1788 – Prussia joins Anglo-Dutch alliance to form Triple Alliance to prevent spread of Russo-Swedish War of 1788-90
1907 – 1st taxicabs operate in New York City, imported by Harry N. Allen
1917 – A revolt in Catalonia, the province in northeast Spain that has long seen itself as independent
1923 – US Steel Corp initiates 8-hour work day
1923 – Turkish National Congress selects Mustafa Kemal Atatürk Pasja as 1st President of Turkey
1937 – Second Sino-Japanese War: Japanese forces begin the Battle of Shanghai, a conflict that will last 3 months and involve 1 million troops
1956 – Elvis Presley releases music single “Don’t Be Cruel”
1959 – US Military satellite Discoverer 5 launches into polar orbit
1991 – Test Cricket debut of Mike Whitney for Australia versus England at Old Trafford
2008 – American super-swimmer Michael Phelps wins 3 gold medals, all in world record time, in the one day at the Beijing Olympics; 200m I/M (1:54.23), 200m butterfly (1.52.03) and 4 x 200m freestyle relay (6:58.56)