Today is Saturday, July 7, the 189th day of 2012. There are 177 days left in the year.
1668 _ Isaac Newton receives M/A from Trinity College, Cambridge
1865 _ Four Lincoln assassination conspirators, including Mary Surratt, hanged
1891 _ Travelers cheque patented
1937 _ Japanese and Chinese troops clash, which will become WW II
1968 _ Rock group ``The Yardbirds" disband
1969 _ Canada's House of Commons approves equality of French and English languages
1981 _ Solar Challenger powered only by solar energy crosses English Channel
1983 _ Eleven-year-old Samantha Smith of Manchester, Maine, leaves for USSR
1987 _ Lt. Colonel Oliver North began public testimony at Iran-Contra hearing
1988 _ Soviet Union launches Phobos 1 to probe Martian moon (unsuccessful)