- The Battle of Gettysburg, which marked the turning point in the Civil War, began.
- Battle of Gettysburg (1863)
- Canada Day (1867)
- First U.S. Zoo Opened (1874)
- ZIP Codes Introduced (1963)
- Diana, Princess of Wales (1961-1997) The wife of Prince Charles—heir to the British throne—Lady Diana Frances Spencer, a former Kindergarten teacher, was a figure of grace and charity during her reign as the Princess of Wales. She and Charles had two children, the princes William and Harry, before divorcing amidst controversy in 1996. Diana was killed in a car accident in Paris.
July 2, 1937
- Amelia Earhart and her co-pilot Fred Noonan disappeared over the Pacific Ocean while attempting to fly around the world.
- Civil Rights Act of 1964 Became Law(1964)
- Pres. James Garfield Shot (1881)
- Thurgood Marshall (1908-1993) Thurgood Marshall was the first African-American Associate Justice on the Supreme Court, serving from 1967 until 1991. Before serving on the Supreme Court, Marshall argued cases before it as a lawyer for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), including the landmark anti-segregation case Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka in 1954.
July 3, 1608
- Samuel de Champlain founded the city of Quebec.
- Compliment Your Mirror Day
- Idaho Admission Day (1890)
- Stay Out of the Sun Day
- U.S. Veterans Administration Created(1930)
- Franz Kafka (1883-1924) A hugely influential existential writer in the twentieth century, Franz Kafka worked as a lawyer in Prague, but wrote short stories on the side. His major works, what are now considered masterpieces, were published posthumously:The Trial and The Metamorphosis. The major themes in his works are alienation from society and anxiety over life.
July 6, 1957
- Althea Gibson won the Wimbledon women's singles tennis title. She was the first black person to win the event.
- Pres. George W. Bush's Birthday(1946)
- Republican Party Formed (1854)
- Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) Frida Kahlo was a celebrated artist of the 20th century. Influenced by her Mexican culture, her paintings often focus on pain and the difficult lives of women and mix realism and symbolism. About a third of her works were self-portraits.
July 7, 1981
- President Ronald Reagan nominated Sandra Day O'Connor for the Supreme Court.
- Hawaii Annexed by U.S. (1898)
- Pinocchio First Printed (1883)
- Terrorist Bombing in London Killed 52(2005)
- Satchel Paige (1906-1982) An extraordinary pitcher in the Negro baseball leagues in the 1920s, Paige became the first African-American pitcher in the major leagues when they integrated in 1947 (he was also the oldest "rookie" ever, at 42). He played in more than 2,500 games and pitched 50 no-hitters in his career.
July 8, 1889
- The Wall Street Journal began publication.
- First Public Reading of Declaration of Independence (1776)
- Vermont Abolished Slavery (1777)
- Ferdinand von Zepplin (1838-1917) An officer in the German army, Ferdinand von Zeppelin invented the first rigid airship, which reached a top speed of approximately 17 miles per hour, in 1900.
July 9, 1900
- The British Parliament proclaimed that as of January 1, 1901, the six Australian colonies would be united as the Commonwealth of Australia.
- Sugar Cookie Day
- Samuel Eliot Morison (1887-1976) An American Historian, Samuel Eliot Morison wrote books ranging from biographies to naval histories to summaries of the American government. Two of his biographies earned him the Pulitzer Prize: Admiral of the Ocean Sea(1942), a biography of Christopher Columbus, and John Paul Jones (1959).
July 10, 1991
- Boris Yeltsin was sworn in as Russia's first elected president.
- Don't Step on a Bee Day
- Wyoming Admission Day (1890)
- Arthue Ashe (1943-1993) Arthur Ashe was the first African American to become a prominent, professional tennis player; he won the 1968 U.S. Open, the 1970 Australian Open, and the 1975 Wimbledon title. He was a strong supporter of the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, and a spokesperson for AIDS after he contracted the disease.
July 13, 1863
- The draft riots, protesting unfair conscription in the Civil War, began in New York City.
- 25 hour Blackout in New York City(1977)
- First World Cup Soccer Tournament(1930)
- Harrison Ford (1942-) Harrison Ford is an American actor known for his roles in adventure and science fiction movies, including the Star Warsand Indiana Jones series. He also starred in the popular filmsApocalypse Now, Blade Runner, A Clear and Present Danger, and others. Ford was given the Life Achievement Award from the American Film Institute in 2000.
