1547, King Henry VIII of England died and was succeeded by his 9-year-old son, Edward VI.
In 1871, France surrendered to Germany, ending the Franco- Prussian War. In 1915, Congress passed legislation creating the modern U.S. Coast Guard.
In 1986, the space shuttle Challenger exploded shortly after liftoff, killing six astronauts and Christa McAuliffe, a teacher who was to become the first civilian i…