1054 The brightest star ever seen in the heavens appeared on this day. The great nova, as Oriental astronomers described it, was six times brighter than Venus and was only outshone by the sun and moon. For 23 days the nova could be observed in broad daylight.

1776 The Declaration of Independence was adopted by delegates to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia, although it was actually signed on and after August 2, 1776. Although the Declaration proclaimed the colonies' independence from England, that country's ruling monarch, George III, reportedly wrote in his journal on this day and date, "Nothing of importance happened today."

1802 The United State Military Academy opened its doors at West Point, New York, welcoming the first 10 cadets.

1817 Work began on the Erie Canal, more properly named the New York State Barge Canal. The canal connected Lake Erie with the Hudson and opened on October 26, 1825.

1819 The Territory of Arkansas was created.

1826 Two of the nation's founding fathers -- John Adams and Thomas Jefferson -- died on this day, 50 years after adoption of the Declaration of Independence. Adams, who was the nation's second president, died in Quincy, Massachusetts, aged 90. Jefferson, who was the nation's third president, died at the age of 83 and was buried near Charlottesville, Virginia. Jefferson died at one o'clock in the afternoon, Adams a few hours later. Because communications was slow in those days, both men, at their death, thought the other was still alive. Adams' last words were, "Thomas Jefferson still survives."

1828 Ground-breaking ceremonies were held in Baltimore for construction of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. On the same day, in nearby Georgetown, President John Quincy Adams, with great fanfare, lifted the first shovel of dirt to begin construction of the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal that would link Washington, Baltimore and Pittsburgh by water. The railroad went on to become one of the nation's longest rail lines, reaching St. Louis, Missouri, in 1857. The 185-mile canal, though it had many years of use, was quickly eclipsed as a transporttion medium by the superior technology of the railroad.

1831 James Monroe, 5th President of the United States, died in New York City at age 73, making him the third ex-President to die on Independence Day.

1832 The song "America" was sung publicly for the first time at a Fourth of July celebration by a group of children at Park Street Church in Boston. The words were written on a scrap of paper in half an hour by Dr. Samuel Francis Smith, a Baptist minister, and were set to the music of "God Save the King."

1836 The territorial government of Wisconsin was established.

1840 The Cunard Line took just over 14 days to make its first Atlantic crossing with the paddle steamer "Britannia", which embarked from Liverpool.

1845 One of America's greatest philosophers and lovers of nature, Henry D. Thoreau, chose this day to move to a rustic hut in the peace and quiet of Walden Pond, in Concord, Massachusetts. He lived there until September 6, 1847. His writings about his thoughts and experiences there are still read and remembered by millions around the world.

1848 The Communist Manifesto was published.

1848 The Cornerstone of the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C. was laid by President Polk. The white marble obelisk, which is 555 feet tall and 55 feet square at the base, was not completed until 1884. The public was admitted to the monument on October 9, 1888.

1855 One of America's greatest poets -- Walt Whitman -- published the first edition of his famous "Leaves of Grass", a collection of 12 poems. Whitman published the edition himself and had about 1,000 copies printed. He later recalled about the publication, "I don't think one copy was sold, not a copy."

1862 Charles Dodgson, an Oxford mathematician whose penname of Lewis Carroll would make him world famous, told little Alice Liddell on a boat trip the fairy tale he had dreamed up for her called "Alice's Adventures Underground." He later wrote it out for her and it became the classic children's tale, "Alice in Wonderland."

1863 General U.S. Grant's Union army captured Vicksburg after a long siege during the Civil War.

1881 Tuskegee Institute enrolled 30 students; Booker T. Washington was principal.

1884 The Statue of Liberty was presented to the United States in ceremonies at Paris, France. The 225-ton, 152-foot statue was a gift from France in commemoration of 100 years of American independence. Created by the French sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, the statue was installed on Bedloe Island (now Liberty Island) in New York harbor in 1885. It was dedicated on October 28, 1886.

1883 One of the first Wild West shows was performed in North Platte, Nebraska, and was organized by Buffalo Bill (William F. Cody), who took the show on the road the following year.

1888 Many believe that the first rodeo in America was held in Prescott, Arizona, on this day. Before this, informal competitions were frequently held among ranchhands from a single ranch or from neighboring spreads, but they were not full-scale rodeos. The Prescott event went on to become an annual contest.

