What do Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Raffi, and J.K. Rowling have in common? Hint, it happened in July.
About July
July is the seventh month of the year in the internationally-accepted Gregorian Calendar. At one time, July was known as "Augustus" in honor of Julius Caesar who was born in July.
One of the first memorable days in July, Independence Day in the U.S., is commonly referred to as the 4th of July. Children may enjoy celebrating the day with 4th of July printables and activities. The U.S. is not the only country to celebrate its independence in July.
Independence Days in July
- July 1 - Independence Day, Somalia
- July 3 - Independence Day, Belarus
- July 5 - Independence Day, Venezuela
- July 9 - Independence Day, Argentina
- July 10 - Independence Day, Bahamas
- July 20 - Independence Day, Colombia
- July 21 - Independence Day, Belgium
- July 26 - Independence Day, Maldives
- July 28 - Independence Day, Peru
- July 30 - Independence Day, Vanuatu
The third week of July observes Captive Nations Week to raise awareness of oppressed nations under non-democratic governments.
Observances and Holidays in July
- July - National Ice Cream Month, U.S.
- July 1 - Canada Day
- July 7 - "Make A Wish" Celebration, Japan
- July 11 - World Population Day
- July 14 - Bastille Day
- July 24 - Pioneer Day, Utah
- July 25 - Feast of St. James
Historical Events in July
- July 20, 356 BC - Birth of Alexander the Great
- July 13, 100 BC - Birth of Julius Caesar
- July 8, 1099 - First Crusade
- July 11, 1274 - Birth of Robert the Bruce, Scotland
- July 12, 1543 - Henry VIII married his 6th wife, Catherine Parr
- July 12, 1690 - Battle of the Boyne, Northern Ireland
- July 11, 1750 - Halifax, Nova Scotia was almost completely destroyed by fire
- July 11, 1801 - Jean Luis Pons made his first comet discovery
- July 5, 1814 - Battle of Chippawa, War of 1812
- July 1, 1837 - England and Wales established a system of civil registration (births, deaths, etc.)
- July 1, 1862 - Final battle of the Seven Days Campaign, American Civil War
- July 28, 1868 - 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution certified
- July 30, 1947 - Birth of Arnold Schwarzenegger
- July 8, 1948 - Birth of Raffi
- July 31, 1965 - Birth of J.K. Rowling
- July 20, 1968 - First Special Olympics held
- July 20, 1976 - The American Viking 1 lander successfully landed on Mars
- July 1, 1921 - Communist Party of China founded
- July 5, 1996 - Dolly the Sheep became first mammal cloned from an adult cell
- July 30, 2003 - Last old-style VW Beetle rolled off assembly line in Mexcio
Imagine the births of well-known people, the holding of the first Special Olympics, and that last brand-new, old-style Volkswagen Beetle all occurring in July.
Next month: A Timeline of Famous Historical Events in August
Sources: BBC: On This Day and The New York Times: On This Day.
Sara McGrath - Sara is a veteran homeschool mom of three, Usborne consultant, and the author of Unschooling: A Lifestyle of Learning.
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