This Day In History, June 3rd.
Five Historical Events That Happened on June 3rd.
Hernando de Soto claims Florida for Spain in the year 1539. Hernando de Soto, a Spanish adventurer, claimed Florida for Spain on June 3, 1539.
John Adams settles at the White House in 1800. John Adams moved into the newly built White House on June 3, 1800, becoming the first president to do so.
The United States' first long-distance electric power transmission line is finished in 1889. The first long-distance electric power transmission line in the United States, stretching 14 miles from a generator at Willamette Falls to downtown Portland, Oregon, was finished on June 3, 1889.
1965: The first American astronaut to venture into space was launched. During the Gemini 4 mission on June 3, 1965, astronaut Edward White made history by becoming the first American to walk in space.
Protests at China's Tiananmen Square in 1989. The Chinese government imposed martial law in response to continued pro-democracy demonstrations in Beijing's Tiananmen Square on June 3, 1989. The plaza was forcibly cleared the following day by sending in troops and tanks, which led to a bloody crackdown that claimed hundreds, if not thousands of lives.
This Day In History: Hernando de Soto claims Florida for Spain. On June 3, 1539, Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto claimed Florida for Spain.
Hernando de Soto and his expedition arrived on Florida's west coast on June 3, 1539, and they claimed the region for Spain. Spanish adventurer and conqueror De Soto had previously assisted Francisco Pizarro in his conquest of Peru. After being chosen to lead an expedition to explore and conquer the southeast of what is now the United States, he was made governor of Cuba. Currently existing states Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, and Arkansas were all stops along his route. De Soto's mission was the first by a European to explore most of the southeastern United States, despite running into opposition from Native American tribes along the route.
On June 3, 1800, John Adams became the first President of the United States to occupy the newly constructed White House.
President John Adams moved into the newly built White House in Washington, D.C., on June 3, 1800. President Adams was the first person to live in the White House after eight years of building. Adams and his family were the sole residents for several months while work was still going on since the building wasn't yet finished. Since then, the White House has evolved into a recognizable landmark in Washington, D.C. and an iconic representation of the American president.
On June 3, 1889, the first long-distance electric power transmission line in the United States was completed, running 14 miles between a generator at Willamette Falls and downtown Portland, Oregon.
The first long-distance electric power transmission line in the United States was finished on June 3, 1889, connecting a generator at Willamette Falls with Portland's central business district. The Portland General Electric Company constructed the 14-mile line to serve Portland with electricity. Small-scale energy production and local consumption existed prior to this, but the creation of long-distance transmission lines allowed for the distribution of power across much wider regions. This was a significant achievement for the American electric power sector and prepared the path for broad electricity use in homes and businesses.
On June 3, 1965, astronaut Edward White became the first American to walk in space during the Gemini 4 mission.
During the Gemini 4 mission on June 3, 1965, NASA astronaut Edward H. White II made history by becoming the first American to walk in space. While the spaceship was circling the Earth at a height of around 120 miles, White performed his spacewalk. White floated free of the ship and moved around in space with a portable maneuvering equipment during the 20-minute spacewalk. A significant accomplishment for NASA, the successful spacewalk paved the groundwork for later space exploration, notably the Apollo mission that placed people on the Moon.
On June 3, 1989, the Chinese government declared martial law in response to ongoing pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square in Beijing. The following day, troops and tanks were sent in to forcibly clear the square, resulting in a violent crackdown that left hundreds, if not thousands, dead.
Student-led pro-democracy demonstrations in Beijing, China's Tiananmen Square, started in April 1989. As the demonstrations expanded, a diverse group of residents who disagreed with the government's policies joined in, including academics, laborers, and others. In reaction to the demonstrations, the Chinese government imposed martial law on June 3, 1989. The following day, troops and tanks were dispatched to clear Tiananmen Square. Estimates of the number of protestors that died as a consequence of the brutal crackdown range from several hundred to several thousand. The events in Tiananmen Square are still a touchy subject in China today and are largely recognized as a turning moment in contemporary Chinese history.