On July 20 in …

1799 — Tekle Guyorgis I begins the first of his six separate reigns as emperor of Ethiopia.

1807 — Nicephone Nuepce is awarded a patent by Napolean for what he calls the “Pyreolophore.” It is the first internal combustion engine and was used to power a boat upstream on the river Saone in France.

1903 — The Ford Motor Company ships its first car.

1917 — The modern Kingdom of Yugoslavia is created by the Corfu Declaration, a document codifying an agreement between the Yugoslav Committee and the Kingdom of Serbia.

1968 — The first International Special Olympics Summer Games begin at Soldier Field in Chicago, with about 1,000 athletes participating.

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