Today in History: South Sudan gains independence

The following is a chronological list of notable events that occurred on July 9 throughout history:

118 AD – Hadrian enters Rome
Emperor Hadrian made his ceremonial entry into Rome on July 9, AD 118.

551 AD – Beirut earthquake and tsunami
A magnitude ~7.5 earthquake struck Beirut on July 9, 551, triggering a devastating tsunami.

1762 – Catherine the Great seizes power
Catherine II seized the Russian throne following a coup on July 9, 1762.

1816 – Argentina declares independence
The Congress of Tucumán declared Argentina’s independence from Spain on July 9, 1816 .

1850 – President Zachary Taylor dies
U.S. President Taylor died in office on July 9, 1850.

1868 – 14th Amendment ratified
The U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment was ratified on July 9, 1868 .

1877 – First Wimbledon Championships
The inaugural Wimbledon tournament opened on July 9, 1877 .

1914 – Mexican Revolution: Guadalajara captured
Rebel forces under Álvaro Obregón captured Guadalajara on July 9, 1914 .

1956 – Amorgos (Santorini) earthquake
A devastating magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck south of Amorgos on July 9, 1956, triggering a tsunami and killing 53 people.

2011 – South Sudan gains independence
South Sudan formally became an independent nation on July 9, 2011 .