2016
British prime minister, Theresa May of the Conservative Party, was elected by the Party’s MPs.
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2006
British singer-songwriter Lily Allen released her first album, “Alright, Still,” in the UK.
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1993
Mexican grill chain Chipotle opened its first restaurant.
The founder Steve Ells opened 16 restaurants in Colorado, US, and there are now over 500 locations.
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1985
The Live Aid concert raised funds and awareness for famine relief efforts in Africa.
The concert, organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure, featured some of the biggest musical acts of the time, including Queen, U2, David Bowie, and Madonna. The event was watched by an estimated global audience of 1.9 billion and is considered one of history’s most significant music events.
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1977
New York City experienced a 25-hour blackout when a substation on the Hudson River was struck by lightning, causing two circuit breakers to trip.
It was one of the worst blackouts New York City experienced, and many crimes, such as looting, were carried out. These crimes were exceptionally high because the city was going through a financial crisis at the time.
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1969
The USSR’s Luna 15 robotic spacecraft was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
Launched three days before the Apollo 11 crewed mission to the Moon, Luna 15 was the far less technologically advanced mission. Still, considering the many failures of the Soviet space program, its launch was still impressive. After orbiting the Moon for two days, Luna 15 attempted to de-orbit, but communication was lost, and it crashed into the surface of the Moon. If successful, it would have brought back the USSR’s first lunar soil sample.
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1960
John F. Kennedy was nominated as a presidential candidate by the US Democrats.
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1939
Legend Frank Sinatra recorded his debut single with the Harry James band.
Harry James had heard Sinatra on the radio show Major Bowes’ Amateur Hour just a few years earlier and was captured by his vocals. Sinatra and Harry James recorded “Melancholy Mood” and “From The Bottom of My Heart” on this day.
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1923
The famous iconic Hollywood sign was placed in Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, California, US.
The sign originally read “Hollywoodland” until 1949, when the last four letters were removed.
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1878
The Treaty of Berlin was signed, granting Serbia, Montenegro, and Romania independence from Turkey.
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1837
Queen Victoria inherited Buckingham Palace from her uncle and moved in, becoming the first royal to live on the property.
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1835
Swedish-American inventor John Ericsson patented the screw propeller design.
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1787
The Northwest Ordinance was enacted; it is considered one of the most important legislative acts that the Confederation Congress of the US passed.
The act established territory, which created the Northwest Territory, also known as the Old Northwest. It was the United States’ first organized incorporated territory. There has not been a new act of this kind since 1959.
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1772
British explorer Captain James Cook departed on his second voyage from Plymouth.
His first stop was Funchal, Madeira Islands, on August 1, 1772.
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