History Today

Today in History — June 20

1837

20 June 1837: Queen Victoria Ascends to British Throne

On June 20, 1837, eighteen-year-old Princess Victoria ascended to the British throne following the death of her uncle, King William IV. Her coronation would mark the beginning of an era that would bear her name,…

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1865

19 June 1865: Juneteenth Marks End of Slavery in America

On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, to announce that the Civil War had ended and that all enslaved people were now free. This date, now celebrated as Juneteenth, marked the practical…

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1815

18 June 1815: Battle of Waterloo Ends Napoleonic Era

On June 18, 1815, the Battle of Waterloo took place in present-day Belgium, marking the decisive end of Napoleon Bonapartes military and political career. This epic confrontation between French forces and the allied armies of…

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