Today in History....June 15

On this day in …


* 1215, England's King John put his seal to Magna Carta ("the Great
Charter") at Runnymede

* 1520, Pope Leo X threatened to excommunicate Martin Luther if he did not recant his religious belief

* 1775, the Second Continental Congress voted unanimously to appoint George Washington head of the Continental Army

* 1844, Charles Goodyear received a patent for his process to vulcanize rubber

* 1864, Secretary of War Edwin Stanton signed an order establishing a military burial ground, which became Arlington National Cemetery

* 1904, more than 1,000 people died when fire erupted aboard the steamboat General Slocum in New York's East River

* 1944, American forces began their successful invasion of Saipan during World War II. Meanwhile, B-29 Superfortresses made their first raids on Japan

* 2002, a jury in Houston convicted accounting firm Arthur Andersen of obstruction of justice, giving a first victory to prosecutors investigating the sudden collapse of energy-trader Enron

* 2006, House Democrats voted to strip embattled Louisiana Congressman William Jefferson of his seat on the House Ways and Means Committee. ALSO: Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates said he would transition from day-to-day responsibilities at the company to concentrate on the charitable work of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation