Today in History
Today is Friday, July 5, the 187th day of 2024. There are 179 days left in the year.
Today’s Highlight in History:
On July 5, 1996, Dolly the sheep, the first mammal cloned from an adult somatic cell by scientists at the Roslin Institute at the University of Edinburgh, was born.
Also on this date:
In 1687, Isaac Newton first published his Principia Mathematica, a three-volume work setting out his mathematical principles of natural philosophy.
In 1811, Venezuela became the first South American country to declare independence from Spain.
In 1852, Frederick Douglass delivered his speech “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” at Corinthian Hall in Rochester, New York.
In 1865, the Secret Service Division of the U.S. Treasury Department was founded in Washington, D.C., with the mission of suppressing counterfeit currency.
In 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the National Labor Relations Act.
In 1937, Hormel introduced a canned meat product called Spam; more than 9 billion cans have been sold since.
In 1940, during World War II, Britain and the Vichy government in France broke off diplomatic relations.
In 1943, the Battle of Kursk began during World War II; in the weeks that followed, the Soviets were able to repeatedly repel the Germans, who eventually withdrew in defeat.
In 1946, the modern bikini, designed by Frenchman Louis Reard, was first modeled in Paris.
In 1947, Larry Doby made his debut with the Cleveland Indians, becoming the first Black player in the American League three months after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in the National League.
In 1954, Elvis Presley recorded his first single, “That’s All Right,” at Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee.
In 1971, President Richard Nixon certified the 26th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which lowered the minimum voting age from 21 to 18.
In 1975, Arthur Ashe became the first Black man to win a Wimbledon singles title, defeating Jimmy Connors.
In 1977, Pakistan’s army, led by General Mohammad Zia ul-Haq, seized power from President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (ZUL’-fih-kahr ah-LEE’ BOO’-toh).
In 1980, Bjorn Borg became the first male player to win five consecutive Wimbledon singles titles.
In 1994, Amazon was founded by Jeff Bezos as an online marketplace for books.
In 2011, a jury in Orlando, Florida, found Casey Anthony, 25, not guilty of murder, manslaughter and child abuse in the 2008 disappearance and death of her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee.
In 2013, Pope Francis cleared two of the 20th Century’s most influential popes to become saints in the Roman Catholic church, approving a miracle needed to canonize Pope John Paul II and waiving Vatican rules to honor Pope John XXIII.
Today’s Birthdays: Julie Nixon Eisenhower is 76. Rock star Huey Lewis is 74. Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Rich “Goose” Gossage is 73. NFL Hall of Fame receiver James Lofton is 68. Cartoonist Bill Watterson (Calvin and Hobbes) is 66. Singer-songwriter Marc Cohn is 65. Actor Edie Falco is 61. Actor Jillian Armenante is 60. Actor Kathryn Erbe (er-BEE’) is 59. Actor Michael Stuhlbarg (STOOL’-bahrg) is 56. Rapper RZA (RIH’-zuh) is 55. Author Gary Shteyngart is 52. R&B singer Joe is 51. Rapper Royce da 5’9” is 47. International Tennis Hall of Famer Amelie Mauresmo is 45. Actor Ryan Hansen is 43. Country musician Dave Haywood (Lady A) is 42. Actor Danay Garcia is 40. Soccer player Megan Rapinoe is 39. Actor Jason Dolley is 33. Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher and designated hitter Shohei Ohtani is 30.
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