This Day In History : June 9

1803 Australia

Circumnavigation of Australia

British explorer Matthew Flinders arrived in Sydney, completing his circumnavigation of Australia, on June 9, 1803. This achievement proved that Australia is a single, distinct continent.

Also on This Day in History June 9

Discover what happened on June 9 with HISTORY's summaries of major events, anniversaries,
famous births and notable deaths.

Births on This Day, June 9
  • 1781 George Stephenson

    English inventor of the first steam locomotive engine for railroads

  • 1812 Johann G. Galle

    German astronomer who discovered Neptune

  • 1875 Henry Dale

    British physiologist who identified acetylcholine as a possible neurotransmitter (Nobel Prize, 1936)

  • 1915 Les Paul

    American inventor who invented the Les Paul electric guitar, sound-on-sound, the eight-track recorder, overdubbing, the electronic reverb effect and multitrack tape recording.

  • 1913 Patrick Steptoe

    English scientist (developed in vitro fertilization)

Deaths on This Day, June 9
  • 1597 Jose de Anchieta

    Spanish saint, Jesuit poet and missionary to Brazil (founder of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro)

  • 1871 Anna Atkins

    English botanist, photographer and the 1st person to publish a book illustrated with photographic images

  • 1886 Erminnie Adelle Platt

    American anthropologist (first woman to specialize in ethnographic field work)

  • 1897 Alvan Graham Clark

    American telescope maker and astronomer (Sirius B)

  • 1900 Birsa Munda

    Indian tribal freedom fighter, religious leader and folk hero of the Munda tribe who led an uprising in Bengal against the British Raj

1934

1st appearance of Donald Duck in a cartoon, "The Wise Little Hen"

Donald Duck made his first film appearance in the animated short film “The Wise Little Hen”, which premiered on June 9, 1934.
1943

US President FDR signs Current Tax Payment Act into law - tax is withheld from worker's wages to go straight to government

On June 9, 1943, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed the Current Tax Payment Act of 1943 into law. This act reintroduced the requirement to withhold income tax in the United States. Under this legislation, taxes were withheld directly from workers’ wages and sent directly to the government.
1949

Georgia Neese Clark of Kansas becomes 1st woman treasurer of US

Georgia Neese Clark of Kansas became the first woman Treasurer of the United States on June 9, 1949. She was appointed by President Harry S. Truman and served in this role, marking a significant milestone in the history of women in U.S. government positions.
1964

Lal Bahadur Shastri becomes Prime Minister of India after being selected by the ruling Congress Party after Jawaharlal Nehru passed away

In 1964, following the death of Jawaharlal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri was appointed as the second Prime Minister of India. He succeeded Nehru and held office from June 9, 1964, until his untimely demise on January 11, 1966.
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