1610 – During Henry Hudson’s search for the Northwest Passage, he sails into what is now known as Hudson Bay.
1776 – The Declaration of Independence, adopted on July 4, was signed by members of the Continental Congress.
1923 – Vice President Calvin Coolidge becomes president upon the death of President Warren G. Harding. Harding died from a stroke in a San Francisco hotel.
1934 – Adolf Hitler becomes Fuhrer of Germany following the death of Paul von Hindenburg.
1974 – John Dean, counsel to President Richard Nixon, was sentenced to prison for his part in the Watergate coverup. Dean’s sentence was reduced, and he was released after four months.
1990 – Iraq invades Kuwait, eventually leading to the Gulf War.
