Once Upon A Time – July 8 – 1497 – Portuguese Navigator, Vasco Da Gama Becomes 1st European To Reach India By Sea

1099 First Crusade: 15,000 starving Christian soldiers march in religious procession around Jerusalem as its Muslim defenders look on

1497 Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama departs on his first voyage, will become the 1st European to reach India by sea

1777 Independent Vermont introduces a new constitution, prohibiting slavery

1800 Dr Benjamin Waterhouse gives 1st cowpox vaccination in the US to his son to prevent smallpox

1853 Commodore Matthew C. Perry sails his frigate Susquehanna into Tokyo Bay, opening Japan to Western influence and trade

1948 500th anniversary of the Russian Orthodox Church celebrated in Moscow

1949 South Africa’s Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act commences, prohibiting marriage or a sexual relationship between White people and people of other races

Historical Events Today
Today in Film & TV
2010 “Inception”, directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, premieres in London

Today in Music
1996 British girls group the Spice Girls release their debut single “Wannabe” in the UK

Today in Sport
1995 Wimbledon Women’s Tennis: German superstar Steffi Graf beats Arantxa Sánchez Vicario of Spain 4-6, 6-1, 7-5 for her 6th Wimbledon title

MORE FACTS
1874 The Mounties (North West Mounted Police) begin their March West from Fort Dufferin

1913 Alfred Carlton Gilbert’s patent for the Erector Set is issued, it becomes one of the most popular toys of all time

Famous Weddings
1290 Princess Margaret (15), daughter of Edward I of England marries John II of Brabant at Westminster Abbey

1551 Willem of Orange weds countess Anna van Egmond & Buren

1800 Prime Minister of UK George Canning (30) weds heiress Joan Scott