On This Day

What Happened on

A complete timeline of historical events, famous births, notable deaths, and holidays that occurred on July 21 throughout history.

100

Events

8

Births

3

Deaths

Historical Events on July 21

BC Herostratus sets fire to the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the World

The Temple of Artemis or Artemision, also known as the Temple of Diana, was a Greek temple dedicated to a localised form of the goddess Artemis (equated with the Roman goddess Diana).

An earthquake on Crete followed by a tsunami around the Eastern Mediterranean allegedly destroys Alexandria

An earthquake on Crete followed by a tsunami around the Eastern Mediterranean allegedly destroys Alexandria

First Battle of Bull Run [Battle of First Manassas], the first major battle of the US Civil War, is fought near Manassas

First Battle of Bull Run [Battle of First Manassas], the first major battle of the US Civil War, is fought near Manassas, Virginia, and ends in a Confederate victory

After 13 years, the 4,607-mile Trans-Siberian Railway is completed

After 13 years, the 4,607-mile Trans-Siberian Railway is completed

John T. Scopes is found guilty of teaching evolution in the “Scopes monkey trial” in Dayton, Tennessee, fined $100 and c

John T. Scopes is found guilty of teaching evolution in the “Scopes monkey trial” in Dayton, Tennessee, fined $100 and costs

Geneva Accords for Indochina are signed, dividing French colonial territories into the countries of the Democratic Repub

Geneva Accords for Indochina are signed, dividing French colonial territories into the countries of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam), the State of Vietnam (South Vietnam), Cambodia, and Laos

Aswan High Dam opens in Egypt, enabling human control of the flooding of the Nile

Aswan High Dam opens in Egypt, enabling human control of the flooding of the Nile

On This Day changes its domain name and brand from HistoryOrb.com to OnThisDay.com

On This Day changes its domain name and brand from HistoryOrb.com to OnThisDay.com

US President Joe Biden abandons his campaign for re-election and endorses Vice President Kamala Harris [1]

Kamala Devi Harris ( KAH-mə-lə DAY-vee; born October 20, 1964) is an American politician and attorney who served as the 49th vice president of the United States from 2021 to 2025 under President Joe...

Musical film "Stormy Weather," directed by Andrew L. Stone and starring Bill Robinson, Lena Horne, and Fats Waller (sing

Musical film "Stormy Weather," directed by Andrew L. Stone and starring Bill Robinson, Lena Horne, and Fats Waller (singing "Ain't Misbehavin'"), premieres in the US

"The Daily Show," a late-night talk and satirical news program hosted by Craig Kilborn, premieres on Comedy Central in t

"The Daily Show," a late-night talk and satirical news program hosted by Craig Kilborn, premieres on Comedy Central in the US

Pink Floyd's "The Wall" is performed where the Berlin Wall once stood in a charity concert led by Roger Waters, with gue

Pink Floyd's "The Wall" is performed where the Berlin Wall once stood in a charity concert led by Roger Waters, with guests Cyndi Lauper, Joni Mitchell, The Scorpions, Sinéad O'Connor, Bryan Adams, The Band, Van Morrison, The Hooters, and others

With a record six races remaining, German Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher clinches his fifth F1 World Drivers' Champio

With a record six races remaining, German Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher clinches his fifth F1 World Drivers' Championship with victory in the French Grand Prix at Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, his third straight title win

Count Louis of Nevers marries 8-year old daughter of Philips V

Count Louis of Nevers marries 8-year old daughter of Philips V

Suffragette Kate Sheppard (24) weds general merchant Walter Allen Sheppard in Christchurch, New Zealand

Suffragette Kate Sheppard (24) weds general merchant Walter Allen Sheppard in Christchurch, New Zealand

Sinclair Oil founder Harry Ford Sinclair (28) weds Elizabeth Farrell

Sinclair Oil founder Harry Ford Sinclair (28) weds Elizabeth Farrell

Actress Mae West (48) divorces vaudeville performer Frank Wallace after 31 years of marriage

Actress Mae West (48) divorces vaudeville performer Frank Wallace after 31 years of marriage

St Pontianus begins his reign as Catholic Pope

St Pontianus begins his reign as Catholic Pope

Pope Martin I is chosen as the successor of Theodore I

Pope Martin I (Latin: Martinus I, Greek: Πάπας Μαρτῖνος; between 590 and 600 – 16 September 655), also known as Martin the Confessor, was the bishop of Rome from 21 July 649 to his death 16 September...

Holy Roman Emperor Louis III captured, blinded, and forced to relinquish his royal Italian and imperial crowns

Louis the Blind (880 – 5 June 928) was king in Provence and Lower Burgundy from 890 to 928, and also king of Italy from 900 to 905, and also the emperor between 901 and 905, styled as Louis III.

Emperor Otto II gives earl Leopold I, East Bavaria

Emperor Otto II gives earl Leopold I, East Bavaria

Pope Paul III begins inquisition against Protestants (Sactum Officium)

Pope Paul III begins inquisition against Protestants (Sactum Officium)

The first landing of French troops onto the coast of the Isle of Wight during the French invasion

The Isle of Wight ( WYTE) is an island off the south coast of England which, together with its surrounding uninhabited islets and skerries, is also a ceremonial county.

