June 1: Facts & Historical Events On This Day

642 million people voted in India’s general election, setting the record for the world’s largest election.

NASA’s Endeavour Space Shuttle landed for its 25th and final time.

Mission STS-134 was meant to be the final Space Shuttle Mission, but another mission was later added at the last minute and flown by the Atlantis Space Shuttle. During the Endeavour's lifetime, it spent 299 days in space, flying a total of 122,883,151 miles (197,761,262 km).

General Motors filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code permits reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of the US.

South Africa rejoined the Commonwealth of Nations after ending Apartheid.

CNN made its debut as the first 24-hour news channel.

The Heimlich Maneuver was published in an article for the first time.

The life-saving maneuver to rescue choking victims was invented by Henry Heimlich, the technique's namesake.

The European Union expanded the 1951 Stresa Convention.

This change made it illegal for others to imitate cheeses already named. It was the first time union states joined together to agree on the names of cheeses.

Ion Antonescu, Romania’s dictatorial World War II leader, was executed by firing squad.

Baseball and war hero Hank Gowdy became the first player to enlist in the US Army during World War II.

The first payphone went into service in the US.

Phone calls were paid for by handing over cash to an attendant. The first coin-operated payphone wouldn't come into existence for another nine years!

The Philadelphia Zoo opened. At the time, it was the only zoo in the “New World.”

The zoo opened with 1,000 animals, and admission was 25 cents!

Anti Slavery activist Isabella Baumfree became a Methodist and changed her name to Sojourner Truth.

She chose the name after being approached by God, who advised her to spread the truth about slavery.

Napoleon I undertook a ceremony to make his authority officially recognized.

Tennessee became the 16th state to join the United States of America.

Kentucky became the 15th state to join the United States of America.

Charles II of England and Louis XIV of France signed the Secret Treaty of Dover.

As a part of the treaty's terms, Charles II was to convert to the Roman Catholic Church and send troops and ships to France's aid in its war against the Dutch Republic. In return, Charles II received a yearly pension from France and a promise of aid if he was faced with a rebellion.

Anne Boleyn was crowned the Queen of England at Westminster Abbey.