day, the city of La Paz was founded thereby, becoming the administrative capital of Bolivia. The city of La Paz also known as ‘Nuestra Señora de La Paz’ (Our Lady of Peace) has been recognized as one of the’ new seven wonder cities of the world’.

1661

Trivia

First European Paper Money Issued By ‘Bank Of Stockholm’

On this day, the financial institution ‘Stockholm Banco’ issued the first bank notes in Europe which were called ‘Credityf-Zedel’. Johan Palmstruch, a Dutch merchant, was the man behind this invention and it is believed that he did so in an attempt to ward off a looming liquidity shortage.

1769

Trivia

Father Junípero Serra Founded The First Catholic Mission

On this day, ‘San Diego de Alcala’ the first Catholic Mission, founded by Father Junípero Serra, came into existence. Located in California, the religious initiative was basically founded in an attempt to promote Christianity and spread the word of god. Father Serra is believed to have found 8 more missions in California.

1798

Trivia

Establishment Of A U.S. Marine Hospital

In a bid to provide relief cover to every officer of the US armed forces, a marine hospital was established on this day. This initiative was the result of the ‘Act for the Relief of Sick and Disabled Seamen’ which was signed by John Adams, the second president of the United States.

1808

Trivia

‘Missouri Fur Company’ Formed

On this day, two men, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, along with other known fur traders in St. Louis, formed an enterprise known as ‘Missouri Fur Company’. The idea hit the duo while they were returning to St. Louis, where they realized the animals found in the region had thick fur and could be tapped for trading.

1862

Trivia

Lewis Swift Discovered Comet Swift-Tuttle

On this day, during the civil war times, American astronomer Lewis Swift spotted a comet in the sky. Nearly three days later, Horace Parnell Tuttle, a Union Naval officer, had also spotted the same comet, which later came to be known as the ‘109P/Swift–Tuttle’.

1880

Trivia

First Woman To Be Granted License To Practice Medicine In Canada

On this day, Dr. Emily Howard Stowe, a Canadian, became the first lady doctor to begin her practice. She had been a women’s rights activist and found the women's suffrage movement in Canada. Ironically, she was refused a seat in the renowned ‘Toronto School of Medicine’ on the grounds that she was a woman. This prompted Stowe to start initiatives that addressed equality.

1926

Trivia

‘National Geographic’ Magazine Published First Underwater Color Photograph

On this day, the popular magazine ‘National Geographic’ published its first colored photo, which was taken underwater. Dr. William Longley, along with a ‘National Geographic’ photographer, took a still of a hog fish in the Gulf of Mexico, thereby making it the first ever colored underwater picture.

1935

Trivia

Installation Of The First Automated Parking Meter

Lawyer Carl C. Magee is the mastermind who worked out a remedy to regulate the poorly parked cars that used to create a mess in the streets of America. On this day, Magee’s invention, the parking meter, was installed in Oklahoma City. The meter was named ‘Park-O-Meter No. 1’.

1945

Trivia

First Atomic Bomb Detonation Done By US Army

The first nuclear weapon was detonated on this day by the U.S army in Alamogordo, New Mexico. This initiative was a part of Manhattan Project. It is even mentioned that the tower on which the bomb was installed, vaporized completely after the test.

1965

Trivia

Inauguration Of The Mont Blanc Tunnel

The highway tunnel, Mont Blanc, connecting France and Italy, was officially inaugurated on this day by Charles de Gaulle, the then President of France and Giuseppe Saragat, the former President of Italy. The tunnel is named after the highest peak in the Alps, ‘Mount Blanc’ and during those times, it was considered to be the longest tunnel in the world.

1969

Trivia

Launch Of ‘Apollo 11’ To The Moon

On 16th July, 1969, ‘Apollo 11’ was the 5th rocket to be launched from Cape Kennedy, Florida, that landed on the Moon. The crew consisted of Neil Armstrong, Edwin ‘Buzz’ Aldrin and Michael Collins. Armstrong was the first among the crew members to step on the moon’s surface. ‘Apollo 11’ estimated to complete its landing in 4 days i.e. on 20th July.

1979

Trivia

Captain MacDonald Is Charged For Killing His Family

On this day, years ago, a military doctor, Jeffery MacDonald, was tried in court for killing his pregnant wife and two daughters by stabbing them to death in North Carolina. Jeffery tried a lot to prove his innocence by stating that he and his family was attacked by a bunch of hippies.

1981

Trivia

Harry Chapin Dies In Car Accident

On this day the famous American singer and songwriter, Harry Chapin, died in a car accident. While heading towards the venue of his concert, a tractor-trailer rammed his car on the Long Island Expressway, resulting in Chapin’s death.

1987

Trivia

British Caledonian And British Airways Join Hands

On this day the two major airline brands of the U.K agreed to have a merger, basically to compete with major American aviation giants. The Monopolies and Mergers Commission gave a nod to this collaboration green signal after completing their investigation in December 1987.

1990

Trivia

The Iconic Empire State Building Was Ablaze

New York’s famous Empire State Building caught fire on this day and fortunately the incident didn’t result in any casualties, except for injuring a few people. It is believed that the 51st floor of the building caught fire and it took more than two hours for it to get doused.

1994

Trivia

Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9’s Fragments Hits Planet Jupiter

The fragmented pieces of the ‘Comet shoemaker-Levy 9’, hit the surface of the planet Jupiter on this day, resulting in scars that were visible from Earth through telescopes. This event is believed to be the first observation of a collision happening between two entities of the solar system. The celestial event lasted for a period of one week.

1995

Trivia

‘Amazon’ Indulges In Business

The online giant ‘Amazon.com’ justified the firm’s founder Jeff Bezos’s motto ‘get big fast’ by getting into the business of selling books online on this day. Since then on, the firm hasn’t looked back and in a matter of few years, became the largest online retailer in the U.S. The firm’s success justified its founder Jeff Bezos’ motto ‘get big fast’.

2004

Trivia

Martha Stewart Prison Sentence

Famous American business woman and television artist Martha Stewart was sentenced for a period of five months in jail. This was followed by a two-year probation period during which she was being closely monitored by the police. She was basically found guilty of the charges stemming from insider trading which is not considered as legal.

2006

Trivia

David Carruthers, CEO Of Gambling Company Nabbed

On this day, David Carruthers, the CEO of ‘BetonSports plc’, an online gambling company, was arrested at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport in Texas, U.S. There were several charges against him, since he was a key decision maker of the firm and eventually Carruthers was declared guilty of being involved in racketeering as well.

2009

Trivia

Dongfan Chung Arrested For Charges Of Espionage

A Chinese engineer, Dongfan Chung was arrested on this day for allegedly leaking out information about the technology of the U.S. space shuttle to China. Chung worked as an engineer in ‘Boeing and Rockwell International’ and he was sentenced to imprisonment for more than fifteen years.

2011

Trivia

North Korean Athletes Tested Positive For A Banned Drug

During the Women’s soccer world cup, around five North Korean athletes had been tested for a banned steroid and the results were positive. It is believed that there were two reported cases of positive tests before a match against Columbia which provoked the authorities to subject the whole team to a drug test.