On this day, June 15

1215 England’s King John put his seal to Magna Carta (“the Great Charter”) at Runnymede.

1864 Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton signed an order establishing a military burial ground, which became Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

1904 More than 1,000 people died when fire erupted aboard the steamboat General Slocum in New York’s East River. 1961 After 70 days, the cab strike was settled.

1988 City officials unveil plans for the Pittsburgh Technology Center at the former Jones and Laughlin steel mill site along the Monongahela River.

2009 After 17 years of waiting, an estimated 375,000 Penguins fans lined up along Grant Street and the Boulevard of the Allies to welcome the Stanley Cup back to Pittsburgh.

Some items are from Stefan Lorant’s “Pittsburgh: The Story of an American City” (digital.library.pitt.edu/chronology).

— Compiled by Rick Nowlin Today’s birthdays: Actor Simon Callow, 71. Rock singer Steve Walsh, 69. Chinese President Xi Jinping , 67. Actor-comedian Jim Belushi, 66. Actress Julie Hagerty, 65. Actress Polly Draper, 65. Baseball Hall of

Famer Wade Boggs, 62. Actress Eileen Davidson, 61. Actress Helen Hunt, 57. Actress Courteney Cox, 56. Actor-rapper Ice Cube, 51. Actress Leah Remini, 50. Actor Jake Busey, 49. Actor Neil Patrick Harris,

47. Actor Greg Vaughan, 47. Actress Elizabeth Reaser, 45. Former child actor Christopher Castile, 40. Actor Jordi Vilasuso,

39. Actor Denzel Whitaker, 30. Olympic gold medal gymnast Madison Kocian, 23. Actress Sterling Jerins, 16.

Thought for today: “The times are not so bad as they seem; they couldn’t be.” — John Franklin Carter, American commentator and author (1897-1967)