This Day in History: July 1

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This Day In History: July 1

Take a look at all of the important historical events that took place on July 1.

On this day, July 1 …

1991: President George H.W. Bush nominates federal appeals court judge Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court, beginning an ultimately successful confirmation process marked by allegations of sexual harassment.

Also on this day: 

• 1863: The pivotal, three-day Civil War Battle of Gettysburg begins in Pennsylvania.
• 1946: The United States sets off a 20-kiloton atomic bomb near Bikini Atoll in the Pacific.
• 1963: Five-digit zip codes are launched by the U.S. Postal Service.
• 1973: The Drug Enforcement Administration [DEA] is established.
• 1979: Sony introduces the Walkman, the first personal stereo tape player.
• 2002: The world's first permanent war crimes tribunal, the International Criminal Court, is established.
• 2013: Croatia becomes the 28th member state of the European Union.
• 2018: Andrés Manuel López Obrador wins the Mexican presidential election.

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• 2018: Canada begins imposing tariffs on $12.6 billion in U.S. goods as retaliation for the Trump administration's new taxes on steel and aluminum imported to the United States. 

LeBron James with the L.A. Lakers. (AP, File)

• 2018: LeBron James announces that he would be signing with the Los Angeles Lakers, leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers for the second time in his career.

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• 2019: Nike nixes the release of a Betsy Ross-themed Fourth of July sneaker after Colin Kaepernick complains it is offensive and has connotations of slavery.