This Day in History: What Happened Today in History – 22 August

Ever wonder what stories hide behind a date on the calendar? On August 2, significant events occurred. Delegates in Philadelphia signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776. 

The "Black Sox" scandal verdict was handed down in 1921, and although acquitted, the players were later banned from baseball. Mounties carried out the first U.S. census in 1790. 

Then there was the wild West: Wild Bill Hickok was shot while playing poker. President Harding died suddenly in 1923. These are just some of the moments that made August 2 unforgettable. 

But that's just the beginning of our journey. In the following article, we'll explore August 22. From battles and inventions to dramatic events, we'll explore how that date shaped history as well.

What Happened on this Day – August 22?

Here's what happened in history on August 22:

1485 – Battle of Bosworth Field

• King Richard III is defeated and killed by Henry Tudor.
• The battle marked the end of the Wars of the Roses.
• Richard's crown is found in a bush and placed on Henry's head.
• Henry becomes King Henry VII, marking the beginning of the Tudor dynasty.

1639 – Founding of Madras (Chennai)

• The British East India Company acquires land from local rulers.
• This marks the founding of Madras, now Chennai.
• The date is celebrated every year as "Madras Day".

1770 – Captain James Cook Claims Eastern Australia

• James Cook lands on Possession Island in Queensland.
• He claims the eastern coast of Australia for Britain.
• This marks a significant step in British expansion.

1776 – British Redcoats Land at Long Island

• General William Howe leads 24,000 British soldiers.
• They land between Gravesend and New Utrecht.
• The goal is to capture New York City and control the Hudson River.

1791 – Start of the Haitian Revolution

• Enslaved people in Saint-Domingue rise against French rule.
• The uprising becomes the largest slave rebellion in history.
• It eventually leads to Haiti's independence.

1849 – Austria Uses Balloon Bombs Against Venice

• Austrian forces launch bombs carried by balloons.
• This is considered the first remote aerial attack in history.

1851 – First America's Cup Win

• The schooner America defeats British yachts near the Isle of Wight.
• This marks the beginning of the America's Cup tradition, the world's oldest sporting trophy.

1862 – Lincoln Replies to Horace Greeley

• Editor Horace Greeley publishes an abolitionist editorial.
• Lincoln replies, focusing first on saving the Union.
• He hints that emancipation could become a war goal.

1864 – First Geneva Convention Adopted

• Twelve nations meet in Geneva, Switzerland.
• They agree to care for wounded soldiers regardless of their side.
• This creates the foundation of the International Red Cross.

1902 – Theodore Roosevelt Seen in an Automobile

• President Theodore Roosevelt became the first U.S. president seen publicly in a car.
• The automobile becomes a symbol of modern leadership.

1910 – Japan Annexes Korea

• Japan officially annexes Korea.
• The act marks the beginning of decades of colonial rule.

1911 – Mona Lisa Theft Discovered

• An artist visiting the Louvre finds the Mona Lisa missing.
• Vincenzo Perugia, a former museum worker, had stolen it.
• The painting was recovered in 1913.

1922 – Michael Collins Assassinated

• Irish revolutionary and Sinn Féin leader Michael Collins is ambushed.
• He was killed in West Cork during the Irish Civil War.
• His death is a significant blow to the Irish independence movement.

1962 – De Gaulle Survives Assassination Attempt

• French President Charles de Gaulle survives an ambush by the OAS.
• His car, the Citroën DS 19 ("the Goddess"), helps him escape unharmed.

1962 – N.S. Savannah Reaches Georgia

• The world's first nuclear-powered merchant ship arrives in Savannah, Georgia.
• It promotes peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
• Some foreign ports refuse it, fearing disaster.

1963 – First Person to Enter Space Twice

• Captain Joseph A. Walker flies the X-15 rocket plane.
• He becomes the first person to reach space twice.

1965 – Juan Marichal Bat Incident

• At Candlestick Park, Giants pitcher Juan Marichal attacks Dodgers catcher John Roseboro with a bat.
• This sparks a 14-minute on-field brawl.
• It becomes one of the most infamous fights in baseball history.

1968 – Prague Spring Protests

• Soviet troops invaded Czechoslovakia to crush the Prague Spring.
• People protest in the streets of Prague and at the UN.
• The invasion sparks worldwide condemnation.

1968 – First Papal Visit to South America

• Pope Paul VI arrives in Bogotá, Colombia.
• It is the first visit by a pope to South America.

1969 – Zager and Evans End #1 Streak

• Their song In the Year 2525 ends a six-week run at the top of the U.S. charts.
• It becomes their only hit.

1972 – Republican National Convention Disrupted

• Antiwar demonstrators disrupt the Republican convention in Miami Beach.
• Over 3,000 protestors gather outside the hall.
• Police clash with demonstrators, making hundreds of arrests.

1972 – Brooklyn Bank Robbery Inspires Film

• A failed bank robbery occurs in Brooklyn.
• The event later inspires the film Dog Day Afternoon.

1976 – Luna 24 Returns with Moon Soil

• The Soviet Union's Luna 24 mission returns lunar soil samples.
• It is the last Moon sample return until 2020.

1986 – Lake Nyos Disaster in Cameroon

• A cloud of carbon dioxide erupts from Lake Nyos.
• More than 1,500 people and thousands of animals die.
• It is one of the deadliest natural CO₂ disasters ever recorded.

1989 – Nolan Ryan Records 5,000th Strikeout

• Texas Rangers pitcher Nolan Ryan strikes out Rickey Henderson.
• He becomes the first pitcher to reach 5,000 career strikeouts.

1991 – Iceland Recognises Baltic States

• Iceland becomes the first nation to recognise the independence of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania from the USSR.

1992 – Ruby Ridge Siege Turns Deadly

• During the Ruby Ridge standoff, FBI sniper Lon Horiuchi shoots Randy Weaver and Kevin Harris.
• Weaver's wife, Vicki, is killed while holding her baby.

1994 – O.J. Simpson DNA Evidence Revealed

• DNA testing links O.J. Simpson to the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman.
• The results become key evidence in his trial.

1996 – Welfare Reform Signed

• U.S. President Bill Clinton signed welfare reform into law.
• It ends guaranteed cash benefits and requires recipients to work.

2007 – Black Hawk Helicopter Crash in Iraq

• A U.S. Army Black Hawk crashes during a night mission.
• All 14 soldiers on board were killed.

Which Famous Personalities Were Born and Died on August 22?

August 22 marks notable birthdays and deaths of influential figures throughout history, celebrating legacies in the arts, science, and sports.

Born on This Day

• Ray Bradbury (1920–2012): Author of Fahrenheit 451 and The Martian Chronicles.
• Henri Cartier-Bresson (1908–2004): French photographer, father of modern photojournalism.
• Dorothy Parker (1893–1967): Poet, short story writer, and satirist, known for her sharp wit.

Deaths on August 22

• Richard III (1485): Died at the Battle of Bosworth Field. 
• Michael Collins (1922): Irish revolutionary killed in an ambush. 
• Jomo Kenyatta (1978): First President of Kenya. 
• Huey P. Newton (1989): Co-founder of the Black Panther Party. 
• Colleen Dewhurst (1991): Canadian-American actress. 
• Sebastian Cabot (1977): English actor, famed for Family Affair. 

Other Notable Deaths

• Juscelino Kubitschek (1976): President of Brazil. 
• William Morris, 1st Viscount Nuffield (1963): British carmaker and philanthropist. 
• Jacob Bronowski (1974): Mathematician and author.