TODAY’S HISTORY LESSON – JUNE 29
1652 Massachusetts declares itself an independent commonwealth.
1767 The British parliament passes the Townshend Revenue Act, levying taxes on America.
1804 Privates John Collins and Hugh Hall of the Lewis and Clark Expedition were found guilty by a court-martial consisting of members of the Corps of Discovery for getting drunk on duty. Collins received 100 lashes on his back and Hall received 50.
1880 France annexes Tahiti.
1888 Professor Frederick Treves performs the first appendectomy in England.
1905 Russian troops intervene as riots erupt in ports all over the country, leaving many ships looted.
1917 The Ukraine proclaims independence from Russia.
1926 Fascists in Rome add an hour to the work day in an economic efficiency measure.
1932 Siam’s army seizes Bangkok and announces an end to the absolute monarchy.
1936 3 millions job program launched as part of the relief and public works program the WPA average wage has been set at $25.00 per month, this was a major part of the bills passed in the 1930s to help the country during the Great Depression.
1938 Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado, and Olympic National Park, Washington, are founded.
1950 President Harry S. Truman authorizes a sea blockade of Korea.
1956 Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 bill into law. The National Interstate and Defense Highways Act was for the construction of 41,000 miles of interstate highways over a 20-year period and was the largest public works project ever undertaken.
1967 Israel removes barricades, re-unifying Jerusalem.
1972 The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the death penalty could constitute “cruel and unusual punishment.” The ruling prompted states to revise their capital punishment laws.
1982 Israel invades Lebanon.
1989 With the worsening of relations between the USA and China during the Cold War Years and following the massacre of protesters in Tiananmen Square. The House of Representatives unanimously passed a package of sanctions against the People’s Republic of China focused on economic and trade relations with China.
1990 Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are banned to protect the ozone layer The London Amendment to the Montreal Protocol stipulated that CFCs be phased out by 2000 in developed countries and by 2010 in developing countries. CFCs are one of the substances most harmful to the ozone layer, escalating the greenhouse effect and global warming.
2006 The United States House of Representatives voted in favor of ending the ban on offshore oil drilling in the country. The bill that was approved would end the ban which began in 1981 and had been renewed each year since.
2006 The US Supreme Court rules that President George W. Bush’s plan to try Guantanamo Bay detainees in military tribunals violated U.S. and international law.
2007 Apple releases the first iPhone The iPhone revolutionized the smartphone industry and for a while made Apple one of the world’s most valuable companies.
** history.net, onthisday.com, infoplease.com, timeanddate.com, thepeoplehistory.com, on-this-day.com **