Battle at Jemmingen: Alva's troops beat Dutch rebellion

Battle at Jemmingen: Alva's troops beat Dutch rebellion

Flemish city of Mechelen surrenders to Duke of Parma

Flemish city of Mechelen surrenders to Duke of Parma

First engagement between the English fleet and the Spanish Armada off the Eddystone Rocks

The Spanish Armada (often known as Invincible Armada, or the Enterprise of England, Spanish: Grande y Felicísima Armada, lit. 'Great and Most Fortunate Navy') was a Spanish fleet that sailed from...

Spanish explorer Álvaro de Mendaña is the first European to discover the Marquesas Island in Eastern Polynesia

The culture of Polynesia involves the culture of the indigenous peoples of Polynesia who share common traits in language, customs and society.

Manchu Prince Grogon issues edict that all Han Chinese men shave front of their head and wear hair in queues in the Manc

Manchu Prince Grogon issues edict that all Han Chinese men shave front of their head and wear hair in queues in the Manchu style

Treaty of Passarowitz is signed between the Ottoman Empire, Austria and the Republic of Venice

The Treaty of Passarowitz, or Treaty of Požarevac, was the peace treaty signed in Požarevac (Serbian Cyrillic: Пожаревац, German: Passarowitz, Turkish: Pasarofça), a town that was in the Ottoman...

States of Holland put death penalty on "sodomy"

Sodomy (), also called buggery in British English, principally refers to either anal sex (but occasionally also oral sex) between people, or any sexual activity between a human and another animal...

Pieter Steyn becomes pension advisor of Holland

Pieter Steyn becomes pension advisor of Holland

Pope Clement XIV issues papal brief Dominus ac Redemptor, supressing the Jesuit order (lifted 1814)

Pope Clement XIV issues papal brief Dominus ac Redemptor, supressing the Jesuit order (lifted 1814)

Russo-Turkish War, 1768-74: Russia and the Ottoman Empire sign Treaty of Kuchuk-Kainarji ending the war

The Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca (Turkish: Küçük Kaynarca Antlaşması; Russian: Кючук-Кайнарджийский мир), formerly often written Kuchuk-Kainarji, was a peace treaty signed on 21 July [O.S.

Java princess Dipo Negoro/Mangkubumi declare war on all non-islamics

Java princess Dipo Negoro/Mangkubumi declare war on all non-islamics

Belgium gains independence from Netherlands, Leopold I made king

Leopold I (Leopold George Christian Frederick; 16 December 1790 – 10 December 1865) was the first king of the Belgians, reigning from 21 July 1831 until his death in 1865. The youngest son of...

First Canadian public railway opens between La Prairie and Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec

First Canadian public railway opens between La Prairie and Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec

Mormons found 1st English settlement in California (San Joaquin Valley)

The Conquest of California, also known as the Conquest of Alta California or the California Campaign, was a military campaign during the Mexican–American War carried out by the United States in Alta...

Cholera epidemic kills hundreds in London

Cholera () is an infection of the small intestine by some strains of the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe.

City Gardens on Folsom in San Francisco opens

City Gardens on Folsom in San Francisco opens

US army breaks railroad strike

The Great Railroad Strike of 1877, sometimes referred to as the Great Upheaval, began on July 14 in Martinsburg, West Virginia, after the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) cut wages for the third...

Compressed air accident kills 20 workers on Hudson River tunnel, NY

The Uptown Hudson Tubes are a pair of tunnels that carry PATH trains between Manhattan, New York City, to the east and Jersey City, New Jersey, to the west.

First Test cricket match is played at Lord's

Lord's (also known as Lord's Cricket Ground) is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London. Lord's is widely referred to as the "home of cricket".

National Federation of Colored Women established in Washington, D.C.

The National Association of Colored Women's Clubs (NACWC) is an American organization that was formed in July 1896 at the First Annual Convention of the National Federation of Afro-American Women in...

Tate Gallery opens in England

Tate is an institution that houses, in a network of four art galleries, the United Kingdom's national collection of British art, and international modern and contemporary art.

The Egyptian government announces a new constitutional system and electoral law

The Egyptian government announces a new constitutional system and electoral law

Russian Revolution: Socialist Alexander Kerensky becomes Russian Prime Minister

Alexander Fyodorovich Kerensky (4 May [O.S. 22 April] 1881 – 11 June 1970) was a Russian lawyer and revolutionary who led the Russian Provisional Government and the short-lived Russian Republic for...

U-156 shells Nauset Beach, in Orleans, Massachusetts

The attack on Orleans was a naval and air action during World War I on 21 July 1918 when a German submarine fired on a small convoy of barges led by a tugboat off Orleans, Massachusetts, on the...

