June 6 facts for kids

June 6 is the 157th day of the year (158th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar; 208 days remain until the end of the year. June 6th is a special day filled with many important events throughout history, from ancient times to today. It's a day when kings were crowned, big battles were fought, and new inventions changed the world. Many famous people, like artists, scientists, and leaders, were also born or passed away on this date. Let's explore some of the most interesting moments and people connected to June 6th!

Events

Historic Moments Before 1900

• 913 – A young boy named Constantine VII, who was only eight years old, became the ruler of the Byzantine Empire. He was guided by a group of seven wise leaders.
• 1505 – A very strong earthquake shook Tibet and Nepal. It caused a lot of damage in cities like Kathmandu.
• 1513 – The Battle of Novara took place during the Italian Wars. Swiss soldiers won against the French, making them leave Milan.
• 1523 – Gustav Vasa was chosen to be the King of Sweden. This day, June 6th, is now celebrated as Sweden's national day!
• 1654 – Queen Christina of Sweden decided to give up her throne. Her cousin, Charles Gustav, became the new king.
• 1762 – During the Seven Years' War, British forces started the Siege of Havana and took control of the city for a while.
• 1813 – The Battle of Stoney Creek was a very important moment in the War of 1812. A smaller British force managed to defeat a much larger American army.
• 1844 – The Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) was started in London. It's an organization that helps young people.
• 1859 – Queensland became its own separate colony in Australia, splitting from New South Wales. This day is still celebrated as Queensland Day.
• 1862 – In the First Battle of Memphis, Union forces captured Memphis, Tennessee from the Confederates during the American Civil War.
• 1889 – The Great Seattle Fire destroyed a large part of downtown Seattle.
• 1892 – The Chicago "L" elevated train system, which runs above the streets, started working.

Modern Events: 1901 to Today

• 1912 – The Novarupta volcano in Alaska began to erupt. It was the biggest volcanic eruption of the 20th century!
• 1925 – The famous Chrysler Corporation car company was founded by Walter Chrysler.
• 1933 – The very first drive-in theater opened in New Jersey, where people could watch movies from their cars.
• 1942 – The United States Navy won a huge victory against the Imperial Japanese Navy in the Battle of Midway during World War II. This was a major turning point in the war in the Pacific Ocean.
• 1944 – This was D-Day, the largest seaborne invasion in history! Nearly 160,000 Allied troops crossed the English Channel to invade Normandy, France, during World War II. This was a crucial step towards ending the war.
• 1971 – The Soyuz 11 spacecraft was launched. Sadly, the mission ended in disaster when all three cosmonauts died during re-entry.
• 1975 – People in Britain voted to stay members of the European Economic Community.
• 1982 – The Lebanon War began when Israeli forces entered southern Lebanon.
• 1994 – China Northwest Airlines Flight 2303 crashed near Xi'an, China, and all 160 people on board died.
• 2002 – A large near-Earth asteroid exploded over the Mediterranean Sea. The explosion was very powerful, like a small atomic bomb.
• 2017 – The Battle of Raqqa began in Syria, as forces tried to take the city from the Islamic State group.
• 2023 – The Destruction of the Kakhovka Dam happened during the war in Ukraine, causing widespread flooding.

Famous Births

Born Before 1900

• 1599 – Diego Velázquez, a very famous Spanish painter.
• 1799 – Alexander Pushkin, a well-known Russian author and poet.
• 1825 – Friedrich Bayer, who founded the famous company Bayer.
• 1850 – Karl Ferdinand Braun, a German physicist who won the Nobel Prize for his work in physics.
• 1851 – Angelo Moriondo, the Italian inventor of the espresso machine!
• 1868 – Robert Falcon Scott, a brave English sailor and explorer.
• 1872 – Alix of Hesse, a German princess who became a Russian empress.
• 1875 – Thomas Mann, a German author who won the Nobel Prize for literature.
• 1896 – Henry Allingham, an English soldier from World War I who lived to be very, very old (a supercentenarian).
• 1898 – Ninette de Valois, a famous English ballerina and choreographer.

