Historical events on August 16
AUGUST 16, 1819
Around 15 people were killed and 400 to 700 others injured when cavalry charged into a crowd demanding the reform of parliamentary representation in Manchester, England.
Historically, cavalry are groups of soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Until the 20th century, cavalry were the most mobile
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AUGUST 16, 1929
A long-running dispute between Muslims and Jews over access to the Western Wall in Jerusalem escalated into a week-long period of violent riots throughout Palestine.
The Western Wall is an ancient retaining wall of the built-up hill known to Jews and Christians as the Temple Mount of
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AUGUST 16, 1977
American singer and actor Elvis Presley was found dead in his home in Memphis, Tennessee.
Elvis Aaron Presley was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as
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AUGUST 16, 1891
San Sebastian Church (pictured), an all-iron church in Manila, was officially consecrated.
The Minor Basilica and Parish of San Sebastian, also known as the Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and commonly known
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AUGUST 16, 1777
American Revolutionary War: American forces routed British and German troops at the Battle of Bennington in Walloomsac, New York.
The American Revolutionary War, also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the
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AUGUST 16, 1900
Second Boer War: A 10,000-strong column of soldiers led by Lord Kitchener broke a 13-day siege of a small garrison.
The Second Boer War, also known as the Boer War, Transvaal War, Anglo–Boer War, or South African War, was a conflict fought
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AUGUST 16, 1946
Widespread riots between Hindus and Muslims took place in Calcutta following the All-India Muslim League's call for an independent Pakistan.
Direct Action Day was the day the All-India Muslim League decided to take a "direct action" using general strikes and economic shut
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AUGUST 16, 1896
A group including George Carmack and Skookum Jim Mason (pictured) discovered gold near Dawson City, Canada, setting off the Klondike Gold Rush.
George Washington Carmack was an American prospector in the Yukon. He was originally credited with registering Discovery Claim, the discovery of gold
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AUGUST 16, 1986
Typhoon Wayne formed over the South China Sea, going on to become one of the longest-lived tropical cyclones in the north-western Pacific, lasting 21 days.
Typhoon Wayne, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Miding, is one of the longest-lived tropical cyclones on record in the north-western Pacific
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AUGUST 16, 1920
The British parliament's Blind Persons Act received royal assent, becoming the first first disability-specific legislation to be passed anywhere in the world.
The Blind Persons Act 1920 is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, since repealed. It provided a pension allowance
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AUGUST 16, 1906
An earthquake registering approximately 8.2 Mw struck Valparaíso, Chile, killing 3,882 people.
The 1906 Valparaíso earthquake hit Valparaíso, Chile, on August 16 at 19:55 local time. Its epicenter was offshore from the Valparaíso Region,
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AUGUST 16, 1920
Ray Chapman of the Cleveland Indians was hit by a pitch and died the following day, becoming the only Major League Baseball player to die directly as a result of injuries sustained during a game.
Raymond Johnson Chapman was an American baseball player. He spent his entire career as a shortstop for the Cleveland Indians of the American League.
AUGUST 16, 1863
Following Spain's annexation of the Dominican Republic, nationalist rebels raised the Dominican flag in Santiago de los Caballeros to begin the War of Restoration.
The Annexation of the Dominican Republic to Spain or Reintegration of Santo Domingo was a five-year period in 1861–1865 during which the
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AUGUST 16, 1513
War of the League of Cambrai: English and Imperial forces defeated French cavalry, forcing them to retreat.
The War of the League of Cambrai, sometimes known as the War of the Holy League and several other names, was fought
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AUGUST 16, 1920
The Battle of Radzymin, one of the bloodiest and most intense battles of the Polish–Soviet War, concluded with a Polish victory.
The Battle of Radzymin took place during the Polish–Soviet War (1919–21). The battle occurred near the town of Radzymin, some 20 kilometres
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AUGUST 16, 1945
The Stanley Internment Camp in Hong Kong was liberated following the announcement of the surrender of Japan in World War II.
Stanley Internment Camp was a civilian internment camp in Hong Kong during the Second World War. Located in Stanley, on the southern
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AUGUST 16, 1942
The Holocaust: During the deportation of Jews from Slovakia, President Jozef Tiso gave a speech describing Jews as "parasites" and "the eternal enemy".
The Holocaust, known in Hebrew as the Shoah (שואה), was the genocide of European Jews during World War II. From 1941 to 1945,
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AUGUST 16, 1962
The English rock band the Beatles fired their drummer Pete Best , replacing him with Ringo Starr (pictured).
The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul
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