1494: Treaty of Tordesillas: Spain and Portugal divide the new world along a meridian 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde islands, off the west coast of Africa

1628: English King Charles I ratifies the Petition of Rights

1654: Louis XIV crowned King of France

1753: British Museum founded by an Act of Parliament with royal assent from King George II (opens in 1759)

1929: Vatican City becomes a sovereign state

1965: The Supreme Court of the United States decides on Griswold v. Connecticut, effectively legalizing the use of contraception by married couples

Source: Onthisday.com