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ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY: JULY 26

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FEATURED EVENT
1956
Suez Canal seized
On this day in 1956, Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasserseized control of the Suez Canal and nationalized
it, sparking a crisis that later resulted in French, British, and Israeli forces briefly occupying parts of Egypt.
FEATURED BIOGRAPHY
John Howard
PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA
BORN

July 26, 1939 (age 80)

Sydney, Australia
(Born on this day)
BORN ON THIS DAY
1964
Sandra Bullock
AMERICAN ACTRESS AND PRODUCER
1959
Kevin Spacey
AMERICAN ACTOR
1945
Helen Mirren
BRITISH ACTRESS
1928
Stanley Kubrick
AMERICAN DIRECTOR

See All Biographies On This Day

MORE EVENTS ON THIS DAY

At the Democratic National Convention, Hillary Clinton was officially nominated for president,
becoming the first woman to top the presidential ticket of a major party in the United States.
2016

In response to an explosion of violence in the Darfur region, the European Union advocated that
the United Nations institute economic sanctions against Sudan.
2004
American photographer Diane Arbus—who was best known for her compelling, often disturbing,
portraits of people from the edges of society—committed suicide at age 48.
1971

The Republic of Maldives gained its independence from Britain.

1965
American actress Sandra Bullock—known for her charismatic energy and wit on-screen, especially
as girl-next-door characters in romantic comedies—was born.
1964

The Italian passenger liner Andrea Doria sank after colliding with the Stockholm off the coast
of Nantucket in the Atlantic Ocean; 51 people were killed.
1956

Fidel Castro attacked the Moncada military fortress in Santiago de Cuba, and, although unsuccessful,
the event later inspired the 26th of July Movement, which culminated in the overthrow of Fulgencio
Batista's regime in Cuba.
1953
English writer Aldous Huxley, whose deep distrust of 20th-century trends in both politics and
technology found expression in his novel Brave New World (1932), was born in Godalming, Surrey.
1894

The U.S. Postal Service was established by the Second Continental Congress, and Benjamin
Franklin was named the first postmaster general.
1775

HISTORY AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

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TIME CAPSULE
From Britannica Book Of The Year

July 26, 1964

OAS foreign ministers voted, 15 to 4, to impose economic and other sanctions on Cuba, including the barring
of all OAS members from maintaining diplomatic and consular relations with Cuba.

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Jul
Aug
Sep
 Oct
Nov
Dec


JULY 1

1867
Dominion of Canada established


JULY 2

1839
Revolt aboard the slave ship Amistad


JULY 3

1863
Battle of Gettysburg ended


JULY 4

1776
Declaration of Independence approved by Second Continental Congress


JULY 5
 1950
Israel's Law of Return passed


JULY 6

1942
Anne Frank forced into hiding


JULY 7

1898
Hawaiian Islands annexed by the United States


JULY 8

1497
Vasco da Gama's first voyage to India


JULY 9
 1762
Catherine the Great assumed power


JULY 10

1962
Telstar 1 launched


JULY 11

1804
Duel between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton


JULY 12

1984
Geraldine Ferraro designated running mate of Walter Mondale


JULY 13

1793
French revolutionary Jean-Paul Marat assassinated


JULY 14
 1789
Bastille stormed by Paris mob


JULY 15

1965
Close-up pictures of Mars provided by Mariner 4


JULY 16

1945
First atomic bomb exploded near Alamogordo, New Mexico


JULY 17

1936
Beginning of the Spanish Civil War


JULY 18
 1925
Publication of Mein Kampf


JULY 19

1848
U.S. women's suffrage movement begun


JULY 20

1969
First Moon landing


JULY 21

1798
Egyptians defeated in the Battle of the Pyramids


JULY 22

1977
Deng Xiaoping reinstated


JULY 23
 1952
Egyptian monarchy toppled by coup


JULY 24

1917
Beginning of Mata Hari's trial


JULY 25

1814
American advance into Canada halted by British troops


JULY 26

1956
Suez Canal seized


JULY 27
 1996
Terrorist attack at Atlanta Olympics


JULY 28

1914
Beginning of World War I


JULY 29

1958
National Aeronautics and Space Administration established


JULY 30

1898
Death of Otto von Bismarck


JULY 31

1971
Lunar Roving Vehicle first used on the Moon

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