On July 6, 1983, the US Supreme Court upheld the death sentence that was given in part for the racial motivation behind a murder in Barclay v. Florida.
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On July 5, 1950, the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament, enacted the Law of Return, which granted all Jewish people to right to Israeli citizenship.
On July 5, 1921, jury selection began in the trial of eight Chicago White Sox baseball players accused of throwing the 1919 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds. “Shoeless Joe” Jackson and seven others were eventually acquitted but were later barred from baseball for life. Learn more about the “Black Sox” trial in JURIST’s Famous [...]
On July 4, 1947, the Indian Independence Act was presented to the British House of Commons. The act presented a plan that would divide British India into two independent countries, India and Pakistan. Learn more about the Indian Independence Act from the UK Parliament.
On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence separating the thirteen American colonies from Great Britain. Learn more about Independence Day from the Library of Congress.
On July 3, 1954, the United Kingdom ended food rationing that had begun during World War II on January 8, 1940. Learn more about British food rationing from the Imperial War Museums.
On July 3, 1978, the US Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that the Federal Communications Commission had a right to reprimand New York radio station WBAI for broadcasting George Carlin’s Seven Dirty Words sketch. Read FCC v. Pacifica Foundation.
On July 2, 1698, the first steam engine was patented by Thomas Savery. However, the machine had only limited power. Thomas Newcomen in 1712 and James Watt in 1774 would later make the steam engine truly useful, revolutionizing travel. Learn more about the Steam Engine from Michigan State University.
On July 1, 1997, the United Kingdom returned Hong Kong to China at the conclusion of a 99-year lease. The foundation for the transfer of power was set in December of 1984 when China and the UK signed the Sino-British Joint Declaration on Hong Kong. The Declaration affirmed the handover of Hong Kong along with [...]
On July 1, 1862, the Tax Act of 1862 was passed and signed by President Lincoln, establishing a 3% federal tax on income above $600 and a 5% tax on income above $10,000. Compliance with the act was poor, even though there were needs for the Civil War. After the war, the act was declared [...]