Irish Nationalist and Loyalists engage in street fighting over the issue of Irish independence from Britain, though Loya

Irish Nationalist and Loyalists engage in street fighting over the issue of Irish independence from Britain, though Loyalist are reinforced by 1500 British Auxiliaries and 5800 British troops

MLB Cleveland Indians (9) and New York Yankees (7) combine to hit a record 16 doubles in 17-8 home team win at Dunn Fiel

MLB Cleveland Indians (9) and New York Yankees (7) combine to hit a record 16 doubles in 17-8 home team win at Dunn Field, Cleveland, Ohio

Phillies score 12 in 6th and beat Cubs 17-4

Phillies score 12 in 6th and beat Cubs 17-4

°F (43°C) at Millsboro, Delaware (state record)

Millsboro is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. As of the 2020 census, Millsboro had a population of 6,863. It is part of the Salisbury metropolitan area.

Reno racetrack becomes the first in the US to use daily double wagering

Reno racetrack becomes the first in the US to use daily double wagering

Haifa Harbor in Palestine opens

Haifa is the third-largest city in Israel—after Jerusalem and Tel Aviv—with a population of 298,312 in 2023.

°F (45°C), near Gallipolis, Ohio (state record)

Ohio is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Canadian province of Ontario to the north (through Lake Erie), Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast,...

Soviet Union annexes Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania

The Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic (Also known as the Latvian SSR, or Soviet Latvia) was a de facto constituent republic of the Soviet Union covering the occupied and annexed territory of Latvia...

Jewish Torahs are burned in Ukraine

Jewish Torahs are burned in Ukraine

8 die as coal waste heap slides in river valley near Oakwood, Virginia

8 die as coal waste heap slides in river valley near Oakwood, Virginia

Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia A's play 24 inning 1-1 tie

The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division.

Jesus T Pinerol becomes 1st native born Puerto Rican governor

Jesus T Pinerol becomes 1st native born Puerto Rican governor

Indonesia begins 1st political election

Indonesia begins 1st political election

WSPD TV channel 13 in Toledo, OH (NBC) begins broadcasting

WSPD TV channel 13 in Toledo, OH (NBC) begins broadcasting

US Senate ratifies North Atlantic Treaty by a vote of 82-13 (NATO)

France is a founding member of NATO and played an active role in its establishment.

USS Seawolf launches as the first submarine powered by a liquid metal-cooled nuclear reactor

USS Seawolf launches as the first submarine powered by a liquid metal-cooled nuclear reactor

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Brooks Lawrence loses after 13 straight wins

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Brooks Lawrence loses after 13 straight wins

1st nuclear powered merchant ship, NS Savannah, named, Camden NJ

1st nuclear powered merchant ship, NS Savannah, named, Camden NJ

Country of Katanga forms in Africa

The State of Katanga, also known as the Republic of Katanga, was a breakaway state that proclaimed its independence from Congo-Léopoldville on 11 July 1960 under Moïse Tshombe, leader of the local...

NASA launches Mercury 4 (Liberty Bell) with Gus Grissom

Virgil Ivan "Gus" Grissom (April 3, 1926 – January 27, 1967) was an American engineer and pilot in the United States Air Force, as well as one of the original Mercury Seven selected by the National...

civil right activists jailed after demonstration in Albany, Georgia

civil right activists jailed after demonstration in Albany, Georgia

Arnold Long takes 11 catches in the match for Surrey v Sussex

Arnold Long takes 11 catches in the match for Surrey v Sussex

Pakistan, Iran and Turkey sign Regional Co-Operation pact

Pakistan, Iran and Turkey sign Regional Co-Operation pact

Gemini X returns to Earth

Gemini X returns to Earth

Russia's Luna 15 impacts moon after 52 lunar orbits

Luna 15 was a robotic space mission of the Soviet Luna programme that was in lunar orbit at the same time as the Apollo 11 spacecraft. On 21 July 1969, while Apollo 11 astronauts finished the first...

10.83 inches (27.5 cm) of rainfall at Fort Ripley, Minnesota (state record, until 2007)

10.83 inches (27.5 cm) of rainfall at Fort Ripley, Minnesota (state record, until 2007)

Christopher Ewart-Biggs, British Ambassador to the Republic of Ireland, and his secretary Judith Cook are assassinated b

Christopher Ewart-Biggs, British Ambassador to the Republic of Ireland, and his secretary Judith Cook are assassinated by a bomb planted by the Provisional IRA in his car in Dublin

Libyan-Egyptian border fights

Libyan-Egyptian border fights

National Women's Hall of Fame, honoring American women is dedicated in Seneca Falls, NY

National Women's Hall of Fame, honoring American women is dedicated in Seneca Falls, NY

Jean-Claude Droyer climbs Eiffel Tower in 2 hrs 18 mins

Jean-Claude Droyer climbs Eiffel Tower in 2 hrs 18 mins

Australia set 130 to win, all out 111 at Headingley Willis 8-43

Robert George Dylan Willis (30 May 1949 – 4 December 2019) was an English cricketer, who represented England between 1971 and 1984.

France performs nuclear test at Mururoa Atoll

France performs nuclear test at Mururoa Atoll

Polish government ends 19 months of martial law

Martial law in Poland (Polish: Stan wojenny w Polsce) existed between 13 December 1981 and 22 July 1983.

