Today is Thursday, July 14, the 195th day of 2011. There are 170 days left in the year.
1789 _ Bastille Day; citizens of Paris storm Bastille prison
1832 _ Opium exempted from federal tariff duty
1850 _ First public demonstration of ice made by refrigeration
1853 _ Commodore Perry requests trade relations with Japan
1865 _ First ascent of Matterhorn
1868 _ Tape measure enclosed in a circular case patented, AJ Fellows, Conn.
1914 _ First patent for liquid-fueled rocket design granted (Dr. R. Goddard)
1934 _ NY Times erroneously declares Ruth 700 HR record to stand for all time
1958 _ Iraqi army overthrows monarchy; republic replaces Hashemite dynasty
1987 _ Taiwan ends 37 years of martial law