What are the important events that happened on July 4? Here are historical events, facts, and some myths about this day.
July 4: Facts & Myths About This Day
July 4 is the 186th day of the year 2020 in the Gregorian calendar. There are 180 days remaining until the end of this year. The day of the week is Saturday.
Under the Julian calendar, this day is June 21, 2020 – a Saturday. Both day of the week are the same but did you notice the difference with the Gregorian calendar?
When this day started, 1,593,820,800 seconds has elapsed since midnight of January 1, 1970 – the Unix epoch.
Strange as it may, if we name this day after a polygon then it will be called ‘hectaoctacontahexagon’ day.
Hey! How’s your lovelife today? Get a free love reading
with the most frank answers. Start to seize love opportunities in your life! Did I mention it’s F-R-E-E?
(Sponsored link; 18+ only)
Cancer is the zodiac sign of a person born on this day. Ruby is the modern birthstone for this month. Ruby is the mystical birthstone from Tibetan origin that dates back over a thousand years.
According to the lunisolar Chinese calendar, there are 223 days remaining before the start of the next Chinese New Year.
The ancient Maya civilization believes that the end of the world will happen on December 21, 2012. There are now 2,752 days since this fabled cataclysmic event.
Do people and celebrities interest you? Discover all the July 4 famous birthdays who share your special day. Learn some fun facts about your birthday! (Sponsored link)
July 4: This Day In History
The Aphelion, the point in the year when the Earth is farthest from the Sun, occurs around this date.
July 4 Historical Events
- 1359 –Francesco II Ordelaffi of Forlì surrenders to the Papal commander Gil de Albornoz.
- 1456 –The Siege of Nándorfehérvár (Belgrade) begins. (Part of the Ottoman wars in Europe)
- 1802 –At West Point, New York the United States Military Academy opens.
- 1810 –The French occupy Amsterdam.
- 1827 –Slavery is abolished in New York State.
- 1879 –Anglo-Zulu War: the Zululand capital of Ulundi is captured by British troops and burnt to the ground, thus, ending the war and forcing King Cetshwayo to flee.
- 1903 –Dorothy Levitt is reported as the first woman in the world to compete in a 'motor race'.
- 1951 –A court in Czechoslovakia sentences American journalist William N. Oatis to ten years in prison on a charge of espionage.
- 1969 –Two teens (one male, one female) are attacked at Blue Rock Springs in California. They are the second (known) victims of the Zodiac Killer. The male survives.
- 2009 –The Statue of Liberty’s crown reopens to the public after 8 years, due to security reasons following the World Trade Center attacks.
Who were born on July 4?
- 1907 –Gordon Griffith, American director (d. 1958)
- 1918 –King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV of Tonga (d. 2006)
- 1929 –Al Davis, American businessman
- 1937 –Thomas Nagel, American philosopher
- 1944 –Joe Berardo, Portuguese millionaire
- 1948 –Phil Wheatley, Director-General of the National Offender Management Service
- 1971 –Brendan Donnelly, American baseball player
- 1975 –Tania Davis, Australian violist
- 1985 –Kane Tenace, Australian rules footballer
- 1993 –Thomas Barkhuizen, English footballer
Who died on July 4?
- 1780 –Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine, Austrian military leader (b. 1712)
- 1882 –Joseph Brackett, American composer (b. 1797)
- 1891 –Hannibal Hamlin, U.S. Vice President (b. 1809)
- 1901 –Johannes Schmidt, German linguist (b. 1843)
- 1931 –Emanuele Filiberto, 2nd Duke of Aosta, Italian aristocrat (b. 1869)
- 1946 –Gerda Steinhoff, Polish-born German concentration camp overseer (b. 1922)
- 1964 –Henry (Hank) Sylvern, American radio personality (b. 1908)
- 1997 –John Zachary Young, English zoologist (b. 1907)
- 2001 –Keenan Milton, American skateboarder (b. 1974)
- 2004 –Jean-Marie Auberson, Swiss conductor (b. 1920)
What no one tells you about your first name’s personality. Are there hidden powers in your moniker? Check out Courtney’s personality and get smart about names today. (Sponsored links)