Marita Koch of East Germany sets world women's mark for 200m, 21.71s

Marita Koch of East Germany sets world women's mark for 200m, 21.71s

Amina Fakir (Detroit), 23, crowned 18th Miss Black America

Amina Fakir (Detroit), 23, crowned 18th Miss Black America

Pleasure Island plans are unveiled as part of the Walt Disney World Village, now Disney Springs, in Florida

Pleasure Island plans are unveiled as part of the Walt Disney World Village, now Disney Springs, in Florida

ESA's Ariane-3 launches 2 communications satellites (1 Indian)

ESA's Ariane-3 launches 2 communications satellites (1 Indian)

Eastern Airlines submits a reorganization plan to creditors

Eastern Airlines submits a reorganization plan to creditors

Goodwill Games II opens in Seattle, Washington

Seattle ( see-AT-əl) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region of North America.

KC Royals set club record of 22 singles in 15 innings

KC Royals set club record of 22 singles in 15 innings

NY Yank Mike Whiton held in Milwaukee on charges of sexual assault

NY Yank Mike Whiton held in Milwaukee on charges of sexual assault

Telecom giant WorldCom files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the then largest such filing in United States history

Telecom giant WorldCom files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the then largest such filing in United States history

The United Kingdom government publishes Delivering Security in a Changing World, a paper detailing wide-ranging reform o

The United Kingdom government publishes Delivering Security in a Changing World, a paper detailing wide-ranging reform of the country's armed forces

Four terrorist bombers target London's public transportation system, exactly two weeks after the July 7 bombings. All fo

Four terrorist bombers target London's public transportation system, exactly two weeks after the July 7 bombings. All four bombs fail to detonate leading to the capture of all the bombers.

NASA's Space Shuttle program ends with the landing of Space Shuttle Atlantis on mission STS-135

Space Shuttle Endeavour (Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-105) is a retired orbiter from NASA's Space Shuttle program and the fifth and final operational Shuttle built.

12 people are killed in a clash between two Muslim families in Lanao del Sur, Philippines

12 people are killed in a clash between two Muslim families in Lanao del Sur, Philippines

India scraps tax on sanitary products after campaign by activists

India scraps tax on sanitary products after campaign by activists

Governor of Puerto Rico Ricardo Rosselló says he won't seek re-election after widespread protests over misogynistic and

Governor of Puerto Rico Ricardo Rosselló says he won't seek re-election after widespread protests over misogynistic and homophobic comments in his leaked online chats

European Union agrees huge €750 billion ($859 billion) post-COVID-19 stimulus bill

European Union agrees huge €750 billion ($859 billion) post-COVID-19 stimulus bill

Life expectancy in the US falls by 1.5 years (3 years for Hispanic Americans. 2.9 for Black Americans) in largest declin

Life expectancy in the US falls by 1.5 years (3 years for Hispanic Americans. 2.9 for Black Americans) in largest decline since WWII [1]

2,000-year-old stone slab used to grind spices unearthed in Óc Eo, South Vietnam, is the earliest evidence of curry in S

2,000-year-old stone slab used to grind spices unearthed in Óc Eo, South Vietnam, is the earliest evidence of curry in Southeast Asia and still smells of nutmeg [1]

Bangladesh's supreme court scraps government job quotas for families of its war of independence, that had led to widespr

Bangladesh's supreme court scraps government job quotas for families of its war of independence, that had led to widespread violent protests, killing at least 100 people [1]

28 countries, including the UK, issue a joint statement calling for an immediate end to the Israeli war on Gaza, stating

28 countries, including the UK, issue a joint statement calling for an immediate end to the Israeli war on Gaza, stating that the suffering of civilians has "reached new depths" [1]

Famous Births on July 21

Notable Deaths on July 21

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on July 21, 356?
The Temple of Artemis or Artemision, also known as the Temple of Diana, was a Greek temple dedicated to a localised form of the goddess Artemis (equated with the Roman goddess Diana).
What happened on July 21, 365?
An earthquake on Crete followed by a tsunami around the Eastern Mediterranean allegedly destroys Alexandria
What happened on July 21, 1861?
First Battle of Bull Run [Battle of First Manassas], the first major battle of the US Civil War, is fought near Manassas, Virginia, and ends in a Confederate victory
What happened on July 21, 1904?
After 13 years, the 4,607-mile Trans-Siberian Railway is completed
What happened on July 21, 1925?
John T. Scopes is found guilty of teaching evolution in the “Scopes monkey trial” in Dayton, Tennessee, fined $100 and costs

Complete Timeline — July 21 Through the Ages

  1. St Pontianus begins his reign as Catholic Pope

    St Pontianus begins his reign as Catholic Pope

  2. BC Herostratus sets fire to the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the World

    The Temple of Artemis or Artemision, also known as the Temple of Diana, was a Greek temple dedicated to a localised form of the goddess Artemis (equated with the Roman goddess Diana).

  3. An earthquake on Crete followed by a tsunami around the Eastern Mediterranean allegedly destroys Alexandria

    An earthquake on Crete followed by a tsunami around the Eastern Mediterranean allegedly destroys Alexandria

  4. Pope Martin I is chosen as the successor of Theodore I

    Pope Martin I (Latin: Martinus I, Greek: Πάπας Μαρτῖνος; between 590 and 600 – 16 September 655), also known as Martin the Confessor, was the bishop of Rome from 21 July 649 to his death 16 September...

