July 15: Facts & Historical Events On This Day

France defeated Croatia 4-2 to win their second FIFA World Cup.

The 2018 FIFA World Cup occurred in Russia, with the final held at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium. France's first goal was an own-goal by the Croatian team, which was the first time this had ever happened in a World Cup Final.

“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” movie by J.K. Rowling was released.

Twitter was launched to the public.

It rapidly became one of the largest social media platforms in the world.

American romantic-comedy Wedding Crashers premiered.

American action film “Die Hard” was released in the US.

The all-time classic movie stars Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, and Alexander Godunov.

President Jimmy Carter’s brother Billy registered as a foreign agent in Libya.

The first-ever international crewed space mission was jointly launched by the US and the USSR.

The Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, which would have seemed impossible even five years earlier, was only made possible to a relaxation of tensions between the two nations. While the mission saw both a Soviet Soyuz and a US Apollo spacecraft launch on the same day, the Soviet spacecraft launched seven and a half hours earlier than its US counterpart.

Elton John’s “Honky Chateau” became his first #1 album in the US, which was a significant turning point in his career.

"Honky Chateau" hit the top 10 albums and stayed there for 11 weeks in the USA. The album included the famous "Rocket Man" and was recorded in just two weeks. This was the first time Elton John's music had entered the top charts in the United States.

US President Herbert Hoover slashed his salary by 20% and his cabinet members by 15% due to the Economic Act signed on June 30, 1932.

Boeing was incorporated by William E. Boeing.

After an expedition heading North, the Russian navigator and captain, Alexei Chirikov, spotted Southeast Alaska and sent his men to explore.

Although they never returned, they were the first Russians to set foot in Alaska.

King Charles II chartered the Royal Society in London, England.

English Jesuit priest Edmund Campion was captured by a spy named George Eliot and taken to London.

A Jesuit was a member of the Society of Jesus who would preach and act as a missionary to share their beliefs. The England campaign began in 1580, and many were out to get Campion for this preaching.

The Battle of Grunwald began.

On this day, allies Poland and Lithuania fought against the German-Prussian Teutonic Order. Although the alliance won, the Teutonic Order still kept siege of their fortress.