The Revenue Act of 1862
On July 1, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Revenue Act of 1862 into law, to help fund the Civil War. Revenue stamps remained in use off an on for a century, paying the tax on a wide variety of items.
This Day in History
US Begins Issuing Stamps in the Philippines
On June 30, 1899, the American military government issued its first stamps in the Philippines. Spanish colonization of the Philippines began in 1565 and continued for more than three centuries. In the late 1800s, the people of the Philippines revolted against the atrocities of their Spanish rulers. At the same time, unrest was growing in the Spanish colony of Cuba.
First US Space Shuttle Docking to Mir
On June 29, 1995, the US Space Shuttle Atlantis docked the Russian space station Mir for the first time. The mission, STS-71, was the third in the US/Russian Shuttle-Mir program. It began on June 27, 1995, when the Atlantis launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This was the 100th US human space launch from Cape Canaveral.
Assassination of Franz Ferdinand
On June 28, 1914, Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife were assassinated by a Bosnia Serb nationalist, sparking World War I.
First Electric Passenger Train
On June 27, 1895, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad’s Royal Blue became the first US passenger service to use electric locomotives, signaling a new era of modern rail travel. Running from Washington, DC, to New York City, the train combined speed, comfort, and cutting-edge technology.
First U.S. Joint Issue
America’s first joint issue stamp was created to honor the completion of the St. Lawrence Seaway. The US and Canada worked together to create the seaway to connect the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean.
Virginia Becomes 10th State
On June 25, 1788, Virginia ratified the US Constitution and was admitted as the 10th state of the Union.
Death of President Grover Cleveland
America’s 22nd and 24th president, Grover Cleveland, died on June 24, 1908, in Princeton, New Jersey. He was America’s first president to serve two non-consecutive terms and was known for his honesty and integrity.
Last Stamp Issued by the Post Office Department
On June 23, 1971, the Post Office issued its last commemorative stamp as a cabinet-level department. It was reorganized as the United States Postal Service, a corporation-like independent agency of the federal government.