Events
- 1778 – Louis XVI of France declares war on the Kingdom of Great Britain, diverting British attention, troops, and supplies from the American Revolutionary War.
- 1821 – The United States takes possession of its newly–bought territory of Florida from Spain.
- 1832 – President Andrew Jackson vetoes a bill that would re–charter the Second Bank of the United States.
- 1850 – Millard Fillmore is inaugurated as the 13th President of the United States upon the death of President Zachary Taylor, 16 months into his term.
- 1890 – Wyoming is admitted as the 44th U.S. state.
- 1913 – Death Valley, California hits 134 °F (~56.7 °C), which is the highest temperature recorded in the United States.
- 1925 – Scopes Trial: In Dayton, Tennessee, the so–called "Monkey Trial" begins with John T. Scopes, a young high school science teacher, accused of teaching evolution in violation of a state law against it.
- 1938 – Howard Hughes sets a new record by completing a 91 hour airplane flight around the world.
- 1958 – Alaska, highest tsunami wave ever recorded at Lituya Bay, at 524 m high.
- 1962 – Telstar, the world's first communications satellite, is launched into orbit.
- 1976 – One US and three UK mercenaries executed in Angola following the Luanda Trial.
- 1978 – World News Tonight premieres on ABC.
- 1992 – In Miami, Florida, former Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega is sentenced to 40 years in prison for drug and racketeering violations.
- 1998 – Roman Catholic sex abuse cases: The Diocese of Dallas agrees to pay $23.4 million to nine former altar boys who claimed they were sexually abused by former priest Rudolph Kos.
- 2005 – Hurricane Dennis slams into the Florida Panhandle causing billions of dollars in damage.