  5. Holy Roman Emperor Louis III captured, blinded, and forced to relinquish his royal Italian and imperial crowns

    Louis the Blind (880 – 5 June 928) was king in Provence and Lower Burgundy from 890 to 928, and also king of Italy from 900 to 905, and also the emperor between 901 and 905, styled as Louis III.

  6. Emperor Otto II gives earl Leopold I, East Bavaria

    Emperor Otto II gives earl Leopold I, East Bavaria

  7. Count Louis of Nevers marries 8-year old daughter of Philips V

    Count Louis of Nevers marries 8-year old daughter of Philips V

  8. Pope Paul III begins inquisition against Protestants (Sactum Officium)

    Pope Paul III begins inquisition against Protestants (Sactum Officium)

  9. The first landing of French troops onto the coast of the Isle of Wight during the French invasion

    The Isle of Wight ( WYTE) is an island off the south coast of England which, together with its surrounding uninhabited islets and skerries, is also a ceremonial county.

  10. Battle at Jemmingen: Alva's troops beat Dutch rebellion

    Battle at Jemmingen: Alva's troops beat Dutch rebellion

  11. Flemish city of Mechelen surrenders to Duke of Parma

    Flemish city of Mechelen surrenders to Duke of Parma

  12. First engagement between the English fleet and the Spanish Armada off the Eddystone Rocks

    The Spanish Armada (often known as Invincible Armada, or the Enterprise of England, Spanish: Grande y Felicísima Armada, lit. 'Great and Most Fortunate Navy') was a Spanish fleet that sailed from...

  13. Spanish explorer Álvaro de Mendaña is the first European to discover the Marquesas Island in Eastern Polynesia

    The culture of Polynesia involves the culture of the indigenous peoples of Polynesia who share common traits in language, customs and society.

  14. Manchu Prince Grogon issues edict that all Han Chinese men shave front of their head and wear hair in queues in the Manc

    Manchu Prince Grogon issues edict that all Han Chinese men shave front of their head and wear hair in queues in the Manchu style

  15. Thomas Pelham-Holles is born

    Thomas Pelham-Holles is born

  16. Treaty of Passarowitz is signed between the Ottoman Empire, Austria and the Republic of Venice

    The Treaty of Passarowitz, or Treaty of Požarevac, was the peace treaty signed in Požarevac (Serbian Cyrillic: Пожаревац, German: Passarowitz, Turkish: Pasarofça), a town that was in the Ottoman...

  17. States of Holland put death penalty on "sodomy"

    Sodomy (), also called buggery in British English, principally refers to either anal sex (but occasionally also oral sex) between people, or any sexual activity between a human and another animal...

  18. Pieter Steyn becomes pension advisor of Holland

    Pieter Steyn becomes pension advisor of Holland

  19. Pope Clement XIV issues papal brief Dominus ac Redemptor, supressing the Jesuit order (lifted 1814)

    Pope Clement XIV issues papal brief Dominus ac Redemptor, supressing the Jesuit order (lifted 1814)

  20. Russo-Turkish War, 1768-74: Russia and the Ottoman Empire sign Treaty of Kuchuk-Kainarji ending the war

    The Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca (Turkish: Küçük Kaynarca Antlaşması; Russian: Кючук-Кайнарджийский мир), formerly often written Kuchuk-Kainarji, was a peace treaty signed on 21 July [O.S.

  21. Java princess Dipo Negoro/Mangkubumi declare war on all non-islamics

    Java princess Dipo Negoro/Mangkubumi declare war on all non-islamics

  22. Belgium gains independence from Netherlands, Leopold I made king

    Leopold I (Leopold George Christian Frederick; 16 December 1790 – 10 December 1865) was the first king of the Belgians, reigning from 21 July 1831 until his death in 1865. The youngest son of...

  23. First Canadian public railway opens between La Prairie and Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec

    First Canadian public railway opens between La Prairie and Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec

  24. Mormons found 1st English settlement in California (San Joaquin Valley)

    The Conquest of California, also known as the Conquest of Alta California or the California Campaign, was a military campaign during the Mexican–American War carried out by the United States in Alta...

  25. First Battle of Bull Run [Battle of First Manassas], the first major battle of the US Civil War, is fought near Manassas

    First Battle of Bull Run [Battle of First Manassas], the first major battle of the US Civil War, is fought near Manassas, Virginia, and ends in a Confederate victory

  26. Cholera epidemic kills hundreds in London

    Cholera () is an infection of the small intestine by some strains of the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe.

  27. City Gardens on Folsom in San Francisco opens

    City Gardens on Folsom in San Francisco opens

  28. Suffragette Kate Sheppard (24) weds general merchant Walter Allen Sheppard in Christchurch, New Zealand

    Suffragette Kate Sheppard (24) weds general merchant Walter Allen Sheppard in Christchurch, New Zealand

  29. US army breaks railroad strike

    The Great Railroad Strike of 1877, sometimes referred to as the Great Upheaval, began on July 14 in Martinsburg, West Virginia, after the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) cut wages for the third...

