- July 16, 0622 “Mohammed (570-632) while meditating near Mecca in 610 AD, had visions from Allah to write the
Koran. He escaped from his enemies in Mecca on July 16, 622 and went to Medina. Mohammed’s journey (hejira) on this date would mark the birth of Islam. He raised an army while spreading his beliefs, and returned to conquer Mecca in 630 AD.” - July 16, 0622 The beginning of the Islamic calendar.
- July 16, 1212 Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa; end of Moslem power in Spain
- July 16, 1439 Kissing is banned in England
- July 16, 1548 “La Paz, Bolivia is founded”
- July 16, 1661 The first banknotes in Europe are issued by the Swedish bank Stockholms Banco.
- July 16, 1683 Manchu/Chinese Qing Dynasty naval forces under commander Shi Lang defeat the Kingdom of Tungning in the Battle of Penghu near the Pescadores Islands
- July 16, 1769 “Father Junipero Serra founds Mission San Diego de Alcal, the first mission in California. The mission later evolves into the city of San Diego.”
- July 16, 1769 “Father Serra founds Mission San Diego, first mission in Calif”
- July 16, 1775 John Adams graduates Harvard
- July 16, 1782 First performance of Mozart’s opera The Abduction from the Seraglio.
- July 16, 1783 Grants of land in Canada to American United Empire Loyalists are announced.
- July 16, 1790 The signing of the Residence Bill establishes a site along the Potomac River as the District of Columbia (seat of government).
- July 16, 1798 US Public Health Service established & US Marine Hospital authorized
- July 16, 1845 The New York Yacht Club hosted the first American boating regatta.
- July 16, 1862 American Civil War: David G. Farragut becomes the first United States Navy rear admiral.
- July 16, 1862 Comet Swift-Tuttle is discovered by Lewis Swift.
- July 16, 1862 David G Farragut became first rear admiral in US Navy
- July 16, 1880 Dr. Emily Howard Stowe becomes the first woman licenced to practice medicine in Canada.
- July 16, 1894 Many negro miners in Alabama killed by striking white miners
- July 16, 1894 Treaty of Aoki-Kimberley signed between Japan & England
- July 16, 1904 Islands of the Manu’a group (Samoa) ceded to US by their chiefs
- July 16, 1912 Bradley A. Fiske patented the airplane torpedo
- July 16, 1912 Naval torpedo launched from an airplane patented by B.A. Fiske
- July 16, 1918 “Nicholas II Russian tsar, and family are executed”
- July 16, 1920 Gen Amos Fries appointed first US army chemical warfare chief
- July 16, 1920 US wins Davis Cup sweeping Australia in 5 straight matches