July 31: Facts & Historical Events On This Day

The first edition of the script for “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” was published.

Michael Phelps broke the world record for the most medals won at the Olympics.

With a total of six medals (four gold and two silver), he broke the previous record set in 1964 by Larisa Latynina.

NASA’s Lunar Prospector spacecraft was deliberately crashed into the Moon’s south pole.

Launched aboard an Athena II rocket on January 7, 1998, the Lunar Prospector's primary goal was to map the moon's polar regions and analyze the surface's composition. It was thought that there might be hydrogen deposits at the Lunar south pole. Once the mission came to its end, the Lunar Prospector was crashlanded there in the hopes that its impact would shoot out a plume of the theorized hydrogen, confirming its existence. The crashlanding was a success, but unfortunately, no plume was visible, and the theory was ultimately rejected.

Disney bought Capital Cities, ABC, and ESPN for $19 billion.

The country of Georgia joined the United Nations shortly after the country became independent.

The Royal Navy began rationing rum.

Now known as "Black Tot Day," sailors were only allowed two servings of rum daily, consisting of four parts water and one part rum.

Christians burned Beatles records because of John Lennon’s negative comments about Jesus.

The Rolling Stones began the first of two concerts in Ireland.

Their performance started at 12:30 in the evening to a full house.

Cliff Richard and The Drifters’ single “Living Doll” reached number one in the UK charts and stayed there for six weeks.

Christchurch, New Zealand, became the colony’s first city by royal charter.

Christchurch's name had already been decided before the first European colonist ships arrived in New Zealand. The name's origin is unclear, but it's commonly accepted that it was most likely named after Oxford University's Christ Church College.

Samuel Hopkins was awarded the first US patent.

Hopkins had invented a new way to get greater yields of higher quality potash, a basic form of potassium carbonate used to make soap, glass, gunpowder, and fertilizers. It was a pretty big deal back then, and both President George Washington and Thomas Jefferson signed the patent.

The satirical book “Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect” by Robert Burns was published.

Christopher Columbus discovered Trinity Islands.

Nobleman John Komnenos the Fat attempted to steal the imperial throne from Alexios III Angelos.

The very short coup to take Constantinople was unsuccessful and led to John Komnenos's death.