27 fun facts for July, 14
Discover dozens of fun facts for this special day. Read the summary for a quick recap on what happened.
Summary
July 14th is a day filled with historical events, including the celebration of France's Bastille Day, groundbreaking discoveries like the Inca city of Machu Picchu, and significant moments like the first images taken of Mars. Notable sport events, the launch of the Giotto satellite, and the achievements of trailblazers such as Jane Goodall and Geraldine Ferraro are celebrated on this day.
27 Fun facts
- Bastille Day: July 14 is celebrated as Bastille Day in France, marking the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille in 1789, a turning point in the French Revolution.
- In 1798, the Sedition Act was passed by the United States Congress, making it a crime to publish malicious writings about the government.
- In 1850, the first public demonstration of ice made by refrigeration was held by American inventor Dr. John Gorrie.
- In 1865, Edward Whymper and his team became the first people to reach the summit of the Matterhorn, one of the highest peaks in the Alps and Europe.
- In 1881, outlaw William H. Bonney, better known as Billy the Kid, was reportedly shot and killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett in Fort Sumner, New Mexico.
- In 1911, American explorer Hiram Bingham discovered the ancient Inca settlement of Machu Picchu in the Andes Mountains of Peru.
- In 1933, Nazi Germany outlawed all other political parties except for the Nazi Party.
- In 1938, Howard Hughes completed a record-breaking around-the-world flight, finishing it in just 91 hours.
- In 1951, the George Washington Carver National Monument, dedicated to the African American scientist and educator, was the first national park honoring an African American in the United States.
- In 1955, Disneyland, Walt Disney's iconic theme park, opened its doors for the first time in Anaheim, California.
- In 1960, Jane Goodall arrived in Tanzania to begin her groundbreaking study of wild chimpanzees.
- In 1965, the Mariner 4 space probe transmitted the first close-up images of Mars to Earth during a flyby of the Red Planet.
- In 1969, the United States issued a 50-cent coin bearing the likeness of Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first living person to be depicted on U.S. currency.
- In 1976, Canada officially adopted its distinctive red and white Maple Leaf flag.
- In 1980, UNESCO declared the historic Fort Jesus in Mombasa, Kenya, a World Heritage Site.
- In 1984, Geraldine Ferraro became the first woman to be nominated as a vice-presidential candidate for a major U.S. political party.
- In 1992, the European Space Agency launched the satellite Giotto to study Comet 26P/Grigg-Skjellerup.
- In 2000, a powerful solar flare, later classified as an X-class flare, erupted from the Sun, causing minor disruptions to satellite communications and power systems.
- July 14th is Shark Awareness Day, a day to celebrate and raise awareness of these misunderstood marine animals.
- In 2011, South Sudan became the 193rd member state of the United Nations.
- In 2015, NASA's New Horizons spacecraft conducted a close flyby of Pluto, returning the first detailed images and data of the dwarf planet.
- In 2018, French soccer team won the FIFA World Cup in Russia, marking their second World Cup win.
- In 2019, Simona Halep won her first Wimbledon title, defeating Serena Williams.
- National Nude Day is celebrated on July 14, in some countries, encouraging body positivity and freedom.
- In 2012, Psy, a South Korean singer-songwriter, released the viral music video "Gangnam Style" on YouTube.
- In 2003, Jerry Springer announced he would not run for the U.S. Senate.
- In 1943, the President of the United States Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated the George Washington Carver National Monument.