On This Day in History July 8, 2023

Historical Events 1099  First Crusade: 15,000 starving Christian soldiers march in religious procession around Jerusalem as its Muslim defenders look on 1497  Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama departs on his first voyage, will become the 1st European to reach India by sea 1777  Independent Vermont introduces a new constitution, prohibiting slavery 1800  Dr Benjamin Waterhouse gives 1st cowpox vaccination in the US to his son to prevent smallpox 1853  Commodore Matthew C. Perry sails his frigate Susquehanna into Tokyo Bay, opening Japan to Western influence and trade 1948  500th anniversary of the Russian Orthodox Church celebrated in Moscow 1949  South Africa's Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act commences, prohibiting marriage or a sexual relationship between White people and people of other races Famous Birthdays John D. Rockefeller 1839 - 1937 Nelson Rockefeller 1908 - 1979 Toby Keith 62nd Birthday Yann LeCun 63rd Birthday More Famous Birthdays Famous Deaths Christiaan Huygens 1629 - 1695 Vivien Leigh 1913 - 1967 More Famous Deaths July 8: The Age of Zeppelins Through peace and war the sky was the limit for Zeppelin airships, named after their German inventor – until the Hindenburg disaster put an end to the dream. Read the Article