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Explore the historical events that shaped our world on June 21st. From major milestones to cultural achievements, see what happened on this day in history. Dates for earlier events may be approximate.
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One of the world's most destructive earthquakes, the magnitude 7.4 - 7.7 Manjil-Rudbar Earthquake with hundreds of aftershocks, hits Northern Iran, near the Caspian Sea, killing an estimated 50,000 people and injuring another 135,000, leaving more than 500,000 homeless and destroying three cities (Rudbar, Manjil, and Lowshan) and 700 villages. Nearly all buildings were destroyed in the Rudbar-Manjil area.
The Imperial-Spanish army, led by Antonio de Leyva, decisively defeats the French army under François de Bourbon, Comte de Saint-Pol, at the Battle of Landriano on June 21, 1529, which effectively ended the War of the League of Cognac.
The U.S. Constitution is ratified as New Hampshire becomes the 9th State and the last necessary State of the original 13 colonies to ratify the U.S. Constitution. More
The Constitution became the official framework of the government of the United States of America when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it, thus replacing the post-Revolutionary War Articles of Confederation. More
The first Ferris wheel (invented by George Washington Gale Ferris, Jr., a Pittsburgh-based engineer) made its debut, at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. More
The Japanese forces are defeated on Okinawa in World War II. Some sources consider June 22 to be the official date of the end of the battle when a flag-raising ceremony was held by the Tenth Army. While this marked the end of organized resistance, some Japanese soldiers continued to hide in caves and fight. The Japanese defense commander, Lieutenant General Mitsuru Ushijima, and his chief of staff committed suicide (hara-kiri) on June 22 rather than surrender. Victory at Okinawa cost more than 12,000 American lives. About 90,000 Japanese combatants died in the fighting, but deaths among Okinawan civilians may have reached 150,000. More
The LP (Long Playing) record, developed by Columbia Records, is officially announced at a press conference at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York City. This introduction marked a significant advancement in recorded music, allowing for significantly longer playing times compared to the existing 78 RPM records. The LP quickly became the standard format for albums, leading to the concept album and a shift in how music was conceived and consumed.
The LP was made from a durable vinyl material, known as "Vinylite," which was lighter and more durable than the shellac used for 78s and held up to 23 minutes per side. The first vinyl record in the modern sense was a 12-inch LP featuring Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E minor, featuring Nathan Milstein and the Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra of New York, conducted by Bruno Walter.
Paul VI (Giovanni Battista Montini) becomes the 262nd Pope of the Roman Catholic Church after he was elected during a papal conclave following the death of Pope John XXIII. Paul VI was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State until his death on August 6, 1978.
