Today in News History

On July 1, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1690, Glorious Revolution: Battle of the Boyne in Ireland (as reckoned under the Julian calendar). In 1862, American Civil War: The Battle of Malvern Hill takes place. It is the last of the Seven Days Battles, part of George B. McClellan's Peninsula Campaign. In 1863, American Civil War: The Battle of Gettysburg begins. In 1867, The British North America Act takes effect as the Province of Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia join into confederation to create the modern nation of Canada. John A. Macdonald is sworn in as the first Prime Minister of Canada. This date is commemorated annually in Canada as Canada Day, a national holiday. In 1870, The United States Department of Justice formally comes into existence. In 1881, General Order 70, the culmination of the Cardwell and Childers reforms of the British Army, comes into effect. In 1916, World War I: First day on the Somme: On the first day of the Battle of the Somme 19,000 soldiers of the British Army are killed and 40,000 wounded. In 1963, ZIP codes are introduced for United States mail. In 1968, The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons is signed in Washington, D.C., London and Moscow by sixty-two countries. In 2004, Saturn orbit insertion of Cassini-Huygens begins at 01:12 UTC and ends at 02:48 UTC. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.