This Day in History

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY July 28 1868 14th Amendment adopted Following its ratification by the necessary three-quarters of U.S. states, the 14th Amendment, granting citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States—including formerly enslaved people—is officially adopted into the U.S. Constitution. read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT 1970s 1975 Grizzly bear is classified as a “threatened” species Arts & Entertainment 1978 “Animal House” released in theaters Great Depression 1932 Bonus Marchers evicted by U.S. Army Native American History 1968 American Indian Movement (AIM) is founded Natural Disasters & Environment 1945 Plane crashes into Empire State Building 1976 One of the worst earthquakes in modern history destroys Chinese city U.S. Presidents 1929 Future first lady Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy is born Vietnam War 1965 President Johnson announces more troops to Vietnam Women’s History 2016 Hillary Clinton accepts Democratic nomination for president World War I 1914 Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia World War II 1942 Stalin issues Order No. 227—outlawing cowards

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY July 29 1958 NASA created The U.S. Congress passes legislation establishing the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), a civilian agency responsible for coordinating America’s activities in space. read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT Arts & Entertainment 1967 The Doors score their first #1 hit with “Light My Fire” 2000 Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston wed Civil War 1862 Confederate spy Belle Boyd is captured Crime 1976 Son of Sam’s first murder 1900 Italian American assassinates Italian king European History 1981 Prince Charles marries Lady Diana Inventions & Science 1909 General Motors buys Cadillac Sports 1996 Carl Lewis wins fourth consecutive long jump at 35 Vietnam War 1967 Rocket causes deadly fire on aircraft carrier 1965 101st Airborne Division arrives in Vietnam World War I 1914 Kaiser Wilhelm and Czar Nicholas exchange frantic telegrams, trying to avoid WWI World War II 1921 Adolf Hitler becomes the leader of the Nazi Party

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY July 30 1965 President Johnson signs Medicare into law President Lyndon B. Johnson signs Medicare, a health insurance program for elderly Americans, into law. Medicaid, a state and federally funded program that offers health coverage to certain low-income people, was also signed into law on this day. read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT 19th Century 1866 The New Orleans Massacre 1970s 1971 Fighter jet collides with passenger plane American Revolution 1777 New York’s first elected governor takes office Arts & Entertainment 1999 “The Blair Witch Project” released in theaters 1966 The Troggs take their signature hit, “Wild Thing,” to #1 Civil War 1864 Union forces stopped at the Battle of the Crater Inventions & Science 2003 Last classic VW Beetle rolls off the line Sports 1976 Caitlyn Jenner wins Olympic decathlon U.S. Government and Politics 1619 First legislative assembly in America convenes in Jamestown U.S. Presidents 1956 President Eisenhower signs “In God We Trust” into law 1974 Under subpoena, Nixon surrenders Watergate tapes World War II 1945 USS Indianapolis torpedoed

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY July 31 1975 Labor leader Jimmy Hoffa is reported missing On the morning of July 31, 1975, James Riddle Hoffa, one of the most influential American labor leaders of the 20th century, is officially reported missing after he failed to return home the previous night. Though he is popularly believed to have been the victim of a Mafia hit, conclusive evidence was never found and Hoffa’s fate remains a mystery. read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT 1970s 1973 Delta Flight 723 crashes in fog at Boston Logan American Revolution 1777 Marquis de Lafayette becomes a major-general without pay Natural Disasters & Environment 1715 Hurricane sinks Spanish treasure ships Religion 1556 Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuit order, dies Space Exploration 1964 Ranger 7 photographs moon World War I 1917 Third Battle of Ypres begins in Flanders World War II 1941 Preparations for the Final Solution begin

