July 4: Facts & Historical Events On This Day

North Korea tested its first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

The missile named Hwasong-14 flew for 40 minutes and landed in the Sea of Japan.

Greece won its first UEFA Euro Cup after beating Portugal in the final 1-0.

NASA’s Pathfinder Space probe landed on Mars.

Launched on December 4, 1996, Pathfinder carried the first rover to Mars. While the mission was only planned to last from a week to a month, the rover successfully operated for three months before sending its final transmission.

The first Atlanta International Pop Festival took place at Atlanta International Raceway in Hampton, Georgia, with as many as 150,000 partygoers.

On this day, the temperature was almost a scorching 100°F, and the local fire department used their hoses to cool down attendees.

The Beatles were banned from the Philippines.

On this day, the First Lady of the Philippines invited the band to breakfast, to which they declined. This caused outrage, and protests against them broke out, leading them to flee to Manila airport and escape the country.

The Beach Boys reached #1 on the Billboard charts with their single “I Get Around.”

"I Get Around" entered the Billboard chart on May 23 at #76 and by July became #1. It was the band's first #1 hit in the United States. The Beach Boys remained in the #1 spot for two weeks.

The Philippines gained its independence as a nation after 381 years of colonial rule.

Lewis Carroll told 10-year-old Alice Liddel a story that was the basis for “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.”

The book was later published in 1865.

Huskar Mining Pit, located in Silkstone, England, flooded after heavy rainfall, killing 26 children.

The disaster shocked the public, and then in 1842, the Mines Act was put into law, making it unlawful for minors under ten years old to work underground.

The last slaves in New York were freed.

The next day, the African-American community celebrated with a parade through New York City.

President Thomas Jefferson announced the Louisiana Purchase to the public.

The purchase of 828,000 square miles was made from France, costing $15 million.

Scottish geologist James Hutton publicly read his theory on uniformitarianism for the first time at the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

The theory of uniformitarianism is that the earth's crust has changed due to continuous and uniform processes. This geological history has formed unique elements of the earth's crust and is fundamental to studying geology.

The United States of America declared its Independence from Britain.

This day is now celebrated every year as Independence Day.

Chinese astronomers reported the brightest supernova known to man.

Named "SN 1054," the event created the Crab Nebula, which are the remnants of the explosion.