Major Events
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1485 – The Battle of Bosworth Field ends the Wars of the Roses as Henry Tudor defeats King Richard III, becoming King Henry VII of England.
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1642 – King Charles I raises his standard at Nottingham, marking the start of the English Civil War.
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1770 – Captain James Cook formally claims eastern Australia for Great Britain, naming it New South Wales.
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1851 – The yacht America wins the first America’s Cup, beating British competitors around the Isle of Wight.
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1902 – Theodore Roosevelt becomes the first U.S. president to ride in an automobile in public.
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1922 – Irish revolutionary Michael Collins is assassinated during the Irish Civil War.
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1989 – Nolan Ryan becomes the first MLB pitcher to strike out 5,000 batters.
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2004 – Armed robbers steal over £26 million from a bank in Northern Ireland, one of the largest cash heists in UK history.
Famous Birthdays
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Claude Debussy (1862–1918) – French composer and pioneer of Impressionist music.
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Dorothy Parker (1893–1967) – American poet, critic, and satirist.
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Ray Bradbury (1920–2012) – American author of science fiction and fantasy.
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Carl Yastrzemski (1939) – American Hall of Fame baseball player.
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Paul Molitor (1956) – American MLB Hall of Famer and manager.
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Tori Amos (1963) – American singer-songwriter and pianist.
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Kristen Wiig (1973) – American actress and comedian known for Saturday Night Live.
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James Corden (1978) – British comedian and former host of The Late Late Show.
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Dua Lipa (1995) – British-Albanian singer and songwriter.
Notable Deaths
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Richard III of England (1452–1485) – King of England, killed at the Battle of Bosworth Field.
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Michael Collins (1890–1922) – Irish revolutionary and leader during the struggle for independence.
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Eli Whitney Blake (1795–1886) – American inventor, known for developing stone-crushing machinery.
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Colleen Dewhurst (1924–1991) – Canadian-American stage and television actress.
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Jack Layton (1950–2011) – Canadian politician and leader of the New Democratic Party.
Holidays
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Indonesia – Day of the Republic of Indonesia (observed regionally).
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Roman Catholic Church – Feast Day of the Queenship of Mary.
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United States (fun) – Be an Angel Day – a day encouraging random acts of kindness and compassion.
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Brazil – Folklore Day, celebrating cultural traditions and stories.
Fun Facts
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Richard III was the last English king to die in battle, falling at Bosworth in 1485.
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Captain Cook’s 1770 claim over eastern Australia laid the foundation for British colonization.
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Nolan Ryan’s 5,000th strikeout is still unmatched in Major League Baseball history.
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“Be an Angel Day” was created in 1993 to inspire good deeds and positivity.