1745 – War of the Austrian Succession: The French victory in the Battle of Melle made their subsequent capture of Ghent possible.
1877 – The inaugural Wimbledon Championship, the oldest tennis tournament in the world, began.
1896 – Politician William Jennings Bryan (pictured) made his Cross of Gold speech advocating bimetallism, considered one of the greatest political speeches in American history.
1958 – A 516 m (1,693 ft) high megatsunami, the highest ever recorded, struck Lituya Bay, Alaska, US.
1995 – Sri Lankan Civil War: After having advised civilians to take shelter in places of worship, the Sri Lanka Air Force bombed a church in Navaly, k**ing at least 125 people.
The Sri Lankan Civil War was an armed conflict fought on the island of Sri Lanka.