• 1485 – The War of the Roses ended with the death of England’s King Richard III. He was killed in the Battle of Bosworth Field. His successor was Henry V II.
• 1567 – The “Council of Blood” was established by the Duke of Alba. This was the beginning of his reign of terror in the Netherlands.
• 1642 – The English Civil War began when Charles I called Parliament and its soldiers traitors.
• 1762 – Ann Franklin became the editor of the Mercury of Newport in Rhode Island. She was the first female editor of an American newspaper.
• 1770 – Australia was claimed under the British crown when Captain James Cook landed there.
• 1775 – The American colonies were proclaimed to be in a state of open rebellion by England’s King George III.
• 1846 – The U.S. annexed New Mexico.
• 1851 – The schooner America outraced the Aurora off the English coast to win a trophy that became known as the America’s Cup.
• 1865 – A patent for liquid soap was received by William Sheppard.
• 1902 – In Hartford, CT, U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt became the first president of the United States to ride in an automobile.

• 1906 – The Victor Talking Machine Company of Camden, NJ began to manufacture the Victrola. The hand-cranked unit, with horn cabinet, sold for $200.
• 1910 – Japan formally annexed Korea.

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