  30. Compressed air accident kills 20 workers on Hudson River tunnel, NY

    The Uptown Hudson Tubes are a pair of tunnels that carry PATH trains between Manhattan, New York City, to the east and Jersey City, New Jersey, to the west.

  31. First Test cricket match is played at Lord's

    Lord's (also known as Lord's Cricket Ground) is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London. Lord's is widely referred to as the "home of cricket".

  32. National Federation of Colored Women established in Washington, D.C.

    The National Association of Colored Women's Clubs (NACWC) is an American organization that was formed in July 1896 at the First Annual Convention of the National Federation of Afro-American Women in...

  33. Tate Gallery opens in England

    Tate is an institution that houses, in a network of four art galleries, the United Kingdom's national collection of British art, and international modern and contemporary art.

  34. After 13 years, the 4,607-mile Trans-Siberian Railway is completed

    After 13 years, the 4,607-mile Trans-Siberian Railway is completed

  35. Sinclair Oil founder Harry Ford Sinclair (28) weds Elizabeth Farrell

    Sinclair Oil founder Harry Ford Sinclair (28) weds Elizabeth Farrell

  36. Marshall McLuhan is born

    Marshall McLuhan, Canadian philosopher and communications scholar, known for canadian philosopher and communications scholar, was born on 1911-07-21.

  37. The Egyptian government announces a new constitutional system and electoral law

    The Egyptian government announces a new constitutional system and electoral law

  38. Russian Revolution: Socialist Alexander Kerensky becomes Russian Prime Minister

    Alexander Fyodorovich Kerensky (4 May [O.S. 22 April] 1881 – 11 June 1970) was a Russian lawyer and revolutionary who led the Russian Provisional Government and the short-lived Russian Republic for...

  39. U-156 shells Nauset Beach, in Orleans, Massachusetts

    The attack on Orleans was a naval and air action during World War I on 21 July 1918 when a German submarine fired on a small convoy of barges led by a tugboat off Orleans, Massachusetts, on the...

  40. Irish Nationalist and Loyalists engage in street fighting over the issue of Irish independence from Britain, though Loya

    Irish Nationalist and Loyalists engage in street fighting over the issue of Irish independence from Britain, though Loyalist are reinforced by 1500 British Auxiliaries and 5800 British troops

  41. MLB Cleveland Indians (9) and New York Yankees (7) combine to hit a record 16 doubles in 17-8 home team win at Dunn Fiel

    MLB Cleveland Indians (9) and New York Yankees (7) combine to hit a record 16 doubles in 17-8 home team win at Dunn Field, Cleveland, Ohio

  42. Phillies score 12 in 6th and beat Cubs 17-4

    Phillies score 12 in 6th and beat Cubs 17-4

  43. John T. Scopes is found guilty of teaching evolution in the “Scopes monkey trial” in Dayton, Tennessee, fined $100 and c

    John T. Scopes is found guilty of teaching evolution in the “Scopes monkey trial” in Dayton, Tennessee, fined $100 and costs

  44. °F (43°C) at Millsboro, Delaware (state record)

    Millsboro is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. As of the 2020 census, Millsboro had a population of 6,863. It is part of the Salisbury metropolitan area.

  45. Gene Littler is born

    Gene Littler, American athlete, known for american professional golfer, was born on 1930-07-21.

  46. Reno racetrack becomes the first in the US to use daily double wagering

    Reno racetrack becomes the first in the US to use daily double wagering

  47. Haifa Harbor in Palestine opens

    Haifa is the third-largest city in Israel—after Jerusalem and Tel Aviv—with a population of 298,312 in 2023.

  48. °F (45°C), near Gallipolis, Ohio (state record)

    Ohio is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Canadian province of Ontario to the north (through Lake Erie), Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast,...

  49. Soviet Union annexes Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania

    The Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic (Also known as the Latvian SSR, or Soviet Latvia) was a de facto constituent republic of the Soviet Union covering the occupied and annexed territory of Latvia...

  50. Jewish Torahs are burned in Ukraine

    Jewish Torahs are burned in Ukraine

  51. Actress Mae West (48) divorces vaudeville performer Frank Wallace after 31 years of marriage

    Actress Mae West (48) divorces vaudeville performer Frank Wallace after 31 years of marriage

  52. 8 die as coal waste heap slides in river valley near Oakwood, Virginia

    8 die as coal waste heap slides in river valley near Oakwood, Virginia

  53. Musical film "Stormy Weather," directed by Andrew L. Stone and starring Bill Robinson, Lena Horne, and Fats Waller (sing

    Musical film "Stormy Weather," directed by Andrew L. Stone and starring Bill Robinson, Lena Horne, and Fats Waller (singing "Ain't Misbehavin'"), premieres in the US

  54. Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia A's play 24 inning 1-1 tie

    The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division.

  55. Jesus T Pinerol becomes 1st native born Puerto Rican governor

    Jesus T Pinerol becomes 1st native born Puerto Rican governor

  56. Ken Starr is born

    Ken Starr, American lawyer, known for american lawyer, was born on 1946-07-21. Kenneth Winston Starr (July 21, 1946 – September 13, 2022) was an American lawyer and judge who as independent counsel…

  57. Indonesia begins 1st political election

    Indonesia begins 1st political election

  58. WSPD TV channel 13 in Toledo, OH (NBC) begins broadcasting

    WSPD TV channel 13 in Toledo, OH (NBC) begins broadcasting

  59. US Senate ratifies North Atlantic Treaty by a vote of 82-13 (NATO)

    France is a founding member of NATO and played an active role in its establishment.

