Gerardus Mercator was a 16th-century Flemish cartographer, geographer, and cosmographer. He is best known for creating the 1569 world map based on a new projection that remains the standard for maritime navigation today.
The Roman Catholic Church formally places the works of Nicolaus Copernicus on its Index of Forbidden Books, challenging heliocentric theory.
British soldiers fire into a crowd of American colonists, killing five and significantly escalating tensions in the lead-up to the American Revolution.
Winston Churchill delivers his famous 'Sinews of Peace' speech in Fulton, Missouri, warning of the growing ideological divide in Europe.