★ The Archive

This Day in American History

Real dates, real founding documents, real battles. A growing daily archive — new dates added every week. Want the whole habit, plus a daily poll and your own Freedom Score? Take the 60-second assessment.

July

July 10Wyoming joins the UnionJuly 11the Hamilton–Burr duelJuly 12the Medal of Honor is bornJuly 13the Northwest OrdinanceJuly 14the Sedition Act becomes lawJuly 15Georgia rejoins the UnionJuly 16Congress establishes Washington, D.C.July 17Disneyland opens its gatesJuly 18the 54th Massachusetts storms Fort WagnerJuly 19the Seneca Falls Convention opensJuly 20Apollo 11 lands on the MoonJuly 21the First Battle of Bull RunJuly 22the Roanoke colonists arriveJuly 23the ice cream cone goes mainstreamJuly 24pioneers reach the Salt Lake ValleyJuly 25Wyoming Territory is createdJuly 26the Continental Congress creates the Post OfficeJuly 27the Korean War armistice is signedJuly 28the 14th Amendment is ratifiedJuly 29NASA is createdJuly 30America's first elected assembly convenesJuly 31the first U.S. patent is issued

August

August 1Colorado joins the UnionAugust 2most delegates actually sign the DeclarationAugust 3USS Nautilus crosses the North Pole submergedAugust 4the Revenue Cutter Service is foundedAugust 5the first federal income tax is enactedAugust 6the Voting Rights Act is signedAugust 7Washington creates the Purple HeartAugust 8a president announces his resignationAugust 9Gerald Ford is sworn in without an electionAugust 10Missouri becomes the 24th stateAugust 11the first prisoners arrive at AlcatrazAugust 12Edison completes the phonographAugust 13East Germany begins building the Berlin Wall