Today is Saturday, July 4, the 185th day of 2009. There are 180 days left in the year.
1054 _ Brightest known super-nova (Crab Nebula) starts shining (23 days)
1776 _ Declaration of Independence-U.S. gains independence from Britain
1802 _ U.S. Military Academy officially opens (West Point, N.Y.)
1865 _ First edition of ``Alice in Wonderland" is published
1884 _ Statue of Liberty presented to U.S. in Paris
1888 _ First organized rodeo competition held, Prescott, Ariz.
1942 _ First American bombing mission over enemy-occupied Europe (WW II)
1946 _ Philippines gains independence from U.S.
1967 _ Freedom of Information Act goes into effect
1987 _ Nazi Klaus Barbie, ``Butcher of Lyon," convicted by a French court