Today in History for June 21:
On this date:
In 1639, Increase Mather, an early American theologian, was born. He published nearly 100 books, and is credited with helping end executions for witchcraft in colonial America.
In 1749, Halifax was founded by Gov. Edward Cornwallis. First called Chebucto, it was renamed soon after in honour of George Dunk, the Earl of Halifax, who was the guiding force behind the settlement.
In 1788, the U.S. constitution took effect as New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify it.
In 1919, in what became known as "Bloody Saturday," gunfire broke out after police charged a group of participants in the five-week-old Winnipeg General Strike. Two strikers were killed and 20 were wounded. The strike was called off five days later.
In 1932, heavyweight Max Schmeling lost a title fight rematch in New York by decision to Jack Sharkey, prompting Schmeling's manager, Joe Jacobs, to exclaim: "We was robbed!"
In 1948, the world's first modern computer -- which used cathode-ray tubes -- worked successfully for the first time at the University of Manchester in England. "The Baby," as it was nicknamed, was six metres long, weighed half a tonne and could store only 32 words.
In 1957, John Diefenbaker was sworn in as Canada's first Conservative prime minister in 22 years. The same day, 52-year-old Ellen Fairclough became Canada's first female cabinet minister when she was sworn in as secretary of state. The Hamilton-born accountant also served as Immigration Minister and Postmaster General before she and the Tories were defeated in the 1963 election.
In 1963, Giovanni Cardinal Battista Montini was chosen to succeed Pope John XXIII as head of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Pope Paul VI until his death in 1978.
In 1977, a flash fire killed 21 prisoners in the police lock-up in Saint John, N.B.
In 1982, a Washington jury found John Hinckley Jr. not guilty by reason of insanity in the shooting of U.S. President Reagan and three others more than a year earlier.
In 1984, the first amendment to Canada's constitution became law. It added new rights for aboriginals.
In 1985, American, Brazilian and West German scientists announced that skeletal remains exhumed from a graveyard in Brazil were indeed those of Nazi death-camp Dr. Josef Mengele. He had died in 1979.
In 1990, an estimated 50,000 Iranians were killed by an earthquake.
In 1997, the G7 became the G8 when Russia fully participated for the first time at the annual summit of the world's leading industrial countries. The meeting took place in Denver. (However, Russia was ejected in March 2014 following its annexation of Crimea.)
In 1999, American forest giant Weyerhaeuser announced it would buy British Columbia-based MacMillan Bloedel for $3.6 billion.
In 1999, British Columbia became the first province to recognize traditional Chinese medicines as legitimate medical treatment.
In 2001, actor Carroll O'Connor died of a heart attack at age 76. He was best known for his portrayal of irascible bigot Archie Bunker in the groundbreaking 1970s TV comedy, "All in the Family."
In 2002, Rowan Williams was chosen as the next Archbishop of Canterbury, head of the world's 70 million Anglicans.
In 2003, Roger Neilson, the former hockey coach who introduced new teaching tools in more than 25 years with the NHL, died at his home near Peterborough, Ont., at the age of 69.
In 2004, the "SpaceShipOne" rocket plane punched through Earth's atmosphere, then glided to a landing in California's Mojave Desert in the first privately financed manned spaceflight.
In 2008, more than 800 people perished as a Philippine ferry sank near Sibuyan Island after being caught in a typhoon.
In 2010, Sgt. James MacNeil, 28, of Glace Bay, N.S., was killed by an improvised explosive device after he had dismounted from his armoured vehicle near the village of Nakhonay, about 15 kilometres southwest of Kandahar city.
In 2010, Lt.-Gen. Peter Devlin took over as head of the Canadian army during a ceremony at Canada's war museum in Ottawa. He succeeded Lt.-Gen. Andrew Leslie.
In 2010, calling himself a Muslim soldier, a defiant Faisal Shahzad pleaded guilty to all 10 terrorism and weapons counts pertaining to the failed Times Square car bombing. (Shahzad was later sentenced to life in prison.)
In 2012, LeBron James had 26 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists, leading the Miami Heat in a 121-106 rout of the Oklahoma City Thunder to win the NBA Finals in five games. He was named the playoffs MVP.
In 2013, Hershey Canada Inc. was ordered to pay a $4-million fine after pleading guilty to working with other companies to fix the price of chocolate products in Canada in 2007.
In 2015, reigning Masters champ Jordan Spieth, 21, won the U.S. Open at Chambers Bay, becoming the youngest golfer to win both majors in the same year.
---
(The Canadian Press)
The Canadian Press