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 1 1943 Operation Tidal Wave: U.S. forces attempt risky air raid on Axis oil refineries During WWII, U.S. forces attempt a risky air raid on Axis oil refineries in Romania. read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT 1960s 1961 The first Six Flags opens in Texas Arts & Entertainment 1996 George R.R. Martin’s “Game of Thrones” debuts 1981 MTV launches Black History 1943 The Harlem Riot of 1943 begins Cold War 1975 Helsinki Final Act signed Crime 1966 An ex-Marine goes on a killing spree at the University of Texas European History 1936 Hitler oversees Berlin Olympics opening ceremony Exploration 1498 Columbus first sets eyes on South America, thinks it’s an island Holocaust 1944 Anne Frank writes her last diary entry Inventions & Science 1786 Caroline Herschel becomes first woman credited with discovering a comet 1861 World’s first weather forecast published Sports 1996 Michael Johnson earns third gold medal World War I 1914 First World War begins to escalate World War II 1944 Warsaw Uprising begins

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 2 1990 Iraq invades Kuwait On August 2, 1990, at about 2 a.m. local time, Iraqi forces invade Kuwait, Iraq’s tiny, oil-rich neighbor. Kuwait’s defense forces were rapidly overwhelmed, and those that were not destroyed retreated to Saudi Arabia. The emir of Kuwait, his family, and other government leaders fled to Saudi Arabia, and within hours Kuwait City had been […] read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT American Revolution 1776 Delegates sign Declaration of Independence Civil War 1865 CSS Shenandoah learns the war is over Cold War 1945 Potsdam Conference concludes Crime 1876 Wild Bill Hickok is murdered 1942 Man murdered near L.A. reservoir European History 1934 Hitler becomes dictator of Germany Natural Disasters & Environment 1985 Sudden thunderstorm causes plane crash Sports 1992 Jackie Joyner-Kersee wins gold in heptathlon, again U.S. Presidents 1923 President Warren G. Harding dies before scandals break World War I 1918 American troops land at Archangel 1917 Mutiny breaks out on German battleship World War II 1943 PT-109 sinks; Lieutenant Kennedy is instrumental in saving crew

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 3 1958 Nautilus submarine travels under North Pole The U.S. nuclear submarine Nautilus accomplishes the first undersea voyage to the geographic North Pole read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT 1970s 1975 Boeing 707 crashes into a mountain near Agadir, Morocco Arts & Entertainment 1996 “The Macarena” begins its reign atop the U.S. pop charts 1977 “The Spy Who Loved Me” released in U.S. theaters 2008 Multimillion-dollar baby photos published Cold War 1948 Chambers accuses Hiss of being a communist spy Crime 1982 Sodomy arrest sparks controversy European History 1916 Sir Roger Casement hanged Exploration 1492 Columbus sets sail from Spain Sports 1949 NBA is born 1984 Gymnast Mary Lou Retton scores two perfect '10s' to win Olympic All-Around Gold U.S. Government and Politics 1795 Treaty of Greenville signed, ending the Northwest Indian War U.S. Presidents 1923 Calvin Coolidge takes oath of office after Warren G. Harding’s death World War I 1914 Germany declares war on France

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 4 1944 Anne Frank captured 15-year-old Jewish diarist Anne Frank and her family are captured hiding in an Amsterdam warehouse. The Franks had taken shelter there in 1942 out of fear of deportation to a Nazi concentration camp. read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT 19th Century 1873 Colonel Custer and 7th Cavalry clash with Indians Arts & Entertainment 2006 “Talladega Nights” released in theaters Black History 1964 Slain civil rights workers found Colonial America 1753 George Washington becomes a Master Mason Crime 1892 Lizzie Borden’s parents found dead 2019 Dayton, Ohio shooting becomes second mass shooting in 24-hour period Exploration 1784 Russians begin to settle Alaska Immigration 1942 U.S. and Mexico sign the Mexican Farm Labor Agreement Sports 1936 Jesse Owens wins long jump—and respect—in Germany 2012 Oscar Pistorius becomes the first amputee runner to compete at the Olympics U.S. Government and Politics 1790 Alexander Hamilton creates Coast Guard to intercept smugglers World War I 1914 U.S. proclaims neutrality in World War I

