Look back in time and examine the amazing events that happened on this day in history and which helped shape the world as we know it.
This Day in History: June
Look back in time and examine the amazing events that happened on this day in history and which helped shape the world as we know it.
01: June 10, 323 BC: Alexander the Great Dies
Professor Garland introduces you to Alexander, the king of Macedonia in 336 and examines the political and social culture of the time. Look into the strange circumstances of his death and how his short reign had long-effecting impact on the world.
8 min
02: June 15, 1215: King John Signs the Magna Carta
Although the signing of the Magna Carta went practically unnoticed by the entire rest of the world, it had political and social impacts that affect how we live, even today. Join Professor Dorsey Armstrong to learn about this monumental event.
9 min
03: June 16, 1904: Bloomsday
Join English Professor Marc Conner for an illuminating look through the lens of history at the context and circumstances that contributed to James Joyce’s Ulysses, revealing the true-life people, places, and events that inspired the epic novel.
8 min
04: June 9, 1870: Charles Dickens Dies
Join historian Professor Allitt to walk through the life of Charles Dickens to see how the places he lived inspired him to become one of the greatest English-language novelists of all time.
6 min
05: June 18, 1815: The Battle of Waterloo
Join a renowned professor of History to examine how the Battle of Waterloo unfolded, what the global impact was, and how this event was reshaped in French memory.
7 min
06: June 25, 1903: George Orwell Is Born
Biographer Michael Sheldon examines how George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four was penned as a warning about the dangers of totalitarianism—regardless of which side of the political spectrum it originated.
8 min
07: June 12, 1429: Joan of Arc Triumphs at Jargeau
It was a bloody two-day battle, but on June 12, 1492, 17-year-old Joan of Arc led the French forces to recapture the city of Jargeau from the English. It was the first offensive victory for France in a generation of fighting the Hundred Years’ War. Join historian Joyce Salisbury to relive this pivotal moment and see how it helped to secure the loyalty of the troops who fought for France under Joan's banner.
8 min
08: June 30, 1688: The English People Choose a Monarch
Discover what happened on June 30, 1688—the day Parliament and the English people deposed King James II and invited his daughter, Mary, and her husband, William, to take the throne of England.
9 min
09: June 5, 1967: The Six-Day War Begins
This day in history, June 5, 1967, Israel launched strikes against targets in Egypt, Syria, and Jordan in response to the perceived encroachments of its rival Arab neighbors. Though relatively brief, the ensuing Six-Day War would result in thousands of casualties, disproportionately Arab, and would deepen regional resentment that stoked the fire of future conflict for years to come.
9 min
10: June 19, 1865: Juneteenth Is Born in Galveston
The Emancipation Proclamation took effect on January 1, 1863, yet enslaved African Americans in Texas did not learn about it until June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston with the good news. Professor Hasan Kwame Jeffries examines the two and a half years between the issuance of the Proclamation and the national enactment of it—and why Juneteenth deserves celebration.
10 min
11: June 4, 470 BCE: Socrates Is Born
Despite being remembered today as the father of Western philosophy, during his day, Socrates was better known as a gadfly. Were it not for the writings of another famous philosopher who happened to be a student of his, we might not even know that Socrates had existed.
4 min
12: June 13, 1966: Miranda Rights Are Established
Learn more about how the US Supreme Court issued its decision in the case of Miranda v. Arizona. With this ruling, a suspect must be informed of the privileges they still possess while in custody, protecting them from potential manipulations during interrogations.
7 min
Overview Course No. 90048
