Events, Births and Deaths Happening on this Date

1863

The Civil War Battle of Gettysburg began.

1867

Canada became a self-governing dominion of Great Britain as the British North America Act took effect.

1898

During the Spanish-American War, Theodore Roosevelt and his ''Rough Riders'' waged a victorious assault on San Juan Hill in Cuba.

1908

SOS officially took effect as the international distress signal. Originally used just for ships, it later became associated with calling for help in most emergencies.

1916

Dwight D. Eisenhower married Mary ''Mamie'' Geneva Doud in Denver.

1943

''Pay-as-you-go'' income tax withholding began.

1946

The United States exploded a 20-kiloton atomic bomb near Bikini Atoll in the Pacific Ocean.

1963

Zone Improvement Plan codes, better known as ZIP codes, were introduced by the United States Postal Service to make the sorting and delivery of mail more efficient.

1966

Medicare, the national health insurance program for mostly elderly Americans, went into effect, with 19 million people being enrolled right away.

1968

The United States, Britain, the Soviet Union and 58 other nations signed the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.

1969

Britain's Prince Charles was invested as the Prince of Wales.

1979

The Sony Walkman went on sale for the first time, allowing people to listen to music through headphones while walking.

1980

''O Canada'' was proclaimed the national anthem of Canada.

1987

President Reagan nominated federal appeals court judge Robert H. Bork to the Supreme Court, setting off a tempestuous confirmation process that ended with Bork's rejection by the Senate.

1991

President Bush nominated federal appeals court judge Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court, beginning a confirmation process marked by allegations of sexual harassment.

1994

PLO chairman Yasser Arafat drove from Egypt into Gaza, returning to Palestinian land after 27 years in exile.

1997

Hong Kong reverted to Chinese rule after 156 years as a British colony.

2000

Vermont's civil unions law, which granted gay couples most of the rights, benefits and responsibilities of marriage, went into effect.

2000

The Confederate flag was removed from atop South Carolina's Statehouse.

2003

Over 500,000 people protest against efforts to pass anti-sedition legislation in Hong Kong.

2007

Smoking in England is banned in all public indoor spaces.

2008

Riots erupt in Mongolia in response to allegations of fraud surrounding the 2008 legislative elections.

2020

NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Agreement) was replaced by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.

1961

Diana, the future Princess of Wales, was born near Sandringham, England.

1995

Disc jockey Wolfman Jack died in Belvidere, N.C., at age 57.

1997

Actor Robert Mitchum died in Santa Barbara County, Calif., at age 79.

2000

Actor Walter Matthau died in Santa Monica, Calif., at age 79.

2013

Charles Foley, American game designer, co-creator of the floor game Twister (b. 1930)