What Happened on Jul 4

Battle of Hattin

The Battle of Hattin (also known as "The Horns of Hattin" because of a nearby extinct volcano of the same name) took place on Saturday, July 4,... Read more

United States Declaration of Independence

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776. The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes... Read more

Thomas Jefferson Dies

Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 – July 4, 1826) was the third President of the United States (1801–1809), the principal author of the Declaration... Read more

The Chickasaws Gather At Memphis, Tennessee

Unlike other tribes who exchanged land grants, the Chickasaw received financial compensation from the United States for their lands east of the... Read more

The First Edition of Walt Whitman's "Leaves of Grass" Is Published

When Walt Whitman published his first edition of Leaves of Grass on or around the fourth day of July in 1855, he believed he was embarking on a... Read more

Battle of Helena - Union Captures Eastern Arkansas

Description: Lt. Gen. Theophilus Holmes’s troops attacked Helena in an attempt to relieve pressure on Vicksburg. Although the Rebels had more... Read more

Battle of Tebbs Bend

The Battle of Tebbs' Bend (or Tebbs Bend or Green River) was fought on July 4, 1863, near the Green River in Taylor County, Kentucky during... Read more

Fight at Monterey Pass

The Fight at Monterey Pass (or Gap) was an American Civil War military engagement beginning the evening of July 4, 1863, during the Retreat from... Read more

Calvin Coolidge is Born

John Calvin Coolidge, Jr. was born in Plymouth Notch, Windsor County, Vermont, on July 4, 1872, the only U.S. President to be born on the Fourth of... Read more

Tacoma Trolley Disaster

Nearly a hundred people, passengers on a car bound for this city, were plunged into a gulch at Twenty-sixth and C Streets shortly after 8 o'clock... Read more

Battle of Hamel

The Battle of Hamel (4 July 1918) was a successful attack launched by the Australian Corps of the Australian Imperial Force and several American... Read more

James Joyce and Nora Barnacle are Married

On 4 July 1931 - a date chosen as his father’s birthday - Joyce married Nora, though offering a circumstantial story of a previous marriage between... Read more

Lou Gehrig Delivers His "Luckiest Man" Farewell Speech

Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about the bad break I got. Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the... Read more

Battle of Kursk Begins

The Battle of Kursk refers to German and Soviet operations on the Eastern Front of World War II in the vicinity of the city of Kursk in July and... Read more

Canadian Forces Launch Operation Windsor

Operation Windsor was a Canadian offensive launched as part of the Battle of Normandy during World War II. Taking place between 4–5 July 1944, the... Read more

West Germany Defeats Hungary to Win 1954 FIFA World Cup in "The Miracle of Bern"

The 1954 FIFA World Cup, the fifth staging of the World Cup, was held in Switzerland from 16 June to 4 July. As the year saw the 50th anniversary... Read more

Dedication of the Yad Kennedy Memorial

Yad Kennedy, located in the Mateh Yehuda Regional Council near Jerusalem, Israel, is a memorial to John F. Kennedy, President of the United States,... Read more

Operation Entebbe

Operation Entebbe, also known as the Jonatan Operation or Entebbe Raid or Operation Thunderbolt, was a counter-terrorism hostage-rescue mission... Read more

MST3K Ep. 405 - "Being from Another Planet"

In early-'80s California, a mummy found in King Tut's tomb is X-rayed by a university team. The radiation awakens the mummy. It escapes that night... Read more

Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor buys Sharon Tate's house

The original home located at 10050 Cielo Drive in Benedict Canyon, Los Angeles, California, has been occupied by many famous Hollywood figures, and... Read more

Eva Gabor Dies

Eva Gabor died on July 4, 1995, aged 76, from respiratory failure and pneumonia in Los Angeles, California, following an accident in which she lost... Read more

South Park Episode 503 - "Super Best Friends"

Stan, Kyle, Cartman and Kenny discover David Blaine, magician and Cult Leader. Stan finds out early that the Blainiacs are not as nice as they... Read more

Barry White Dies

Barry White (September 12, 1944(1944-09-12) – July 4, 2003) was an American record producer and singer-songwriter. A five-time Grammy... Read more

Alice Cooper releases Dirty Diamonds

Dirty Diamonds is the 24th studio album by Alice Cooper. It was released on July 4, 2005 internationally and on August 2 for North America. The... Read more

John Mayer releases "Dreaming with a Broken Heart" single

"Dreaming with a Broken Heart" is a song by John Mayer from his 2006 album Continuum. It was released as digital download single in July... Read more