  60. Cat Stevens is born

    Cat Stevens, British musician, known for british musician, was born on 1949-07-21.

  61. Robin Williams is born

    Robin Williams, American actor and comedian, known for american actor and comedian, was born on 1951-07-21.

  62. Geneva Accords for Indochina are signed, dividing French colonial territories into the countries of the Democratic Repub

    Geneva Accords for Indochina are signed, dividing French colonial territories into the countries of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam), the State of Vietnam (South Vietnam), Cambodia, and Laos

  63. USS Seawolf launches as the first submarine powered by a liquid metal-cooled nuclear reactor

    USS Seawolf launches as the first submarine powered by a liquid metal-cooled nuclear reactor

  64. Cincinnati Reds pitcher Brooks Lawrence loses after 13 straight wins

    Cincinnati Reds pitcher Brooks Lawrence loses after 13 straight wins

  65. 1st nuclear powered merchant ship, NS Savannah, named, Camden NJ

    1st nuclear powered merchant ship, NS Savannah, named, Camden NJ

  66. Country of Katanga forms in Africa

    The State of Katanga, also known as the Republic of Katanga, was a breakaway state that proclaimed its independence from Congo-Léopoldville on 11 July 1960 under Moïse Tshombe, leader of the local...

  67. NASA launches Mercury 4 (Liberty Bell) with Gus Grissom

    Virgil Ivan "Gus" Grissom (April 3, 1926 – January 27, 1967) was an American engineer and pilot in the United States Air Force, as well as one of the original Mercury Seven selected by the National...

  68. civil right activists jailed after demonstration in Albany, Georgia

    civil right activists jailed after demonstration in Albany, Georgia

  69. Arnold Long takes 11 catches in the match for Surrey v Sussex

    Arnold Long takes 11 catches in the match for Surrey v Sussex

  70. Pakistan, Iran and Turkey sign Regional Co-Operation pact

    Pakistan, Iran and Turkey sign Regional Co-Operation pact

  71. Gemini X returns to Earth

    Gemini X returns to Earth

  72. Jimmie Foxx dies

    Jimmie Foxx, American baseball player, known for american baseball player, died on 1967-07-21.

  73. Russia's Luna 15 impacts moon after 52 lunar orbits

    Luna 15 was a robotic space mission of the Soviet Luna programme that was in lunar orbit at the same time as the Apollo 11 spacecraft. On 21 July 1969, while Apollo 11 astronauts finished the first...

  74. Aswan High Dam opens in Egypt, enabling human control of the flooding of the Nile

    Aswan High Dam opens in Egypt, enabling human control of the flooding of the Nile

  75. 10.83 inches (27.5 cm) of rainfall at Fort Ripley, Minnesota (state record, until 2007)

    10.83 inches (27.5 cm) of rainfall at Fort Ripley, Minnesota (state record, until 2007)

  76. Ali Landry is born

    Ali Landry is born

  77. Christopher Ewart-Biggs, British Ambassador to the Republic of Ireland, and his secretary Judith Cook are assassinated b

    Christopher Ewart-Biggs, British Ambassador to the Republic of Ireland, and his secretary Judith Cook are assassinated by a bomb planted by the Provisional IRA in his car in Dublin

  78. Libyan-Egyptian border fights

    Libyan-Egyptian border fights

  79. National Women's Hall of Fame, honoring American women is dedicated in Seneca Falls, NY

    National Women's Hall of Fame, honoring American women is dedicated in Seneca Falls, NY

  80. Jean-Claude Droyer climbs Eiffel Tower in 2 hrs 18 mins

    Jean-Claude Droyer climbs Eiffel Tower in 2 hrs 18 mins

  81. Australia set 130 to win, all out 111 at Headingley Willis 8-43

    Robert George Dylan Willis (30 May 1949 – 4 December 2019) was an English cricketer, who represented England between 1971 and 1984.

  82. France performs nuclear test at Mururoa Atoll

    France performs nuclear test at Mururoa Atoll

  83. Polish government ends 19 months of martial law

    Martial law in Poland (Polish: Stan wojenny w Polsce) existed between 13 December 1981 and 22 July 1983.

  84. Marita Koch of East Germany sets world women's mark for 200m, 21.71s

    Marita Koch of East Germany sets world women's mark for 200m, 21.71s

  85. Amina Fakir (Detroit), 23, crowned 18th Miss Black America

    Amina Fakir (Detroit), 23, crowned 18th Miss Black America

  86. Pleasure Island plans are unveiled as part of the Walt Disney World Village, now Disney Springs, in Florida

    Pleasure Island plans are unveiled as part of the Walt Disney World Village, now Disney Springs, in Florida

  87. ESA's Ariane-3 launches 2 communications satellites (1 Indian)

    ESA's Ariane-3 launches 2 communications satellites (1 Indian)

  88. Eastern Airlines submits a reorganization plan to creditors

    Eastern Airlines submits a reorganization plan to creditors

  89. Pink Floyd's "The Wall" is performed where the Berlin Wall once stood in a charity concert led by Roger Waters, with gue

    Pink Floyd's "The Wall" is performed where the Berlin Wall once stood in a charity concert led by Roger Waters, with guests Cyndi Lauper, Joni Mitchell, The Scorpions, Sinéad O'Connor, Bryan Adams, The Band, Van Morrison, The Hooters, and others

  90. Goodwill Games II opens in Seattle, Washington

    Seattle ( see-AT-əl) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region of North America.