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 5 1962 Marilyn Monroe is found dead Iconic actress Marilyn Monroe is found dead in her Los Angeles home. She had overdosed on sedative drugs the night before. read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT 19th Century 1858 First transatlantic telegraph cable completed 20th Century 1926 Harry Houdini escapes underwater coffin after 91 minutes 21st Century 2002 Divers recover U.S.S. Monitor turret Arts & Entertainment 1924 'Little Orphan Annie' comic strip is first published 1957 “American Bandstand” goes national 1983 “Risky Business” debuts, launches Tom Cruise to stardom Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander History 1948 Vicki Draves and Sammy Lee become the first Asian American Olympic gold medalists Civil War 1864 Union scores a victory at the Battle of Mobile Bay Cold War 1963 Nuclear Test Ban Treaty signed Crime 1998 Mother charged with smothering her eight children Inventions & Science 1914 First electric traffic signal installed Natural Disasters & Environment 1949 Devastating earthquake strikes Ecuador, killing more than 5,000 U.S. Presidents 1861 Abraham Lincoln imposes first federal income tax 1981 Ronald Reagan fires 11,359 air-traffic controllers Vietnam War 1965 TV news shows Marines burning village World War I 1914 German assault on Liege begins first battle of World War I World War II 1944 Hundreds of Jews are freed from forced labor in Warsaw

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 6 1945 American bomber drops atomic bomb on Hiroshima The United States becomes the first and only nation to use atomic weaponry during wartime when it drops an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Approximately 80,000 people are killed and another 35,000 are injured. read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT 19th Century 1846 Donner Party encounters first delay 1890 First execution by electric chair Arts & Entertainment 1911 Lucille Ball is born 1928 Andy Warhol is born Civil War 1862 Confederate ship blown up by crew 1864 Philip Sheridan receives orders to command the Army of the Shenandoah Crime 1902 Mobster Dutch Schultz is born 1930 Judge Joseph Force Crater becomes the “missingest man” in New York Inventions & Science 1996 Researchers claim to have found signs of Martian life in Antarctic meteorite Sports 1926 Gertrude Ederle becomes first woman to swim English Channel U.S. Constitution 1787 First draft of Constitution debated U.S. Presidents 1965 President Johnson signs Voting Rights Act Vietnam War 1969 Army announces murder charges against Green Berets

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 7 1782 George Washington creates the Purple Heart The anniversary is now known as Purple Heart Day. read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT 1970s 1974 Philippe Petit walks on a tightrope between the Twin Towers 21st Century 2005 Trapped Russian sub rescued African History 1998 U.S. embassies in East Africa bombed Exploration 1947 Norwegian explorer completes 4,300-mile ocean voyage in wooden raft Immigration 1953 Eisenhower signs the Refugee Relief Act of 1953 Latin American & Caribbean History 1956 Mysterious explosions in Colombia Space Exploration 1959 The first U.S. satellite to photograph the Earth is launched Sports 1987 Lynne Cox swims into communist territory U.S. Government and Politics 1912 Teddy Roosevelt nominated as Bull Moose candidate U.S. Presidents 1990 President George H.W. Bush orders Operation Desert Shield Vietnam War 1964 Congress passes Gulf of Tonkin Resolution World War II 1942 U.S. forces invade Guadalcanal

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 8 1974 Nixon announces he will resign In an evening televised address on August 8, 1974, President Richard M. Nixon announces his intention to resign in light of the Watergate scandal. read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT 19th Century 1879 Emiliano Zapata born 21st Century 2008 5-day long Russo-Georgian War begins Arts & Entertainment 1986 Spike Lee’s first feature, “She’s Gotta Have It,” premieres 1988 Gangsta rap hits the mainstream with the release of N.W.A’s “Straight Outta Compton” Civil War 1863 Robert E. Lee offers resignation as commander of the Confederate army Exploration 1588 Spanish Armada defeated Religion 1844 Brigham Young chosen to lead Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Sports 1988 Lights go on at Wrigley U.S. Government and Politics 1945 President Truman ratifies United Nations Charter 2009 Sonia Sotomayor is sworn in as an associate justice of the Supreme Court World War I 1918 Battle of Amiens begins World War II 1942 German saboteurs executed in Washington, D.C. 1945 Soviets declare war on Japan, invade Manchuria the next day

