July 14

Historic Events

2019

A GippsAero GA8 Airvan crashes in Umeå, Sweden, killing all nine aboard. ›

2016

A man ploughs a truck into a Bastille Day celebration in Nice, France, killing 86 people and injuring another 434 before being shot by police. ›

2015

NASA's New Horizons probe performs the first flyby of Pluto, and thus completes the initial survey of the Solar System. ›

2013

Dedication of the statue of Rachel Carson, a sculpture of the environmentalist, in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. ›

2002

French president Jacques Chirac escapes an assassination attempt from Maxime Brunerie during a Bastille Day parade at Champs-Élysées. ›

2001

Australian criminal Bradley John Murdoch murders British tourist Peter Falconio and abducts his girlfriend in the Northern Territory. ›

2001

Rus Flight 9633 crashes during takeoff from Chkalovsky Airport, killing all 10 people on board. ›

1983

Mario Bros. is released in Japan, beginning the popular Super Mario Bros franchise. ›

1965

Mariner 4 flyby of Mars takes the first close-up photos of another planet. The photographs take approximately six hours to be transmitted back to Earth. ›

1960

Jane Goodall arrives at the Gombe Stream Reserve in present-day Tanzania to begin her study of chimpanzees in the wild. ›

1960

Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 1-11 ditches off Polillo Island in the Philippines, killing one person and injuring 44. ›

1958

In the 14 July Revolution in Iraq, the monarchy is overthrown by popular forces led by Abd al-Karim Qasim, who becomes the nation's new leader. ›

1957

Rawya Ateya takes her seat in the National Assembly of Egypt, thereby becoming the first female parliamentarian in the Arab world. ›

1951

Ferrari take their first Formula One grand prix victory at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. ›

1948

Palmiro Togliatti, leader of the Italian Communist Party, is shot and wounded near the Italian Parliament. ›

1943

In Diamond, Missouri, the George Washington Carver National Monument becomes the first United States National Monument in honor of an African American. ›

1942

In the Wardha session of Congress, the "Quit India" resolution is approved, authorising Mahatma Gandhi to campaign for India's independence from Britain. ›

1933

In a decree called the Gleichschaltung, Adolf Hitler abolishes all German political parties except the Nazis. ›

1933

Nazi eugenics programme begins with the proclamation of the Law for the Prevention of Hereditarily Diseased Offspring requiring the compulsory sterilization of any citizen who suffers from alleged genetic disorders. ›

1916

World War I: Battle of Delville Wood begins as an action within the Battle of the Somme, lasting until 3 September 1916. ›

1915

Beginning of the McMahon–Hussein Correspondence between Hussein bin Ali, Sharif of Mecca and the British official Henry McMahon concerning the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire. ›

1911

Harry Atwood, an exhibition pilot for the Wright brothers, is greeted by president William Howard Taft after he lands his aeroplane on the South Lawn of the White House, having flown from Boston. ›

1902

Peruvian explorer and farmer Agustín Lizárraga discovers Machu Picchu, the "Lost City of the Incas". ›

1902

The Campanile in St Mark's Square, Venice collapses, also demolishing the loggetta. ›

1900

Armies of the Eight-Nation Alliance capture Tientsin during the Boxer Rebellion. ›

1881

American outlaw Billy the Kid is shot and killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett in the Maxwell House at Fort Sumner, New Mexico. ›

1874

The Chicago Fire of 1874 burns down 47 acres of the city, destroying 812 buildings, killing 20, and resulting in the fire insurance industry demanding municipal reforms from Chicago's city council. ›

1865

The first ascent of the Matterhorn is completed by Edward Whymper and his party, four of whom die on the descent. ›

1853

Opening of the first major US world's fair, the Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations in New York City. ›

1808

The Finnish War: the Battle of Lapua is fought. ›

1798

The Sedition Act of 1798 becomes law in the United States making it a federal crime to write, publish, or utter false or malicious statements about the United States government. ›

1791

Beginning of Priestley Riots (to 17 July) in Birmingham targeting Joseph Priestley as a supporter of the French Revolution. ›

1790

Inaugural Fête de la Fédération is held to celebrate the unity of the French people and the national reconciliation. ›

1789

Storming of the Bastille in Paris. This event escalates the widespread discontent into the French Revolution. Bastille Day is still celebrated annually in France. ›

1771

Foundation of the Mission San Antonio de Padua in modern California by the Franciscan friar Junípero Serra. ›

1769

An expedition led by Gaspar de Portolá leaves its base in San Diego and sets out to find the Port of Monterey (now Monterey, California). ›

1596

Anglo-Spanish War: English and Dutch troops sack the Spanish city of Cádiz before leaving the next day. ›

1456

John Hunyadi and his forces defeat the Ottoman fleet on the Danube, allowing them to reinforce and supply the besieged city of Belgrade. ›

1430

Joan of Arc, taken by the Burgundians in May, is handed over to Pierre Cauchon, the bishop of Beauvais. ›

1420

Battle of Vítkov Hill, decisive victory of Czech Hussite forces commanded by Jan Žižka against Crusade army led by Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor. ›

1223

Louis VIII becomes King of France upon the death of his father, Philip II. ›

982

King Otto II and his Frankish army are defeated by the Muslim army of al-Qasim at Cape Colonna, Southern Italy. ›