  91. KC Royals set club record of 22 singles in 15 innings

    KC Royals set club record of 22 singles in 15 innings

  92. "The Daily Show," a late-night talk and satirical news program hosted by Craig Kilborn, premieres on Comedy Central in t

    "The Daily Show," a late-night talk and satirical news program hosted by Craig Kilborn, premieres on Comedy Central in the US

  93. NY Yank Mike Whiton held in Milwaukee on charges of sexual assault

    NY Yank Mike Whiton held in Milwaukee on charges of sexual assault

  94. Alan Shepard dies

    Alan Shepard astronaut and lunar explorer, known for american astronaut and lunar explorer, died on 1998-07-21. Alan Bartlett Shepard Jr. (November 18, 1923 – July 21, 1998) was an American astronaut.

  95. Erling Haaland is born

    Erling Haaland, Norwegian athlete, known for norwegian footballer, was born on 2001-07-21.

  96. With a record six races remaining, German Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher clinches his fifth F1 World Drivers' Champio

    With a record six races remaining, German Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher clinches his fifth F1 World Drivers' Championship with victory in the French Grand Prix at Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, his third straight title win

  97. Telecom giant WorldCom files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the then largest such filing in United States history

    Telecom giant WorldCom files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the then largest such filing in United States history

  98. The United Kingdom government publishes Delivering Security in a Changing World, a paper detailing wide-ranging reform o

    The United Kingdom government publishes Delivering Security in a Changing World, a paper detailing wide-ranging reform of the country's armed forces

  99. Four terrorist bombers target London's public transportation system, exactly two weeks after the July 7 bombings. All fo

    Four terrorist bombers target London's public transportation system, exactly two weeks after the July 7 bombings. All four bombs fail to detonate leading to the capture of all the bombers.

  100. NASA's Space Shuttle program ends with the landing of Space Shuttle Atlantis on mission STS-135

    Space Shuttle Endeavour (Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-105) is a retired orbiter from NASA's Space Shuttle program and the fifth and final operational Shuttle built.

  101. 12 people are killed in a clash between two Muslim families in Lanao del Sur, Philippines

    12 people are killed in a clash between two Muslim families in Lanao del Sur, Philippines

  102. On This Day changes its domain name and brand from HistoryOrb.com to OnThisDay.com

    On This Day changes its domain name and brand from HistoryOrb.com to OnThisDay.com

  103. India scraps tax on sanitary products after campaign by activists

    India scraps tax on sanitary products after campaign by activists

  104. Governor of Puerto Rico Ricardo Rosselló says he won't seek re-election after widespread protests over misogynistic and

    Governor of Puerto Rico Ricardo Rosselló says he won't seek re-election after widespread protests over misogynistic and homophobic comments in his leaked online chats

  105. European Union agrees huge €750 billion ($859 billion) post-COVID-19 stimulus bill

    European Union agrees huge €750 billion ($859 billion) post-COVID-19 stimulus bill

  106. Life expectancy in the US falls by 1.5 years (3 years for Hispanic Americans. 2.9 for Black Americans) in largest declin

    Life expectancy in the US falls by 1.5 years (3 years for Hispanic Americans. 2.9 for Black Americans) in largest decline since WWII [1]

  107. 2,000-year-old stone slab used to grind spices unearthed in Óc Eo, South Vietnam, is the earliest evidence of curry in S

    2,000-year-old stone slab used to grind spices unearthed in Óc Eo, South Vietnam, is the earliest evidence of curry in Southeast Asia and still smells of nutmeg [1]

  108. Tony Bennett dies

    Tony Bennett, American singer, known for american singer, died on 2023-07-21. Anthony Dominick Benedetto (August 3, 1926 – July 21, 2023), known professionally as Tony Bennett, was an American jazz…

  109. US President Joe Biden abandons his campaign for re-election and endorses Vice President Kamala Harris [1]

    Kamala Devi Harris ( KAH-mə-lə DAY-vee; born October 20, 1964) is an American politician and attorney who served as the 49th vice president of the United States from 2021 to 2025 under President Joe...

  110. Bangladesh's supreme court scraps government job quotas for families of its war of independence, that had led to widespr

    Bangladesh's supreme court scraps government job quotas for families of its war of independence, that had led to widespread violent protests, killing at least 100 people [1]

  111. 28 countries, including the UK, issue a joint statement calling for an immediate end to the Israeli war on Gaza, stating

    28 countries, including the UK, issue a joint statement calling for an immediate end to the Israeli war on Gaza, stating that the suffering of civilians has "reached new depths" [1]

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