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 9 1974 Gerald Ford becomes president after Richard Nixon resigns Richard M. Nixon officially ends his term as the 37th president of the United States and former Vice President Gerald R. Ford is sworn in. read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT 21st Century 2010 JetBlue flight attendant quits job via escape slide 2014 Michael Brown is killed by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri Ancient Rome 378 Romans routed at Adrianople Arts & Entertainment 1854 Henry David Thoreau’s “Walden” is published 1995 Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia dies Crime 1969 Charles Manson cult kills five, including actor Sharon Tate Native American History 1877 Nez Perce fight Battle of the Big Hole Sports 1936 Jesse Owens wins 4th gold medal 1988 Hockey’s “Great One” gets traded World War II 1945 Atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 10 1977 Son of Sam serial killer is arrested On August 10, 1977, police arrest 24-year-old postal employee David Berkowitz and charged him with being the “Son of Sam,” the serial killer who terrorized New York City for more than a year, killing six young people and wounding seven others with a .44-caliber revolver. Because Berkowitz generally targeted attractive young women with long brown […] read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT 19th Century 1846 Smithsonian Institution created 1970s 1978 Fatal Ford Pinto crash in Indiana American Revolution 1776 London learns of American independence Ancient Egypt 30 B.C. Cleopatra dies by suicide Arts & Entertainment 1793 Louvre Museum opens 1912 Virginia and Leonard Woolf marry 1939 “The Wizard of Oz” movie premieres in Green Bay, Wisconsin 1984 “Red Dawn,” first PG-13 movie, is released Inventions & Science 1937 First-ever electric guitar patent awarded to the Electro String Corporation Natural Disasters & Environment 2003 Temperatures in U.K. top 100 F for first time during European heat wave Sports 1981 Pete Rose sets National League hits record Women’s History 1993 Ruth Bader Ginsburg sworn in as Supreme Court justice World War II 1945 Japan accepts Potsdam terms, agrees to unconditional surrender

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 11 1934 Federal prisoners land on Alcatraz A group of federal prisoners classified as “most dangerous” arrives at Alcatraz Island, a 22-acre island San Francisco Bay. read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT 19th Century 1806 Meriwether Lewis is shot in the leg 1960s 1965 Watts Rebellion begins 21st Century 2022 Anne Heche dies after fiery car crash in LA Arts & Entertainment 1973 “American Graffiti” opens 1973 Hip-hop is born at a teen party in the Bronx 2014 Oscar-winning actor Robin Williams dies at 63 Civil War 1864 Confederate general Jubal Early abandons Winchester, Virginia Cold War 1984 Reagan jokes about bombing Russia Crime 1980 Carol Bundy confesses her connection to the “Sunset Slayer” Middle Eastern History 1952 Hussein succeeds to Jordanian throne Vietnam War 1972 Last U.S. ground combat unit deactivated in South Vietnam World War I 1919 Weimar Constitution adopted in Germany World War II 1943 Germans begin to evacuate Sicily

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 12

1990 Skeleton of Tyrannosaurus rex discovered The largest-ever Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton is discovered by fossil hunter Susan Hendrickson near Faith, South Dakota. The 65 million-year-old specimen is named Sue, after its discoverer. read more

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19th Century

1898

Armistice ends the Spanish-American War

American Revolution

1776

General Washington anticipates British blockade of New York

Arts & Entertainment

2014

Hollywood icon Lauren Bacall dies

1964

James Bond creator Ian Fleming dies

1988

Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat dies of an overdose at 27

Colonial America

1676

King Philip’s War ends

Crime

1964

Great Train robber escapes from prison

Natural Disasters & Environment

1985

JAL flight 123 crashes into Mount Otsuka

2000

Russian sub, the “Kursk,” sinks with 118 onboard

Sports

1973

American golfer Jack Nicklaus sets title record

World War II

1941

FDR and Churchill meet on ship, map out Atlantic Charter

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 12

1990 Skeleton of Tyrannosaurus rex discovered The largest-ever Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton is discovered by fossil hunter Susan Hendrickson near Faith, South Dakota. The 65 million-year-old specimen is named Sue, after its discoverer. read more

Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT

19th Century

1898

Armistice ends the Spanish-American War

American Revolution

1776

General Washington anticipates British blockade of New York

Arts & Entertainment

2014

Hollywood icon Lauren Bacall dies

1964

James Bond creator Ian Fleming dies

1988

Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat dies of an overdose at 27

