Irish/American actor
Welsh/American singer, actor
American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, actor
French painter
Turkish/American author, screenwriter, academic, Nobel Prize laureate
English mathematician
English actor
Scottish king
American author, painter
American poet, writer
In an effort to avoid conflict over newly discovered territories, Spain and Portugal signed the Treaty of Tordesillas on this day. The treaty divided the New World along a meridian located 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde islands off the coast of Africa. This agreement gave Spain most of the Americas, while Portugal gained control of Africa, Asia, and Brazil.
The Petition of Rights was a statement of civil liberties that was drafted by Parliament in response to the king's abuses of power. The document enumerated specific rights, including freedom from arbitrary imprisonment and the right to a trial by jury. King Charles I was forced to sign the petition after years of conflict with Parliament, which marked an important step toward the establishment of constitutional monarchy in England.
At the age of four, Louis XIV inherited the French throne after his father's death. He went on to become one of the most powerful and influential monarchs in European history, ruling for over 72 years. His reign was characterized by his efforts to centralize power, promote French culture and the arts, and expand French territories through military conquest.
The British Museum was founded on this day by an Act of Parliament with the royal assent of King George II. The museum's collection began with the gift of 71,000 objects from the physician and scientist Sir Hans Sloane. Today, the British Museum is one of the largest and most comprehensive museums in the world, with over 8 million objects in its collection.
The Lateran Treaty, signed on February 11 of the same year, was ratified by Italy's fascist government on this day. The treaty recognized the Vatican City as an independent state, with the Pope as its head of state. This agreement ended the long-standing dispute between the Italian government and the Catholic Church, which had been ongoing since the Italian unification in 1870.
In a landmark decision, the US Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution protected a married couple's right to use contraception. The case was brought by Estelle Griswold, the director of a birth control clinic in Connecticut, who had been arrested for providing contraceptive advice and devices to married couples. The court's decision paved the way for the legalization of contraception for all Americans.
The Legoland in Billund, Denmark, became the world's first Legoland resort. The park was built around the popular Lego interlocking plastic bricks, which had been invented in Denmark in 1949. Today, Legoland has six theme parks around the world and has become a popular destination for families.
The first edition of the Cricket World Cup began in England on this day. The tournament featured eight teams from around the world, and the West Indies emerged as the first World Champions. Today, the Cricket World Cup is one of the most prestigious and widely watched sporting events in the world.