1811 ~  Venezuela became the first South American country to declare independence from Spain.

1863 ~ - U.S. Federal troops occupied Vicksburg, MS, and distributed supplies to the citizens 

1916 ~ Adelina and August Van Buren started on the first successful transcontinental motorcycle tour to be attempted by two women. They started in New York City and arrived in San Diego, CA, on September 12, 1916

1935 ~ "Hawaii Call" was broadcast for the first time. 

1940 ~ During World War II, Britain and the Vichy government in France broke diplomatic relations.

1943 ~ he battle of Kursk began as German tanks attack the Soviet salient. It was the largest tank battle in history.

1948 ~ Britain's National Health Service Act went into effect, providing government-financed medical and dental care.

1951 ~ Dr. William Shockley announced that he had invented the junction transistor

1962 ~ Algeria became independent after 132 years of French rule.

1984 ~ The U.S. Supreme Court weakened the 70-year-old "exclusionary rule," deciding that evidence seized with defective court warrants could be used against defendants in criminal trials.

1991 ~ Regulators shut down the Pakistani-managed Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI) in eight countries. The charge was fraud, drug money laundering and illegal infiltration into the U.S. banking system.

1995 ~ The U.S. Justice Department decided not to take antitrust action against Ticketmaster.

2000 ~  10 Bengal tigers, including 7 rare white tigers, died at the Nandankanan Zoo in India. The tigers died of trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness).

2002 ~  In Algeria, 35 people were killed in violent attacks on the day that the country celebrated its 40 years of independence from France.