Colonial America

1676

King Philip’s War ends

Crime

1964

Great Train robber escapes from prison

Natural Disasters & Environment

1985

JAL flight 123 crashes into Mount Otsuka

2000

Russian sub, the “Kursk,” sinks with 118 onboard

Sports

1973

American golfer Jack Nicklaus sets title record

World War II

1941

FDR and Churchill meet on ship, map out Atlantic Charter

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 13 1961 Berlin is divided German soldiers begin laying down barbed wire and bricks as a barrier between Soviet-controlled East Berlin and the democratic western section of the city. read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT Ancient Americas 1521 Aztec capital falls to Cortés Arts & Entertainment 1982 “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” debuts 1952 “Hound Dog” is recorded for the first time by Big Mama Thornton Inventions & Science 1878 First victim of Memphis yellow fever epidemic dies Latin American & Caribbean History 1926 Fidel Castro born Sports 1995 New York Yankees star Mickey Mantle dies U.S. Presidents 1981 Reagan signs Economic Recovery Tax Act (ERTA)

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 14 2003 Blackout hits Northeast United States A major outage knocks out power across the eastern United States and parts of Canada. Beginning at 4:10 p.m. ET, 21 power plants shut down in minutes. Fifty million people were affected. read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT Arts & Entertainment 1985 Michael Jackson takes control of the Beatles’ publishing rights Crime 1751 A daughter poisons her father 1994 The terrorist known as Carlos the Jackal is captured Sports 1971 Pitching ace Bob Gibson throws first no-hitter U.S. Presidents 1935 FDR signs Social Security Act 1795 George Washington signs Jay Treaty with Britain World War I 1917 China declares war on Germany World War II 1945 Japan’s surrender made public on V-J Day

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 15 1969 Woodstock festival opens in Bethel, New York The Woodstock music festival opens on a patch of farmland in the upstate New York town of Bethel. The festival became legendary, and many people see it as an example of America’s 1960s youth counterculture at its best. read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT 21st Century 2021 Kabul falls to the Taliban after U.S. withdrawal Arts & Entertainment 1979 “Apocalypse Now” released in theaters Crime 2006 Wife of slain minister released from jail European History 1057 King Macbeth is killed by Malcolm Canmore Inventions & Science 1899 Henry Ford leaves Edison to start automobile company Landmarks 1914 Panama Canal open to traffic Middle Eastern History 1947 India and Pakistan win independence Mysteries & Folklore 1977 The mysterious “Wow!” signal is detected Vietnam War 1968 Heavy fighting erupts in and around the DMZ World War I 1914 Japan gives ultimatum to Germany

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 16 1896 Gold discovered in the Yukon George Carmack reportedly spots nuggets of gold in a creek bed in Canada’s Yukon Territory. His discovery sparks the last great gold rush in the American West. read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT 1980s 1987 Plane crashes into highway, killing 156 19th Century 1812 U.S. surrenders Fort Detroit to the British Arts & Entertainment 1977 Elvis Presley dies Crime 1984 Los Angeles jury clears John Z. DeLorean of drug charges Sports 2009 Usain Bolt sets 100-meter dash world record 1954 “Sports Illustrated” magazine debuts 1948 Babe Ruth dies 1920 MLB player hit in head by pitch, dies next day Vietnam War 1967 Gulf of Tonkin Resolution is challenged in Senate

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 17 1969 Woodstock performers jam through a long final night The Woodstock festival draws to a close after three days of peace, love and rock ‘n’ roll in upstate New York. read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT 1980s 1987 Rudolf Hess, Hitler’s last living henchman, dies 19th Century 1877 Billy the Kid kills his first victim Cold War 1962 East Germans kill man trying to cross Berlin Wall Exploration 1978 Balloon crosses the Atlantic Native American History 1862 U.S.-Dakota War begins in Minnesota Sports 1957 Foul balls batter unlucky Philadelphia Phillies fan U.S. Presidents 1998 President Clinton testifies before grand jury 1841 President Tyler is burned in effigy outside White House World War II 1943 General George S. Patton wins race to Messina