Historical Events on July 14

  • 1789: The Bastille is stormed by Parisians during the French Revolution.
  • 1789: On his search for a river that would take him to the Pacific, Alexander Mackenzie discovers the river that would eventually be named after him and flows into the Arctic Ocean. It’s the second-largest river system to exist in North America.
  • 1791: A supporter of the French Revolution, Joseph Priestly, is driven out of Birmingham, England during the Priestley Riots.
  • 1798: In the U.S., the Sedition Act is made into law. This act makes it a Federal crime to write, utter, print or publish false or malicious comments about the government of the U.S.
  • 1853: The first major United States World’s Fair – the Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations – is opened in New York City.
  • 1874: Almost 50 acres of Chicago is burned down during the Chicago Fire of 1874. Over 800 buildings are destroyed and approximately 20 people are killed.
  • 1881: Pat Garret shoots down Billy the Kid outside of Fort Sumner.
  • 1933: All political parties in Germany, except for the Nazi Party is outlawed during Gleichschaltung.
  • 1933: Nazi Eugenics begins with a call for the compulsory sterilization of any citizen who is believed to suffer from genetic disorders.
  • 1943: The George Washington Carver National Monument is opened in Diamond, Missouri. It becomes the first U.S National monument to honor an African-American.
  • 1950: The Battle of Taejon is started by North Korean forces during the Korean War.

Famous Birthdays on July 14

  • English archaeologist and writer, Gertrude Bell is born in 1868.
  • French painter and illustrator, Marco de Gastyne is born in 1889.
  • American actor George Tobias is born in 1901.
  • American animator, director and co-founder of Hanna Barbera, William Hanna is born in 1910.
  • American businesswoman Aubrey McClendon is born in 1959.
  • American actress Jane Lynch is born in 1960.
  • American actor Jackie Earle Haley is born in 1961.
  • American actor Matthew Fox is born in 1966.