1302, Flemish infantry militia defeated French royal cavalry at the Battle of the Golden Spurs, halting French expansion into Belgium. Learn more →
1801, French astronomer Jean-Louis Pons made his first comet discovery, going on to find 36 more over 27 years. Learn more →
1804, Vice President Aaron Burr fatally shot former Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton in a pistol duel in Weehawken, New Jersey. Learn more →
1897, Swedish engineer Salomon August Andrée and two crewmates launched a hydrogen balloon from Svalbard to reach the North Pole, never to return alive. Learn more →
1914, Babe Ruth pitched seven strong innings in his major-league debut, leading the Boston Red Sox past Cleveland 4-3. Learn more →
1960, Harper Lee's *To Kill a Mockingbird* was first published, later winning the Pulitzer Prize for its portrayal of racial injustice in the American South. Learn more →
1987, The UN designated baby Matej Gaspar of Zagreb as the symbolic 5 billionth person on Earth, marking a global population milestone. Learn more →
2010, Spain beat the Netherlands 1-0 in extra time in Johannesburg to claim the country's first-ever FIFA World Cup title. Learn more →