240
Ancient
Shapur I Defeats Roman Emperor Gordian III
Sasanian King Shapur I defeated the Roman Emperor Gordian III at the Battle of Misiche. The victory marked a turning point in the Roman-Sasanian rivalry.
On This Day in History
1586
Exploration
English Colonists Depart Roanoke
The English colonists at Roanoke Island departed with Sir Francis Drake's fleet. The second Roanoke Colony, established the following year, became the famous 'Lost Colony.'
1862
Civil Rights
Slavery Banned in U.S. Territories
Congress prohibited slavery in all current and future United States territories. The law reversed the Dred Scott decision's claim that Congress could not ban slavery in territories.
1865
Civil Rights
Juneteenth: Enslaved People in Texas Freed
Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced the emancipation of all enslaved people. This came two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation.
1910
Culture
First Father's Day Celebrated
The first Father's Day was celebrated in Spokane, Washington, organized by Sonora Smart Dodd. It would become a national holiday in 1972.
1944
War & Conflict
Battle of the Philippine Sea
The U.S. Navy won a decisive victory over the Japanese in the Battle of the Philippine Sea. American pilots shot down so many Japanese planes it was dubbed the 'Great Marianas Turkey Shoot.'
1953
Crime
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg Executed
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were executed at Sing Sing prison for espionage. They were the first American civilians executed for spying during peacetime.