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What happened in history on this day: July 4?
On July 4 in ...
- 1776 - In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Continental Congress adopts the Declaration of Independence, proclaiming the independence of the United States of America from Great Britain and its king. Twelve colonies adopt the declaration.
- 1789 - First US tariff act.
- 1802 - US Military Academy officially opens (West Point, New York).
- 1817 - Construction on Erie Canal begins with ground-breaking in Utica, New York, USA. The canal will run 350 miles between Buffalo and Albany.
- 1827 - Slavery is abolished in New York.
- 1828 - Construction begins on B and O (Baltimore-Ohio), first US passenger railroad.
- 1829 - The cornerstone is laid by US President Andrew Jackson for the Mint building at the corner of Chestnut and Juniper Streets in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
- 1832 - Song "America" is first sung publicly.
- 1840 - President Martin Van Buren signs into law the Independent Treasury Act, allowing the federal government to control its own money.
- 1845 - Texas Congress votes for annexation to US.
- 1848 - In Washington, D.C., construction begins on a 24,500-pound block of white marble monument to President George Washington.
- 1861 - US President Abraham Lincoln asks Congress for $400 million and 400,000 men to suppress the Southern insurrection.
- 1863 - Boise, Idaho is founded (later becomes capital of Idaho).
- 1863 - USA Major General Ulysses S. Grant captures Vicksburg, Mississippi.
- 1863 - Confederate General Robert Lee's army withdraws from Gettysburg, retreating to the South. The Battle of Gettysburg resulted in total casualties of about 48,000.
- 1864 - Congress passes an act to build a mint at Dalles City, Oregon.
- 1864 - Constitutional convention convenes in Carson City, to draft a state constitution for Nevada.
- 1866 - Firecracker thrown in wood starts fire destroying half of Portland, Maine, USA.
- 1875 - White Democrats kill several blacks in terrorist attacks in Vicksburg, Mississippi.
- 1881 - Booker T Washington establishes Tuskegee Institute.
- 1882 - Telegraph Hill Observatory opens in San Francisco, California.
- 1884 - First US bullfight held (Dodge City, Kansas).
- 1884 - Statue of Liberty presented to US in Paris, France.
- 1888 - First organized rodeo competition held, Prescott, Arizona.
- 1889 - Washington state constitutional convention holds first meeting.
- 1894 - Elwood Haynes successfully tests one of first US autos at 6 MPH.
- 1898 - US flag hoisted over Wake Island (Spanish-American War).
- 1903 - Pacific Cable (San Francisco, Hawaii, Guam, Philippines) opens, US President Theodore Roosevelt sends first message.
- 1918 - Altar is dedicated at full-scale replica of Stonehenge at Maryhill, Washington, USA.
- 1927 - The Lockheed Vega US military plane first flies.
- 1933 - Work begins on Oakland Bay Bridge.
- 1946 - The Philippines gain complete independence.
- 1947 - In the desert outside Roswell, New Mexico, USA, an alien flying craft (allegedly) crashes.
- 1950 - US President Harry Truman signs public law 600 (Puerto Ricans can write own consitution).
- 1956 - Independence National Historical Park established in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
- 1956 - US most intense rainfall (1.23 inches in one minute) at Unionville, Maryland.
- 1959 - America's new 49-star flag honoring Alaska statehood unfurled.
- 1960 - America's new 50-star flag honoring Hawaiian statehood first unfurled.
- 1966 - US President Lyndon Johnson signs Freedom of Information Act.
- 1967 - US Freedom of Information Act goes into effect.
- 1969 - 140,000 attend Atlanta Pop Festival featuring Led Zeppelin and Janis Joplin.
- 1970 - 100 injured in race rioting in Asbury Park, New Jersey, USA.
- 1975 - American bicentennial commemorative coins (quarter-dollar, half-dollar, and dollar) are released to circulation.
- 1979 - Birth of Teresa Salcedo in Anaheim, California, USA; first baby born at Disneyland, born to Rosa and Elias Salcedo.
- 1982 - 4th Space Shuttle Mission-Columbia 4 lands at Edwards Air Force Base.
- 2004 - Groundbreaking takes place for the Freedom Tower begins at Ground Zero in New York City.
- 2007 - The 50-star U.S. flag becomes the longest-flying American flag (48 years), replacing the 48-star flag that flew from 1912 to 1959 (47 years).
