This Day In History, August 22nd.
Five Historical Events That Happened on August 22nd
The Battle of Bosworth Field, which ended the War of the Roses, took place in Leicestershire, England, in 1485. The fight ended in King Richard III's death and Henry Tudor's ascent to the throne as King Henry VII.
In 1775, King George III declared the American colonies to be in revolt. This was the start of the American Revolutionary War.
President Theodore Roosevelt became the first U.S. President to travel in an automobile, a Columbia Electric Victoria Phaeton custom-built for him, in 1902.
Althea Gibson became the first Black tennis player to compete in the National Grass Court Championships, held in Forest Hills, New York, in 1950.
2004: Chechen extremists hijacked two Russian passenger jets and brought them down within minutes of each other, killing all 90 persons on board. The assaults took place on the same day, August 22, 2004.
1485: The Battle of Bosworth Field, which marked the end of the War of the Roses, took place in Leicestershire, England. The battle resulted in the death of King Richard III and the ascension of Henry Tudor to the throne as King Henry VII.
The Battle of Bosworth Field is often regarded as one of the most important conflicts in English history. It was fought between ruler Richard III's armies, the last Plantagenet ruler, and Henry Tudor's army, which was supported by a number of English lords. Henry Tudor won the fight and became King Henry VII, ending the Plantagenet dynasty and ushering in the Tudor era in England. King Richard III's death during the fight is one of the most famous incidents in English history, and his bones were famously recovered in a Leicester car park in 2012.
1775: King George III proclaimed the American colonies in a state of rebellion. This event marked the beginning of the American Revolutionary War.
Tensions between the American colonies and the British authority had reached a boiling point in 1775 over topics such as taxes and parliamentary representation. King George III issued a proclamation putting the American colonies in rebellion on August 22, that year. This declaration signaled the start of the American Revolutionary War, which lasted more than eight years and resulted in the colonies' freedom from British dominion. The conflict was fought between the Continental Army, headed by George Washington, and the British Army, and it is still regarded as one of the pivotal events in American history.
1902: President Theodore Roosevelt became the first U.S. President to ride in an automobile, a Columbia Electric Victoria Phaeton, which had been specially built for him.
President Theodore Roosevelt became the first sitting US President to ride in an automobile on August 22, 1902. He was driving a Columbia Electric Victoria Phaeton that had been custom-built for him. Automobiles were still a relatively new technology at the time, and many people were suspicious of their safety and dependability. President Roosevelt, on the other hand, was a fervent booster of automobiles, believing that they would have a tremendous influence on American culture. His decision to ride in a car helped to promote the new technology and proved autos' promise as a form of transportation.
1950: Althea Gibson became the first Black tennis player to compete in a US national tennis competition, the National Grass Court Championships, held in Forest Hills, New York.
Althea Gibson became the first Black tennis player to compete in a US national tennis championship, the National Grass Court Championships, on August 22, 1950, in Forest Hills, New York. This was a watershed event in tennis history, since Gibson endured prejudice and discrimination throughout her career yet went on to become one of the most accomplished players of her generation. She won 11 Grand Slam championships, including five Wimbledon and US Open singles wins, and opened the path for subsequent generations of Black tennis players.
2004: Two Russian passenger planes were hijacked by Chechen militants and brought down within minutes of each other, killing all 90 people on board. The attacks were carried out on the same day, August 22, 2004.
Chechen extremists seized two Russian passenger flights almost simultaneously on August 22, 2004. The first plane, a Tupolev Tu-154, was hijacked and flown to the North Caucasus area while on route from Moscow to the southern city of Rostov-on-Don. The second jet, a Tupolev Tu-134, was travelling from Moscow to Volgograd (formerly Stalingrad) in southern Russia when it was hijacked and flown to the same location. Both planes were reportedly blown up in mid-air seconds apart, killing all 90 persons on board. The bombings were blamed on Chechen terrorists, who have been at odds with the Russian government for a long time for control of the North Caucasus area.