June 15 in Pop Culture History

763 BC – Assyrians recorded a solar eclipse, and that detail was later used to fix the chronology of Mesopotamian history.

1215 – The signed (sealed) Magna Carta guaranteed King John would respect feudal rights and privileges, upholding the church’s freedom within his kingdom. This was probably the same King John of Robin Hood lore.

1648 – Margaret Jones was hanged in Boston for witchcraft in the first such execution for the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

1752 – Benjamin Franklin proved that lightning is electricity (traditional date, the exact date is unknown).

1776 – Delaware Separation Day: Delaware voted to suspend government under the British Crown and officially separate from Pennsylvania.

1844 – Charles Goodyear received a patent (#3,633) for vulcanization, a rubber-strengthening process.

1846 – The Oregon Treaty established the 49th parallel as the border between the United States and Canada, from the Rocky Mountains to the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

1878 – Eadweard Muybridge took a series of photographs to prove that all four feet of a horse leave the ground when it runs; the study becomes the basis of motion pictures. The shoot aimed to determine whether a galloping horse ever lifts all four feet completely off the ground during the gait since the human eye could not break down the action. It is considered by many to be the first ‘motion picture.’

1896 (Earthquake & Tsunami) Meiji-Sanriku, Japan

1919 – The first US patent (#228,904) for a safety razor was issued to (brothers) Frederick and Otto Kampfe of New York.

1934 – The Great Smoky Mountains National Park was founded.

1958 – Pizza Hut was founded in Wichita, Kansas by Dan and Frank Carney.

1963 #1 Hit June 15, 1963 – July 5, 1963: Kyu Sakamoto – Sukiyaki

1974 #1 Hit June 15, 1974 – June 28, 1974: Bo Donaldson and The Heywoods – Billy, Don’t Be a Hero

1985 – Rembrandt’s painting Danaë is attacked by Bronius Maigys (later judged insane) who threw sulfuric acid on the canvas and cut it twice with a knife.

1990 – Gremlins 2: The New Batch, Ghost Dad, and Dick Tracy were released in theaters

1991 #1 Hit June 15, 1991 – July 19, 1991: Paula Abdul – Rush Rush

1991 (Volcano Eruption) Mount Pinatubo

1994 –The Lion King debuted in theaters

1994 – Israel and Vatican City established full diplomatic relations.

1997 – Hercules was released in theaters

2001 – Lara Croft: Tomb Raider debuted in theaters

2005 – Batman Begins was released in theaters

2007 – Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer and Nancy Drew were released in theaters

2012 – Nik Wallenda became the first person to successfully tightrope walk over Niagara Falls.