The reign of Richard III of England came to an end and that of Henry VII began after the former was killed at the Battle of Bosworth Field, the last major battle of the Wars of the Roses, on August 22, 1485. The battle marked the beginning of Tudor rule in England, which would last until Elizabeth I died in 1603.

On August 22, 1864, twelve nations signed the first Geneva Convention protecting vulnerable persons in times of conflict. Review the text of the Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded in Armies in the Field and learn more about the modern Geneva Conventions from the American Red Cross.

On August 22, 1996, President Bill Clinton signed the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act into law. The act fundamentally reformed the American welfare system, putting an emphasis on work requirements for those receiving federal assistance. The new law also limited most recipients to no more than five years on welfare and shifted money provided to states in the form of block grants, which the states could use to set their own criteria for welfare recipients.