- 2022 - In Highland Park, Chicago, Illinois, 22-year-old Robert Crimo opens gunfire on a parade, killing six people, injuring 30.
Births on July 4
- 1804 - Birth of Nathaniel Hawthorne in Massachusetts, USA; author (House of Seven Gables, Scarlet Letter).
- 1826 - Birth of Stephen Foster in Lawrencevil, Pennsylvania, USA; composer ("Oh! Susanna", "Swanee River").
- 1847 - Birth of James Anthony Bailey in Detroit, Michigan, USA; circus impresario (Barnum and Bailey).
- 1898 - Birth of Johnny Lee in Missouri, USA; actor (Algonguin J. Calhoun (Amos 'n' Andy radio and TV series).
- 1900 - Birth of Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; jazz musician ("Hello Dolly").
- 1902 - Birth of George Murphy in New Haven, Connecticut, USA; politician (Senator-Republican-California), actor, dancer (MGM Parade).
- 1902 - Birth of Vince Barnett in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; actor (A Star is Born, Human Jungle).
- 1911 - Birth of Mitch Miller in Rochester, New York, USA; conductor (Singalong With Mitch, Yellow Rose of Texas).
- 1912 - Birth of Virginia Graham in Chicago, Illinois, USA; TV personality (Girl Talk, Where Was I).
- 1913 - Birth of Virginia Graham in Chicago, Illinois, USA; radio and TV hostess (Weekday radio show, Girl Talk TV show (1963-1969), The Virginia Graham Show (1970-1972), guest on The Tonight Show).
- 1915 - Birth of Timmie Rogers in Detroit, Michigan, USA; singer ("Sugar Hill Time").
- 1916 - Birth of Tokyo Rose AKA Iva Toguri D'Aquino in Los Angeles, California, USA; made WWII Japanese propaganda broadcasts from Radio Tokyo (never convicted of treason).
- 1918 - Birth of Pauline Esther Friedman AKA Pauline Phillips AKA Abigail Van Buren in Sioux City, Iowa, USA; twin sister, advice columnist (Dear Abby).
- 1918 - Birth of Esther Pauline Friedman AKA Eppie Lederer AKA Ann Landers in Sioux City, Iowa, USA; twin sister, advice columnist (dies 2002).
- 1918 - Birth of Buster Davis in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, USA; choral director (Garry Moore Show).
- 1924 - Birth of Eva Marie Saint in Newark, New Jersey, USA; actress (On the Waterfront, Moonlighting, A Year in the Life, How the West Was Won, Sandpiper, Loving, Exodus).
- 1925 - 44 die when the Dreyfus Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts, USA collapses.
- 1926 - Birth of Mary Stuart in Miami, Florida, USA; actress (Jo - Search for Tomorrow).
- 1929 - Birth of Al Davis in Brocton, Massachusetts, USA; NFL team owner (Los Angeles Raiders).
- 1938 - Birth of Bill Withers in West Virginia, USA; rhythm and blues singer ("Lean on Me").
- 1939 - Birth of Ed Bernard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; actor (Joe - Police Woman, Jim - White Shadow).
- 1943 - Birth of Geraldo Rivera in New York City, New York, USA; news personality (20/20, Geraldo).
- 1946 - Birth of Michael Milken in Los Angeles, California, USA; partner (International Capital Access Group).
- 1964 - Birth of Mark Allen Slaughter in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; guitarist (Slaughter - "Stick it Live").
- 1979 - Birth of Teresa Salcedo in Anaheim, California, USA; first baby born at Disneyland, born to Rosa and Elias Salcedo.
- 1983 - Birth of Ben Jorgensen; American singer, guitarist (Armor For Sleep).
- 1984 - Birth of Gina Glocksen, American Idol finalist.
Deaths on July 4
- 1826 - John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, second and third US presidents, die.
- 1831 - Death of James Monroe in New York City, New York, USA; member of Virginia Assembly, US Senator, US Secretary of State, US Secretary of War, 5th US President (1817-25, Democratic Republican).
- 2003 - Death of Barry White at 58 of kidney problems and a stroke in Los Angeles, California, USA; singer (Can't Get Enough").
- 2008 - Death of Jesse Helms, American politician (five terms in Senate 1973-2003), at age 86.
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