Discover what happened on June 26 with HISTORY's summaries of major events, anniversaries, famous births and notable deaths.

June 26

Discover what happened on June 26 with HISTORY&#8217;s summaries of major events, anniversaries, famous births and notable deaths.

What Happened on June 26 | History.com

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History

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America’s Founding Fathers decided that one elected civilian - the U.S. president - would lead the executive branch of the federal government, a governmental structure that has remained in place for more than 200 years.

U.S. Presidents

World War I pitted Germany, Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire against Great Britain, the United States, France, Russia, Italy and Japan. New military technology resulted in unprecedented carnage. By the time the war was over and the Allied Powers claimed victory, more than 16 million people—soldiers and civilians alike—were dead.

World War I

The 21st century saw the dawn of the war on terrorism, as the 9/11 attacks and the Boston Marathon bombing dramatically changed society. Economic issues also moved to the forefront during the Great Recession as awareness of social inequality grew.

21st Century

U.S. Congress

Crime

The gay rights movement is the struggle for equality and marriage rights for gay, lesbian and transgendered people. Milestones include the Stonewall Riots, the trial of Oscar Wilde and the assassination of Harvey Milk.

Gay Rights

The 1960s were one of the most tumultuous and divisive decades in world history, marked by the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War and antiwar protests, political assassinations and the emerging "generation gap."

1960s

Crime has been a dark and powerful undercurrent in human society throughout history. Uncover the facts behind some of the most daring robberies, brazen scams and brutal murders ever committed.&nbsp;

The Civil War was America's bloodiest and most divisive conflict, pitting the Union Army against the Confederate States of America. The war resulted in the deaths of more than 620,000 people, with millions more injured and the South left in ruins.

Civil War

Canada

The 1990s is often remembered as a decade of relative peace and prosperity: The Soviet Union fell, ending the decades-long Cold War, and the rise of the Internet ushered in a radical new era of communication, business and entertainment.&nbsp;

1990s

Art history tells the complex story of human civilization through art and design. It ranges from prehistoric art of the Neolithic period through Renaissance masterpieces, Impressionism, Modernism, the Bauhaus and contemporary art.

Art, Literature, and Film History

<a href="http://history.com/">HISTORY.com</a> works with a wide range of writers and editors to create accurate and informative content. All articles are regularly reviewed and updated by the <a href="http://history.com/">HISTORY.com</a> team. Articles with the “<a href="http://history.com/">HISTORY.com</a> Editors” byline have been written or edited by the <a href="http://history.com/">HISTORY.com</a> editors, including Amanda Onion, Missy Sullivan and Matt Mullen.

History.com Editors

<a href="https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/world-war-ii-history">World War II</a> was the biggest and deadliest war in history, involving more than 30 countries. Sparked by the 1939 Nazi invasion of Poland, the war dragged on for six bloody years until the Allies defeated Nazi Germany and Japan in 1945.

World War II

Inventions from the telephone to the Model T and the computer have defined human history, and inventors like Leonardo da Vinci, Nikola Tesla, Thomas Edison, Eli Whitney and Alexander Graham Bell have transformed our society.

Inventions & Science

1950s

Cold War

The Cold War rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union lasted for decades and resulted in anti-communist suspicions and international incidents that led the two superpowers to the brink of nuclear disaster.

Engineering

Ancient America was home to sophisticated civilizations such as the Maya, Inca, Olmec and Aztec societies, and mysterious ruins like Chichen Itza, Teotihuacan, Serpent Mound, Tikal, Machu Picchu and the Nazca Lines.

Ancient Americas

Natural disasters and the environment, such as climate change, the San Francisco Earthquake, Hurricane Katrina, the Galveston Hurricane, the Krakatoa eruption and others, have profoundly shaped human history.

This Day In History: June 26

U.S. begins Berlin Airlift

Also on This Day in History June | 26

Lawrence v. Texas is decided

Same‑sex marriage is made legal nationwide with Obergefell v. Hodges decision

St. Lawrence Seaway opened

President Clinton punishes Iraq for plot to kill George H.W. Bush

U.N. Charter signed

Former U.S. Senator Strom Thurmond dies

Francisco Pizarro, conqueror of the Incas, assassinated

First U.S. troops arrive in France

President John Tyler weds his second wife

John F. Kennedy claims solidarity with the people of Berlin

Sonny and Cher’s divorce becomes final

Lightning strikes gunpowder factory in Luxembourg, killing hundreds

A serial killer preys upon a woman out for a drive

Berlin Airlift begins

Rebels strike Union at the Battle of Mechanicsville

Congress approves Federal Highway Act

Also on This Day in History June | 26

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