1894 The Republic of Hawaii was established.

1895 The words to "America the Beautiful" appeared for the first time in "The Congregationalist", a Boston magazine; the author was Katherine Lee Bates, a Wellesley professor. It has often been suggested that this song be adopted as the national anthem of the United States since it is easier to sing than the "The Star Spangled Banner."

1919 Jack Dempsey, the "Manassa Mauler", defeated Jess Willard by a knockout in Toledo, Ohio, after three rounds to become the World's Heavyweight Boxing Champion.

1928 Jean Lussier became the first person to go over the Niagara Falls in a rubber ball. He went over Horseshoe Falls in the padded ball, which he had built complete with oxygen tanks and which weighed 750 pounds.

1939 Lou Gehrig, the New York Yankees baseball great, said farewell to tearful fans honoring him with a special day at Yankee Stadium. He was suffering from A.L.S. (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), a neurodegenerative disorder that destroys the body's neuromuscular system. Many now call it Lou Gehrig's disease. He died less than two years later at the age of 37.

1946 The Philippine Islands were given independence by the U.S.

1951 The "Capital Times" in Madison, Wisconsin, reported that one of its reporters was turned down by 99 out of 100 people he asked to sign a petition made up of quotations from the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. Many said the petition was subversive.

1959 A 49-star flag was raised for the first time at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., in honor of Alaska which had become the 49th state in the Union on July 7, 1958.

1960 A 50th star was added to the American flag in honor of Hawaii's admission into the Union on August 21, 1959.

1967 The Freedom of Information Act became official, making government information more readily available. To withhold information, the government must prove its need to be classified.

1976 The nation held a 200th anniversary party across the land in celebration of America's 200 years of independence.

Birthdays

1804 NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE # (1804-1864) author; born in Salem, Massachusetts; famous works include "The Scarlet Letter" and "House of Seven Gables."

1807 GIUSEPPE GARIBALDI # (1807-1882) Italian military leader; born in Nice, France; led the movement to make Italy one nation.

1826 STEPHEN FOSTER # (Stephen Collins Foster)(1826-1864) composer; born near Pittsburgh; his famous songs include "My Old Kentucky Home," "O Susanna," "Old Folks at Home," and "Camptown Races."

1872 CALVIN COOLIDGE # (John Calvin Coolidge)(1872-1933) 30th President of the United States (1923-29); born in Plymouth, Vermont; a Republican; was Vice President 1921- 23 and succeeded to the Presidency on the death of Warren Harding in 1923; elected President in 1924 and served a full term. He was especially known for his economy of language. A lady dinner companion during his presidency told him she had a bet she could get him to say more than two words; he replied: "You lose."

1883 RUBE GOLDBERG # (Ruben Lucius Goldberg)(1883-1970) cartoonist; born in San Francisco; known for cartoons featuring absurdly complicated mechanical devices to accomplish absurdly simple tasks.

1900 LOUIS "SATCHMO" ARMSTRONG # (Daniel Louis Armstrong)(1900-1971) jazz musician; born in New Orleans; solo performer on the trumpet; developed a vocal style called "scat singing"; was a band leader, film star and worldwide celebrity; his career spanned five decades.

1916 TOKYO ROSE # (Iva Toguri D'Aquino) did propaganda broadcasts against the U.S. from Japan during World War II; born in Los Angeles; imprisoned after the war, then received presidential pardon in 1977.

1918 ANN LANDERS # and ABIGAIL VAN BUREN # twin sisters who became famous columnists; born in Sioux City, Iowa, as Esther P. (Landers) and Pauline E. (Abbie) Friedman; their "advice" columns are syndicated in more than 1,000 newspapers.

1927 NEIL SIMON # (Marvin Neil Simon) playwright; born in New York City; his many hit plays include "Barefoot in the Park", "The Odd Couple", "Sweet Charity", "The Sunshine Boys", "Prisoner of Second Avenue", "Biloxi Blues" and "Lost in Yonkers" for which he was awarded a Pulitzer Prize in 1991.

1930 GEORGE STEINBRENNER # (George Michael Steinbrenner, III) businessman and baseball executive; born in Rocky River, Ohio; principal owner of the New York Yankees baseball team (1973-90); ordered by the Commissioner of Baseball to give up active management of the Yankee franchise for alleged association with gamblers; he is now back in control; known for firing one Yankee manager after another.

1943 GERALDO RIVERA # TV talkshow host; born in New York City; known for his non-conformity in the subjects he approaches.