Born After 1900

• 1901 – Sukarno, the first President of Indonesia.
• 1903 – Aram Khachaturian, an Armenian composer and conductor.
• 1909 – Isaiah Berlin, a Latvian-English historian and philosopher.
• 1918 – Edwin G. Krebs, an American biochemist who won a Nobel Prize.
• 1929 – Sunil Dutt, a famous Indian actor and director.
• 1932 – David Scott, an American astronaut who commanded Apollo 15.
• 1933 – Heinrich Rohrer, a Swiss physicist who won a Nobel Prize.
• 1934 – Albert II, who was the King of the Belgians.
• 1935 – Jon Henricks, an Australian swimmer who won two Olympic gold medals.
• 1943 – Richard Smalley, an American chemist who won a Nobel Prize.
• 1944 – Tommie Smith, an American sprinter who won an Olympic gold medal in 1968.
• 1947 – Robert Englund, an American actor famous for Nightmare on Elm Street.
• 1954 – Harvey Fierstein, an American actor and playwright who won four Tony Awards.
• 1955 – Sam Simon, an American director and producer who helped create The Simpsons.
• 1956 – Björn Borg, a legendary Swedish tennis player who won many Grand Slam titles, including five Wimbledons.
• 1960 – Steve Vai, a famous American musician.
• 1963 – Jason Isaacs, an English actor.
• 1967 – Paul Giamatti, an American actor and producer.
• 1972 – Natalie Morales, an American television journalist.
• 1985 – Drew McIntyre, a Scottish professional wrestler.
• 1985 – Becky Sauerbrunn, an American footballer who has won the FIFA Women's World Cup twice and an Olympic gold medal.

Notable Deaths

Passed Away Before 1900

• 913 – Alexander III, a Byzantine emperor.
• 1134 – Norbert of Xanten, a German bishop and saint.
• 1799 – Patrick Henry, an important American lawyer and politician.
• 1832 – Jeremy Bentham, an English thinker and philosopher.
• 1861 – Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour, the first Prime Minister of Italy.
• 1878 – Robert Stirling, a Scottish engineer who invented the stirling engine.
• 1891 – John A. Macdonald, the first Prime Minister of Canada.

Passed Away After 1900

• 1916 – Yuan Shikai, a Chinese general and politician.
• 1941 – Louis Chevrolet, an American race car driver and businessman who founded Chevrolet.
• 1948 – Louis Lumière, a French film director and producer, one of the inventors of cinema.
• 1961 – Carl Gustav Jung, a famous Swiss psychiatrist and psychotherapist.
• 1968 – Robert F. Kennedy, an American lawyer and politician.
• 1976 – J. Paul Getty, a very wealthy American businessman who founded the Getty Oil Company.
• 1996 – George Davis Snell, an American geneticist who won a Nobel Prize.
• 2005 – Anne Bancroft, a famous American film actress who won an Academy Award for Best Actress.
• 2006 – Billy Preston, an American singer-songwriter and pianist.
• 2009 – Jean Dausset, a French immunologist who won a Nobel Prize.
• 2013 – Esther Williams, an American swimmer and actress.
• 2016 – Viktor Korchnoi, a Russian chess grandmaster.

Holidays and Observances

• D-Day Invasion Anniversary: A day to remember the brave soldiers who landed in Normandy during World War II.
• Engineer's Day in Taiwan: Celebrating the work of engineers.
• Korean Children's Union Foundation Day in North Korea: A day for children's organizations.
• Memorial Day in South Korea: A day to honor those who died for their country.
• National Day of Sweden: Celebrating the day Gustav Vasa became King of Sweden.
• Queensland Day: Celebrating when Queensland became its own colony in Australia.
• UN Russian Language Day: A day to celebrate the Russian language.

See also

In Spanish: 6 de junio para niños