1679 Britain’s King Charles II ratifies Habeas Corpus Act allowing prisoners right to be imprisoned to be examined by a court

1690 Battle of Boyne: in Ireland, Protestant King William III defeats English Catholic King James II

1790 French Revolution: The Civil Constitution of the Clergy is adopted, putting the Catholic Church in France under the control of the state

1804 Former United States Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton dies after being shot in a pistol duel by Vice President Aaron Burr

1863 In New Zealand, British forces invade Waikato, home of the Maori King Movement, beginning a new phase of the wars between Maori and Colonial British

1913 150,000 Ulstermen gather and resolve to resist Irish Home Rule by force of arms; since the British Liberals have promised the Irish nationalists Home Rule, civil war appears imminent

1943 World War II: Battle of Prokhorovka – Russians defeat German forces in one of the largest ever tank battles

1957 US Surgeon General Leroy Burney connects smoking with lung cancer

Source: Onthisday.com