On This Day in History – June 18

hpmomJune 18, 20250271 views

On This Day - June

1812 – The United States declares war on Great Britain, beginning the War of 1812.
1815 – Napoleon Bonaparte is defeated at the Battle of Waterloo by British and Prussian forces, ending his rule as Emperor of the French.
1873 – Susan B. Anthony is fined $100 for voting in the 1872 U.S. presidential election — a landmark event in women’s suffrage.
1928 – Amelia Earhart becomes the first woman to fly in an aircraft across the Atlantic Ocean, as a passenger.
1940 – General Charles de Gaulle delivers his famous “Appeal of 18 June” broadcast from London, urging the French to resist Nazi Germany.
1979 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev sign the SALT II arms limitation treaty in Vienna.
1983 – Sally Ride becomes the first American woman in space aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger.

George Mallory (1886–1924), British mountaineer who took part in the early expeditions to Mount Everest.
E.G. Marshall (1914–1998), American actor known for his roles in 12 Angry Men and The Defenders.
Paul McCartney (born 1942), English singer, songwriter, and former Beatle, one of the most successful musicians in history.
Isabella Rossellini (born 1952), Italian-American actress and model.
Blake Shelton (born 1976), American country music singer and television personality.
Richard Madden (born 1986), Scottish actor best known for playing Robb Stark in Game of Thrones.

Roald Amundsen (1872–1928), Norwegian polar explorer and the first person to reach the South Pole; disappeared on this day during a rescue mission.
Émile Zola (1840–1902), French novelist and critic, though his exact date of death is disputed, he was heavily involved in the Dreyfus Affair.
John Cheever (1912–1982), American novelist and short story writer often called “the Chekhov of the suburbs.”

Autistic Pride Day (International) – Celebrates the neurodiversity of people on the autism spectrum.
Waterloo Day (United Kingdom, military) – Marks the anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo and is observed by some British Army regiments.
Foundation Day (Benguet, Philippines) – Commemorates the founding of the province of Benguet in 1900.

Paul McCartney, born on this day, wrote or co-wrote 32 songs that reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Sally Ride’s spaceflight in 1983 made her not only a pioneer for women in space, but also one of the youngest Americans ever to orbit Earth.
Susan B. Anthony refused to pay the $100 fine for voting illegally — and never did.
Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo became so iconic that the term “meeting your Waterloo” entered common usage to mean a final, crushing defeat.
On this day in 1928, Amelia Earhart’s transatlantic flight launched her into worldwide fame — despite being a passenger on the journey.