July 14, 1933
- In Germany, all political parties except the Nazi party were outlawed.
- $100 Bill Became Largest U.S. Currency (1969) Gr. 3
- Bastille Day in France (1789) Gr. K–12
- Gerald Ford (1913-2006) The 38th President of the United States, Gerald Ford never won a national election. He was nominated by then-President Nixon to replace Spiro Agnew as Vice President after Agnew was forced to resign. When Nixon resigned from the presidency in 1974, Ford became president. He was defeated in his bid for reelection in 1976 by Jimmy Carter.
July 16, 1969
- Apollo 11 took off on the first manned flight to the moon.
- District of Columbia Established(1790)
- First Parking Meters (1935)
- Last Russian Czar Executed (1918)
- Ida B. Wells-Barnett (1862-1931) A journalist and civil rights activist, Ida B. Wells-Barnett was the daughter of slaves. She helped found the newspaperMemphis Free Speech, where she published articles against lynching. She was also one of the original founders of the NAACP.
July 17, 1828
- Spain ceded Florida to the United States.
- Disneyland Opened (1955)
- Potsdam Conference (1945)
- Vince Guaraldi (1928-1976) Vince Guaraldi was a jazz musician who wrote the music for the Charlie Brown television specials in the 1960s and 1970s.
July 20, 1881
- Fugitive Sioux Indian leader Sitting Bull surrendered to federal troops.
- First Moon Landing (1969)
- First Special Olympics (1968)
- Sir Edmund Hillary (1919-2008) With Sherpa guide Tenzing Norkay, Sir Edmund Hilary was the first explorer to reach the summit of Mount Everest—the highest peak in the world—in 1953. Later in life, he led groups on expeditions to the South Pole.
July 21, 1925
- In the "Monkey Trial," John T. Scopes was found guilty of violating Tennessee state law by teaching evolution.
- Author Ernest Hemingway's Birthday(1899)
- Stateswoman Janet Reno's Birthday(1938 - ) In 1993 Janet Reno was appointed to the position of U.S. Attorney General by President Bill Clinton; she was the first woman to hold that office. Reno was also the first female state attorney of Florida, appointed to that role in 1978.
July 22, 1933
- Wiley Post became the first person to fly solo around the world.
- Pied Piper Arrived in Hamelin (1264)
- Gregor Mendel (1872-1884) Gregor Mendel was an Austrian monk. He is most known for creating a clear and detailed picture of concept of heredity; though his findings were ignored in his lifetime, scientists later acknowledged Mendel's theory as the basis of genetics.
July 23, 1914
- Austria and Hungary issued an ultimatum to Serbia after the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, precipitating World War I.
- Hale-Bopp Comet Discovered (1995)
- Pneumatic Tires Invented (1888)
- Daniel Radcliffe (1989- ) Daniel Radcliffe is an English actor most known for his starring role in the Harry Potter film series, some of the most popular movies of all time. The first one was released when he was just 12 years old; he was almost 22 when the final film reached theaters.
July 24, 1974
- The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled that President Richard Nixon had to turn over White House tapes to the Watergate special prosecutor.
- Apollo 11 Astronauts Safely Return to Earth (1969)
- Amelia Earhart (1897-1937) An American aviator most known for being the first women to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean (1932), Amelia Earhart was nicknamed "Lady of the Air." She was one of the most famous and beloved women of her time. Along with her copilot, she disappeared while attempting to fly around the world in 1937; her fate is still unknown.
July 27, 1953
- An armistice was signed ending the Korean War.
- Bombing at Olympic Games in Atlanta(1996)
- Bugs Bunny Debuted (1940)
- Peggy Fleming (1948- ) A celebrated American figure skater, Peggy Fleming was the U.S. Ladies Champion (1964–1968), Olympic champion (1968), and World Champion (1966–1968) in ice skating before starting her professional career in the sport.
July 28, 1750
- The great baroque composer Johann Sebastian Bach died.
- 14th Amendment Ratified (1868)
- Author Beatrix Potter's Birthday(1866-1943) An English children's author and illustrator, Beatrix Potter wrote the beloved classic story The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Potter's books are known for featuring clever, realistic animals as main characters.
- World War I Began (1914)
July 29, 1890
- Artist Vincent van Gogh died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in Auvers, France.
