Today in News History

On July 4, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1541, Pedro de Alvarado, Spanish general and explorer (born 1495) passed away. In 1648, Antoine Daniel, French missionary and saint, one of the eight Canadian Martyrs (born 1601) passed away. In 1744, The Treaty of Lancaster, in which the Iroquois cede lands between the Allegheny Mountains and the Ohio River to the British colonies, was signed in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. In 1831, Samuel Francis Smith writes "My Country, 'Tis of Thee" for the Boston, Massachusetts July 4 festivities. In 1863, American Civil War: Retreat from Gettysburg: The Confederate Army of Northern Virginia under Robert E. Lee withdraws from the battlefield after losing the Battle of Gettysburg, signaling an end to his last invasion of the North. In 1879, Anglo-Zulu War: The Zululand capital of Ulundi is captured by British troops and burned to the ground, ending the war and forcing King Cetshwayo to flee. In 1898, En route from New York to Le Havre, the SS La Bourgogne collides with another ship and sinks off the coast of Sable Island, with the loss of 549 lives. In 1911, A massive heat wave strikes the northeastern United States, killing 380 people in eleven days and breaking temperature records in several cities. In 1983, Miguel Pinto, Chilean footballer was born. In 2015, Chile claims its first title in international football by defeating Argentina in the 2015 Copa América Final. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.