June 10th has seen witch trials, scientific landmarks and controversial TV finales. A notorious Mexican Gangster was captured on the same day of the year as a famous British explorer grounded his boat on the Great Barrier Reef.
Read on to find out more about what happened on the most impactful June 10ths in history and discover how lightning really can strike the same plave twice.
First Dutch Settlers Arrive in Manhattan
June 10th was the day that Dutch settlers reportedly first found their way, in 1610, to Manhattan Island.
New Amsterdam would be founded about a decade later and subsequently renamed New York, as we still know it today.
First Witch Hanged in Salem
In 1692, the first witch was hanged in Salem as part of the famous Salem witch trials.
A woman of around 60 years old, Bridget Bishop, was found guilty of “certaine detestable arts called Witchcraft and Sorceries” by ‘bewitching’ five local young women. Her own husband claimed that she worshipped the devil.
Benjamin Franklin Tests His Lightning Conductor
Benjamin Franklin’s lightning test, also known as the kite experiment, was a groundbreaking scientific experiment conducted in 1752 to investigate the connection between lightning and electricity.
Franklin’s experiment involved flying a kite in a thunderstorm with a metal key attached to the kite string. The experiment was an attempt to demonstrate the nature of electricity and prove that it could be harnessed.
The Western World Discovers the Great Barrier Reef
James Cook, a British explorer, navigator, and captain in the Royal Navy, discovered the Great Barrier Reef on June 10, 1770.
He was on a voyage to explore the Pacific Ocean and chart the coastline of New Holland (now Australia) when his ship, the HMS Endeavour, ran aground. They were forced to spend seven weeks foraging for supplies and repairing the boat before they could continue.
Judy Garland Born
On this day, in 1922, the actor Judy garland was born in Grand Rapids, Minnesota.
She is best known for her performance as Dorothy in 1939’s The Wizard of Oz. She was a talented performer who rose to fame at a young age, making her stage debut at just three years old.
Apple Release the Apple II
The Apple II was first released on this day in 1977 by Apple Computer, Inc.
It was one of the first highly successful mass-produced personal computers and is regarded as one of the most influential personal computers of all time. It was pushed through the use of volume discounts to educational institutions and became the first computer in widespread use in schools.
Spirit Begins Its Mission to Mars
The Spirit rover was launched on this day by NASA from Cape Canaveral.
It was a robotic space mission that explored the planet Mars from 2004 to 2011. It was one of two Mars Exploration Rovers (MER) launched by NASA in 2003, along with its twin rover Opportunity. Spirit was designed to explore the Martian surface and geology, and to search for signs of past or present life on the planet.
Sopranos Cuts to Black
This is also the day that the well-regarded TV show, The Sopranos, aired its final episode.
The show ended with a controversial cut to black in the middle of a conversation, leaving viewers unsure as to the fate of the main character. Speculation continutes to this day.
El Chapo Finally Captured By Authorities
Joaquín Archivaldo Guzmán Loera, commonly known as “El Chapo” (Spanish for “Shorty”), is a Mexican former drug lord and a former leader within the Sinaloa Cartel, an international crime syndicate. He was finally arrested on this day in 2015 and is serving his time in the US.
He was a leader in the Sinaloa Cartel, one of the most powerful and notorious criminal organizations in Mexico. Under his leadership, the Sinaloa Cartel earned billions of dollars a year and had a presence in 50 countries.