- Author Sharon Creech's Birthday(1945)
- NASA Established (1958)
- Prince Charles Married Lady Diana Spencer (1981)
- Peter Jennings (1938-2005) Peter Jennings was the national news anchor of ABC's World News Tonightfrom 1983 until 2005. Jennings hosted the show from 1965 until 1967 as well, which made him the youngest network news anchor in history.
July 30, 2002
- Lisa Leslie became the first woman to dunk in a professional basketball game.
- Author Emily Brontë's Birthday (1818)
- Industrialist Henry Ford's Birthday(1863- 1947) Henry Ford was a brilliant automobile manufacturer who revolutionized the industry when he introduced the concept of assembly-line production and standardized cars. His Model T design was sold 15 million times in its 20 years of production.
August 2, 1949
- The National Basketball Association was formed.
- Columbus Set Sail (1492)
- National Kids Day
- William Faulkner Stamp Issued(1987)
- P.D. James (1920-2014) An English crime and mystery novelist, P.D. James has written many best-selling and critically acclaimed books, including Cover Her Face, featuring policeman Adam Dalgliesh (1962), An Unsuitable Job for a Woman (1972), and Children of Men (1992).
August 4, 1884
- Thomas Stevens became the first person to bicycle across the United States. He later bicycled around the world.
- Musician Louis Armstrong's Birthday(1901)
- Nazis Arrested Anne Frank & Family(1944)
- President Barack Obama's Birthday(1961) The 44th President of the United States and the first African-American president, Barack Obama was a lawyer, constitutional law professor, and both an Illinois and U.S. Senator before running for the presidency. Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009 for "his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples."
August 5, 1884
- The cornerstone for the Statue of Liberty was laid on Bedloe's Island
- astronaut Neil Armstrong's birthday (1930-2012) American astronaut Neil Armstrong earned international notoriety in 1969 when he became the first person ever to walk on the moon, famously stating, "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind."
- electric traffic lights first installed (1914)
August 6, 1945
- atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima (1945) The first atomic bomb used in warfare was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan.
- Alexander Fleming (1885-1955) Scottish bacteriologist Sir Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin, a natural bacteria that led to the creation of a powerful antibiotic drug that kills germs and saved the lives of millions. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology in 1945.
- Sonia Sotomayor confirmed as first Hispanic Supreme Court Justice (2009)
August 11, 1956
- Abstract artist Jackson Pollock died in an automobile accident.
- first inmates arrived at Alcatraz (1934)
- Martian moon phobos discovered (1677)
- Alex Haley (1921-1992) Alex Haley famously wrote the novel Roots (1976), which details the tragedies and triumphs of his African-American ancestors, beginning with a slave from Gambia, Kunta Kinte. Haley won the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award for the book.
August 12, 1851
- Isaac Singer patented the sewing machine
- International Youth Day
- Tyrannosaurus Sue Discovered (1990)
- Cecil B. DeMille (1881-1959) A renowned film director, Cecil B. De Mille made famous and critically acclaimed movies like the Academy-Award winningThe Greatest Show on Earth (1953), The Ten Commandments(1956), and Cleopatra (1934).
August 13, 1961
- The border between East and West Berlin was closed and marked with a barbed wire fence
- activist Lucy Stone's birthday (1818)
- first 2-way satellite conversation (1948)
- International Left-Handers Day
- Fidel Castro (1926-) Cuban revolutionary and longtime political leader of Cuba (1959–2008), Fidel Castro helped to overthrow dictator Fulgencio Batista in 1959, then considered a dramatic victory for Marxists. However, he spent the next several decades in a political battle with the United States, which never supported his regime. In failing health, Castro relinquished power to his brother, Raúl Castro, in 2008.
August 14, 1900
- International forces entered Beijing, China, in an effort to suppress the antiforeigner uprising known as the Boxer Rebellion.
- Japan Agreed to surrender inWWII (1945)
- Largest blackout in U.S. history (2003)
- MAgic Johnson (1959-) Earvin (Magic) Johnson was one of the greatest basketball players of all time; he led the L.A. Lakers to five national championships in the 1980s. He retired in 1991 after announcing he had HIV, one of the first major public figures to do so. Johnson has lived healthfully for many years since.
August 17, 1896
- Prospectors found gold in Alaska, a discovery that set off the Klondike gold rush.
- Folk Hero Davy Crockett's Birthday (1786)