History: What Happened Today?

1. In 1785, the first manned flight by gas balloon in the Netherlands.
2. In 1902, the Australian parliament agrees to female suffrage.
3. In 1920, the Panama Canal opened, allowing ships to go from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, without having to go around Cape Horn, the southernmost tip of South America.
4. In 1960, the first Etch-A-Sketch went on sale. Over 50mil units were sold over the next 25 yrs.
5. In 1984, Democratic presidential candidate Walter F. Mondale announced Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro as his running mate, making her the first woman to run from a major political party.
6. Famous Birthdays: Julius Caesar (Roman statesman), George Washington Carver (scientist), Bill Cosby (actor), Kristi Yamaguchi (Olympic figure skater), Henry David Thoreau (American poet)

For famous birthdays and other daily events in history, visit our Daily Dose Activities.

Click Here for Yesterday in History: July 11

Click Here for Tomorrow in History: July 13

For more history resources on Internet 4 Classrooms, visit our Social Studies and History index. For Pre K-8th Grade Level History and Social Studies Resources, visit our Grade Level Index.