Apple sold 200,000 iPhones on its first day in 2007, with over 50 million sold worldwide. The US shuttle Atlantis docked with the Russian space station Mir in 1995, creating the largest artificial satellite. The US Supreme Court ruled the death penalty cruel and unusual in 1972, but it was reinstated in 1976. President Roosevelt encouraged Oppenheimer to create the atomic bomb in 1943. The worst train accident in Canadian history occurred in 1864, killing 99. Randy Johnson struck out his 4,000th batter in 2004. British authorities killed 2,700 Jews in Palestine in 1946. The US Interstate Highway system was established in 1956. The Sampoong department store in South Korea collapsed in 1995, killing 501. The Globe Theater burned down in 1613, and Katharine Hepburn died in 2003.
Apple’s first iPhones were sold. (2007) Apple sold nearly 200,000 phones in its first day on sale. More than 50 million phones have been sold worldwide. The iPhone was Time magazine’s Invention of the Year for 2007 and is considered by most to have revolutionized the smartphone industry.
The US shuttle Atlantis made its maiden flight docking with the Russian space station Mir, creating the largest artificial satellite. (1995) Atlantis made seven such flights to dock with Mir from 1995 to 1997. Once docked, the two created the largest spacecraft orbiting the Earth at the time.
The US Supreme Court has ruled that the death penalty is a cruel and unusual punishment. (1972) Judgment was given in Furman v. Georgia but the moratorium on capital punishment ended in 1976 with the Supreme Court ruling in Gregg v. Georgia, which allowed the death penalty in certain situations.
US President Franklin D. Roosevelt wrote a letter to physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer encouraging him and his team to meet the deadline for creating the atomic bomb. (1943) In the letter, written to settle the problems Oppenheimer was having with the leader of the Manhattan Project, President Roosevelt said, “Whatever the enemy is planning, American science will rise to the challenge.” The first atomic bomb was detonated two years later at a test site in New Mexico. It was later used by President Harry S. Truman in 1945 in Japan.
Worst train wreck in Canadian history kills 99. (1864) Train failed to stop on open bridge and plunged into Richelieu River near Quebec. The St-Hilaire train disaster is still the worst train accident in Canadian history.
Randy Johnson strikes out the 4,000th batter. (2004) Johnson, playing for the Arizona Diamondbacks, was the fourth pitcher in history to surpass this milestone.
British authorities kill 2,700 Jews. (1946) Britain killed them in Palestine for alleged terrorism.
The United States Interstate Highway system was established. (1956) President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed into law the Federal-Aid Highway Act, which provided US$25 billion to build 41,000 miles (66,000 km) of highway.
A department store collapsed in South Korea, killing 501 and injuring 937. (1995) Sampoong department store in Seoul collapsed due to a structural defect. The collapse is the worst peacetime disaster in South Korean history.
The Globe Theater burned down. (1613) The famous Shakespeare Theater was replaced after it burned down but was later closed in 1642. A new Globe Theater was built in 1997 very close to the original site.
American actress Katharine Hepburn has died. (2003) Hepburn holds the record for winning the most Academy Awards for her performances. She is listed as the greatest female star in American film history in the American Film Institutes (AFI) ratings. She was 96 years old.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
