1498
Exploration
Columbus discovers Trinidad
During his third voyage, Christopher Columbus landed on the island of Trinidad near Venezuela.
📖 On This Day July 31
Testimonies of reality and new worlds forged by imagination
30 historical moments · one line of insight
1790
Invention
First US patent issued
Samuel Hopkins received the first patent, signed by George Washington, for a method of making potash fertilizer.
1856
News
Christchurch chartered as a city
The South Island settlement founded by Anglicans received a royal charter, becoming New Zealand's first city.
1905
Diplomacy
Sakhalin Island invaded by Japan
Near the end of the Russo-Japanese War, Japanese forces landed and occupied the entire island of Sakhalin.
1914
News
Jean Jaurès assassinated
The anti-war French socialist leader trying to prevent World War I was assassinated in a Paris café.
1919
Birth
Primo Levi Born
Auschwitz survivor and writer Primo Levi was born. Recording the horrors of the concentration camp with calm, rational language in If This Is a Man, his testimony is a great victory of reason maintaining humanity amidst extreme barbarism.
1919
News
Weimar Constitution adopted
A democratic constitution ensuring equal voting rights and basic civil liberties passed the German National Assembly.
1928
Film
MGM's Leo the Lion roars on film
As the silent era ended, the lion in the MGM studio logo roared with sound for the first time.
1932
News
Nazi Party wins largest share in Reichstag
Adolf Hitler's Nazi Party won over 37% of the vote, becoming the largest party in the Reichstag.
1944
Death
Saint-Exupéry Disappears
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, aviator and author of The Little Prince, disappeared over the Mediterranean. True to his insight that what is essential is invisible to the eye, he returned to an unseen eternal star beyond the clouds.
1948
Business
Idlewild Airport dedicated in New York
New York's major aviation hub, now known as John F. Kennedy International Airport, was officially dedicated.
1954
Exploration
First ascent of K2
An Italian expedition led by Ardito Desio successfully reached the summit of K2, the world's second highest peak.
1956
Sports
Luzhniki Stadium opens in Moscow
Russia's largest stadium, future host of the 1980 Olympics and 2018 World Cup final, officially opened.
1964
Science
Ranger 7 Moon Photos
US probe Ranger 7 transmitted clear close-up photos of the Moons surface just before impact. Witnessing the craters of a longed-for celestial body, it was a turning point where the fog of myth lifted to scientific light.
1965
Birth
J.K. Rowling Born
J.K. Rowling, the British author who created the Harry Potter series, was born. Blooming from poverty and despair, her magical world proves how one persons imagination can become a vast universe planting comfort and courage in millions.
1965
TV
UK bans cigarette TV ads
Cigarette advertising on television was completely banned by law in the UK to protect public health.
1968
Fashion
The Beatles close Apple Boutique
The Beatles closed their London clothing store due to losses, giving away the remaining merchandise for free.
1970
Food
Black Tot Day
The over 300-year-old tradition of a daily rum ration in the Royal Navy ended on this day.
1971
Tech
First drive of the Lunar Roving Vehicle
David Scott and James Irwin drove the Lunar Roving Vehicle, the first crewed electric rover on the Moon.
1976
Disaster
Big Thompson Canyon flood
A flash flood caused by heavy rain swept through the Colorado canyon, claiming many campers' lives.
1980
News
South Korea bans private tutoring
The military government banned private tutoring to reduce household spending on extracurricular education.
1988
Diplomacy
King Hussein renounces claim to West Bank
The King of Jordan renounced claims to the West Bank to support the Palestine Liberation Organization.
1991
Politics
START I Treaty Signed
The US and USSR signed a historic treaty to drastically reduce nuclear warheads and ICBMs. Hitting the brakes on the Cold Wars infinite arms race, it showed humanity can avoid catastrophe through rational dialogue.
1992
Disaster
Thai Airways Flight 311 crashes
A passenger jet crashed into the Himalayas on approach to Kathmandu, killing all 113 people aboard.
1999
Exploration
Discovery docks with ISS
The Space Shuttle Discovery crew successfully docked and entered the International Space Station under construction.
2001
Film
'Spirited Away' premieres in Japan
Hayao Miyazaki's animated masterpiece premiered, going on to win worldwide acclaim and an Academy Award.
2006
Diplomacy
Fidel Castro transfers power
The long-ruling Cuban leader temporarily transferred power to his brother Raúl due to surgery.
2007
News
Operation Banner ends in Northern Ireland
The British Army officially ended its 38-year military support operation in Northern Ireland.
2012
Sports
Phelps breaks Olympic medal record
Winning his 19th medal in London, Phelps broke the absolute record previously held by Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina.
2014
Disaster
Gas explosions in Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Propene gas leaked from underground pipelines, causing a series of explosions that destroyed roads and lives.
A line for today
"Only when we fully record the reality we face are we entitled to imagine a new world."
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